What the H#@ is going on?

[knome]

Well when i start activity monitor i see that my system is using 8% of my cpu power on my quad core system! But i look at my processes and there is no system process using that much. Here is what it looks like in activity monitor with 3 cpu's disabled:



Here is with all 4 cores:



I've double checked it in top and i just don't see where it is coming from. What is going on and how can i fix it?

 

[reflex]

The process called EyeTV seems to be taking about 21% cpu in those screenshots.

Activity Monitor by itself seem to take more than 4%. Together with "kernel_task" that's about 8%. Doesn't explain what "kernel_task" is, though.

 

[bousozoku]

Where are you seeing 8%? It's obviously not coming from Activity Monitor.

I'm not sure what other utility you're using but as with anything gauging CPU usage, it's an estimate. pmTool is likely being called by Activity Monitor. Also, the VShield processes are being run under Rosetta since they're PowerPC, not Intel, code. It almost looks as though you're running anti-virus software, which can be CPU draining, and since it has to be emulated, doubly so.

 

[Transeau]

I would guess that any issue you are having is due to the fact that you are running an A/V that is NOT a UB.

You should look at Sophos A/V. It uses very little system resources.

 

[MRU]

I would guess that any issue you are having is due to the fact that you are running an A/V that is NOT a UB.

You should look at Sophos A/V. It uses very little system resources.

EyeTV software is universal.

 

[bousozoku]

EyeTV software is universal.

That's nice, but he's talking about anti-virus software, I believe, since the VShield processes are the only two showing PowerPC.

 

[ljones]

Generally when i see one of my cores spiking above the rest at a constant rate... something is wrong with that program. MPlayer does this from time to time or any app that is not responding.

 

[knome]

Where are you seeing 8%? It's obviously not coming from Activity Monitor.

the highest i saw before i took the picture with 4 cores was 8%

I know my anti virus is running under rosetta but it still isn't drawing that much power.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

you only have user processes displaying. Click the box, and select All Processes

EDIT: dammit, what is wrong with me. ignore...

 

[knome]

uhhh no i don't, can you read?

 

[yellow]

you only have user processes displaying. Click the box, and select All Processes

It IS "All Processes".

Personally, I have no idea what the OP is asking for.

8% to system is nothing. A spike to 21% is also nothing.
If you're trying to attribute 8% to one thing, well you cannot.. it's a TOTAL of all the system processes running.

What exactly is the problem and what exactly are you trying to accomplish?

 

[darkwing]

Where are you seeing 8%? It's obviously not coming from Activity Monitor.

I'm not sure what other utility you're using but as with anything gauging CPU usage, it's an estimate. pmTool is likely being called by Activity Monitor. Also, the VShield processes are being run under Rosetta since they're PowerPC, not Intel, code. It almost looks as though you're running anti-virus software, which can be CPU draining, and since it has to be emulated, doubly so.

Uh, CPU usage is not an estimate. Whatever gave you that idea?

It IS "All Processes".

Personally, I have no idea what the OP is asking for.

8% to system is nothing. A spike to 21% is also nothing.
What exactly is the problem and what exactly are you trying to accomplish?

Actually OSX is a bit of a bloated and inefficient OS. Linux and even Windows machines will idle at 0-1%, and that's usually 0. And I'm talking about my own experiences with all three. I'd love to see my 1.67 g4 PB read 0% most of the time, but that never happens. Right now it's sitting at 88-95. Firefox is doing its usual 5% while doing nothing at all. Adium sucks 1.3% for nothing. Firefox may do this on all systems, but I notice Cocoa apps seem to often use a tiny bit for some routine stuff.

If activity monitor is sucking your CPU usage, then change its update rate to 5 seconds and just use the dock icon. I always leave it running.

 

[yellow]

Actually OSX is a bit of a bloated and inefficient OS.

You say that as if I had posted something to the contrary?

 

[knome]

because 2% + 1% + .20 + .4% does not eqal 9.25!

If some of you didn't realize the percentages in the main activity monitor window are out of 400% but the % in red, green, and black are out of 100%.

So don't you think i'm worried that there is processing % missing!

i am also worried because usually my system processes take up at most 1.5% when idle.
Also the majority of the activity is restricted to the first cpu only.

 

[yellow]

How convinced are you that the % at the bottom are as up to date as the process listings in the window? Perhaps the processes are updated much more quickly, so they are completely out of sync with the overall percentages? Or vice versa?

Also the majority of the activity is restricted to the first cpu only.

Well, THAT is normal.

 

[bousozoku]

Uh, CPU usage is not an estimate. Whatever gave you that idea?

The fact that you can't get the information about all processes simultaneously. You can only get a snapshot and that there will be an interval of milliseconds, even for a real time kernel, between the information gathering process. For a kernel as sloppy as Mach, finely tuned or not, it should be much larger.

I suppose you think there is an extra CPU gathering process information?

 

[yellow]

As a test, I just compiled a bit of software and watched activity monitor. It's grossly out of sync, as you can see. As far as I am concerned, Activity Monitor is simple a tool got GENERAL knowledge, it's info should always be taken with a grain of salt. Top falls into this category as well.

 

[Starflyer]

What is going on and how can i fix it?

It's hidden spyware from Apple. They are watching you.

 

[apfhex]

because 2% + 1% + .20 + .4% does not eqal 9.25!

i am also worried because usually my system processes take up at most 1.5% when idle.

Of your non-user process using CPU in your second screenshot, I count 9.7% (out of 400%), but you're right that that does not equal 9.25% out of 100% for all 4 cores (which is about 37% out of 400%?). That is an unusual amount for the system to be taking, but I really don't know. Activity Monitor reports my system taking <1%, spiking at 1.5% just like you say yours does usually.

I think, like yellow said, take it with a grain of salt.

 

[knome]

I don't know if i should or not, the CHUD tools also registers this huge increase in system cpu usage.

EDIT: ok well it seems that a day latter and like 8 restarts with no change i finally restarted and it seems to have stopped. Here is what its supposed to look like: