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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Laptop Kernal task issues

Laptop Kernal task issues
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kevs
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Apr 22, 2019, 08:23 PM
 
Kernal tast at 80 to 400% CPU, really making life hard on the macbook Air. What can I do or even know what's causing this? Thanks.
     
reader50
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Apr 22, 2019, 10:36 PM
 
What else is using CPU in Activity Monitor? Heavy use by the kernel is usually drivers in my experience. Either a busy driver, or one that's hung up.

Got any disk activity or network activity running?
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 23, 2019, 12:15 AM
 
THANKS READER,
well wifi, and just the one small hardrive with the mabbook air. So still puzzled.
     
andi*pandi
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Apr 23, 2019, 11:39 AM
 
Have you launched the Activity Monitor app to see what is running?
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 23, 2019, 01:37 PM
 
Yes, that's where I discovered the Kernal. But what is causing the Kernal? The point was my wifi was slow and hard to watch wifi TV when slow.
     
reader50
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Apr 23, 2019, 01:50 PM
 
So tell us what else is using CPU in Activity Monitor. A screen shot would help. imgur is your friend.
( Last edited by reader50; Apr 23, 2019 at 04:31 PM. Reason: linked imgur)
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 23, 2019, 03:32 PM
 
Kernal task now only says 4%. This happened last night about 8pm...
what is imgur
     
andi*pandi
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Apr 23, 2019, 03:50 PM
 
imgur is a way to post images on the internet.

your wifi being slow is not your laptops fault. It could be verizon's fault, sure... or your laptop struggling to handle the data due to being full, using too many apps, etc.

how much space is left on your system hard drive. >25% free?
What else is running?
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 23, 2019, 05:10 PM
 
thanks Andi, 40gb available of the 120 GB drive. Not running too much on the laptop, but Mail, and that is a labot intensive app sometimes. But still Kernal saying $85%, then 200% what is that?

Seems to happen, I think more at night?....8pm than during the day. Kernal Task now say today, 2pm just 4.6%
     
andi*pandi
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Apr 23, 2019, 05:22 PM
 
30% free should be enough space.

We cannot help you unless you post a screenshot of activity monitor showing what else is running.
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 23, 2019, 05:45 PM
 
ok Andi, I'll catch it in the act soon and post.... Darn wish Macc had upload feature.
     
andi*pandi
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Apr 23, 2019, 06:06 PM
 
you have icloud, put screenshot in gallery and share?
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 23, 2019, 06:17 PM
 
how would that work? I have no idea-- would be less laborious than just doing imgur?
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 24, 2019, 10:11 PM
 
I DID an Etra check, Poor. Then deleted cache, and emails, then Excellent. Then internet slow, and ran Etrecheck and again poor.

Said there is couple of hundred Apple tasks, and deamons that failed due to insufficent ram, but does not say what the processes are that failed. I hardly have anything going on on my laptop! So baffled.

Last night I deleted Office 2011, could not find uninstalled so just trashed, and today see this:

Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/SyncServicesAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/SyncServicesAgent: Executable not found!

Here is ETre check report from tonight.

EtreCheck version: 3.1.5 (343)
Report generated 2019-04-24 18:17:25
Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com Runtime 18:47
Performance: Poor
Click the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products. Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.
Problem: Computer is too slow
Hardware Information: i
MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012)
[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service] MacBook Air - model: MacBookAir5,1
1 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5 (i5-3317U) CPU: 2-core
4 GB RAM Not upgradeable
BANK 0/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok
Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported
Wireless: Unknown Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 7
Video Information: i Intel HD Graphics 4000
VX2250 SERIES 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz
System Software: i
macOS 10.13.6 (17G6030) - Time since boot: about 10 hours
Disk Information: i
OWC Aura 2012 disk0 : (120.03 GB) (Solid State - TRIM: No) [Show SMART report]
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB disk0s2 (disk0s2) <not mounted> : 119.82 GB
USB Information: i
Apple Inc. Apple USB Ethernet Adapter
Mitsumi Electric Hub in Apple Extended USB Keyboard
Logitech USB-PS/2 Optical Mouse

Mitsumi Electric Apple Extended USB Keyboard Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Thunderbolt Information: i Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
Gatekeeper: i
Mac App Store and identified developers
Unknown Files: i /Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.GC.AGM.plist
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/AdobeGCClient/AGMService -mode=logon /Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.GC.Invoker-1.0.plist
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/AdobeGCClient/agcinvokerutility -mode=logon /Library/LaunchAgents/com.malwarebytes.mbam.frontend.agent.plist
/Library/Application Support/Malwarebytes/MBAM/Engine.bundle/Contents/PlugIns/ FrontendAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/FrontendAgent
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.microsoft.update.agent.plist
/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app/Contents/MacOS/Micr
AU Daemon.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft AU Daemon -checkForUpdates /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.acc.installer.v2.plist
/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.adobe.acc.installer.v2 /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.malwarebytes.mbam.rtprotection.daemon.plist
/Library/Application Support/Malwarebytes/MBAM/Engine.bundle/Contents/PlugIns/ RTProtectionDaemon.app/Contents/MacOS/RTProtectionDaemon -i 8DE3F094-2936-4C73- B75B-41C86C23C20B.pkg
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.malwarebytes.mbam.settings.daemon.plist /Library/Application Support/Malwarebytes/MBAM/Engine.bundle/Contents/PlugIns/
SettingsDaemon.app/Contents/MacOS/SettingsDaemon /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.ntp.ntpd-legacy.plist
/usr/libexec/ntpd-wrapper ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.GC.Invoker-1.0.plist
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/AdobeGCClient/agcinvokerutility -mode=scheduled ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist
~/Library/Dropbox/DropboxMacUpdate.app/Contents/MacOS/DropboxMacUpdate -check period ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.google.keystone.xpcservice.plist
~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resources/ GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent -runMode xpchost
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.skype.skype.shareagent.plist /Applications/Skype.app/Contents/Library/LaunchServices/com.skype.skype.shareagent.bundle/
o

Contents/MacOS/com.skype.skype.shareagent
12 unknown files found. [Check files]
Kernel Extensions: i
/Library/Application Support/com.adguard.Adguard/kext
[not loaded] com.adguard.nfext (1.0.4 - SDK 10.11 - 2016-07-06) [Support]
/Library/Extensions
[loaded] com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower (2.0b2 - SDK 10.10 - 2019-04-03) [Support] [loaded] jp.plentycom.driver.SteerMouse (4.2.6 - SDK 10.6 - 2019-04-03) [Support]
System Launch Agents: i [not loaded] 9 Apple tasks
[loaded]
[running]
170 Apple tasks 93 Apple tasks
[killed]
22 processes killed due to insufficient RAM
System Launch Daemons: i [not loaded] 36 Apple tasks
[loaded]
[running]
182 Apple tasks 91 Apple tasks
22 Apple tasks
[killed]
26 processes killed due to insufficient RAM
Launch Agents: i
[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (2019-02-08) [Support]
26 Apple tasks
[loaded]
[loaded]
[running]
[not loaded] com.adobe.GC.Invoker-1.0.plist (2018-12-20) [Support]
com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist (2019-03-12) [Support] com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist (2010-10-28) [Support]
com.adobe.GC.AGM.plist (2018-12-20) [Support]
[running]
[running]
[loaded]
[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist (2018-05-30) [Support]
[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist (2018-01-25) [Support]
Launch Daemons: i
[loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist (2010-10-28) [Support]
com.flipvideo.FlipShare.AutoRun.plist (2009-10-11) [Support]
com.malwarebytes.mbam.frontend.agent.plist (2019-02-26) [Support] com.microsoft.update.agent.plist (2019-04-16) [Support]

[loaded]
[loaded]
[loaded]
[loaded]
[loaded]
[running]
[running]
[loaded]
[loaded]
[loaded]
[not loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.prosofteng.KXInstaller.plist (2015-07-21) [Support]
[loaded] com.teamviewer.Helper.plist (2018-01-25) [Support]
[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist (2018-05-30) [Support]
com.adobe.acc.installer.v2.plist (2019-03-12) [Support] com.adobe.agsservice.plist (2018-12-20) [Support] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2019-03-25) [Support] com.apple.installer.osmessagetracing.plist (2019-03-27) com.id-design.whatsizehelper.plist (2016-04-02) [Support]
com.malwarebytes.mbam.rtprotection.daemon.plist (2019-03-02) [Support]
com.malwarebytes.mbam.settings.daemon.plist (2019-02-26) [Support] com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper.plist (2019-04-16) [Support] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (2011-02-05) [Support] com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.helper.plist (2017-12-05) [Support]
User Launch Agents: i
com.adobe.GC.Invoker-1.0.plist (2018-12-20) [Support] com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist (2019-02-04) [Support] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2019-04-01) [Support] com.google.keystone.xpcservice.plist (2019-04-01) [Support]
com.microsoft.LaunchAgent.SyncServicesAgent.plist (2019-04-23) [Support] - / Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/SyncServicesAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ SyncServicesAgent: Executable not found!
[loaded] com.skype.skype.shareagent.plist (2018-05-04) [Support]
User Login Items: i
SteerMouse Manager Application
(/Library/PreferencePanes/SteerMouse.prefPane/Contents/MacOS/SteerMouse Manager.app) Mail Application
(/Applications/Mail.app) aText Application
(/Applications/aText.app) Application Wizard Application
(~/Library/PreferencePanes/Application Wizard.prefPane/Contents/Resources/Application Wizard.app)
HardwareGrowler Application (/Applications/HardwareGrowler.app)
Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)
DragThing Application (/Applications/DragThing.app)
[loaded] [loaded] [loaded] [loaded] [failed]

Internet Plug-ins: i
AdobeAAMDetect: 3.0.0.0 - SDK 10.9 (2019-03-12) [Support]
FlashPlayer-10.6: 32.0.0.171 - SDK 10.12 (2019-04-09) [Support] QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2019-04-03)
Flash Player: 32.0.0.171 - SDK 10.12 (2019-04-09) [Support] AdobePDFViewer: Unknown (2010-09-06) CANONiMAGEGATEWAYDL: 3.1.0.2 (2009-09-08) [Support] Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: 2.2.2.3 (2008-11-20) [Support] SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.7.7 - SDK 10.6 (2017-09-12) [Support] iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 (2008-01-31)
3rd Party Preference Panes: i
3ivx MPEG-4 (2009-10-11) [Support] Application Wizard (2017-09-26) [Support] Flash Player (2019-03-25) [Support] Flip4Mac WMV (2008-11-20) [Support] SteerMouse (2018-05-14) [Support]
Time Machine: i
Skip System Files: NO Auto backup: YES Volumes being backed up: Destinations:
TIME MACHINE [Local] Total size: 0 B
Total number of backups: 0 Oldest backup: -
Last backup: -
Size of backup disk: Excellent
Backup size 0 B > (Disk size 0 B X 3)
Top Processes by CPU: i 126% kernel_task
73% plugin-container(3) 61% system_profiler 18% firefox
8% WindowServer
Top Processes by Memory: i 664 MB plugin-container(3)

622 MB 295 MB 266 MB 262 MB
kernel_task system_profiler mdworker(17) firefox
Virtual Memory Information: i
778 MB 15 MB 3.24 GB 763 MB 149 MB
Available RAM Free RAM Used RAM Cached files Swap Used
Diagnostics Information: i Apr 24, 2019, 10:22:32 AM
~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ HardwareGrowler_2019-04-24-102232_[redacted].crash
com.growl.hardwaregrowler - /Applications/HardwareGrowler.app/Contents/MacOS/HardwareGr Apr 24, 2019, 07:59:38 AM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/
UpdaterStartupUtility_2019-04-24-075938_[redacted].crash /Applications/Utilities/Adobe Application Manager/*/UpdaterStartupUtility
Apr 24, 2019, 07:59:10 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ Dropbox_2019-04-24-075910_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Details]
/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox
Apr 24, 2019, 07:54:07 AM Self test - passed
Apr 23, 2019, 09:51:58 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/
cloudd_2019-04-23-215158_[redacted].crash /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CloudKitDaemon.framework/Support/cloudd
Apr 23, 2019, 06:27:10 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ UpdaterStartupUtility_2019-04-23-182710_[redacted].crash
Apr 23, 2019, 12:01:49 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Adobe Bridge CC 2019_2019-04-23-120149_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Details]
/Applications/Adobe Bridge CC 2019/Adobe Bridge CC 2019.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Bridg 2019
Apr 22, 2019, 05:12:28 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ UpdaterStartupUtility_2019-04-22-171228_[redacted].crash
Apr 22, 2019, 05:07:26 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ UpdaterStartupUtility_2019-04-22-170726_[redacted].crash
     
andi*pandi
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Apr 24, 2019, 10:14 PM
 
Why did you delete Office?
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 24, 2019, 10:57 PM
 
Andi, I have not used 2011 in years, I'm now on 2016, and it was another gig or two of space.
     
reader50
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Apr 24, 2019, 11:13 PM
 
kevs, I'm not sure what etrecheck is. What we need is a pic of Activity Monitor when the problem is happening. Sort by CPU%, with the highest usage at the top.

(shift-command-4) drag across Activity Monitor, release mouse button. (snapshot sound) picture file appears on your Desktop.

Go to imgur.com , create free account if you do not have one already. Upload picture. Click on the new picture in your account, imgur will show several sharing options. Copy the BBCode option, paste into a post here. The code to paste will look something like this: [img]www.imgur.com/blahblah/kevs/123/45/678/picture.jpg[/img]
     
kevs  (op)
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Apr 25, 2019, 12:15 AM
 
And Andi, you know how get this off?

[failed] com.microsoft.LaunchAgent.SyncServicesAgent.plist (2019-04-23) [Support] - /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/SyncServicesAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/SyncServicesAgent: Executable not found!
     
Spheric Harlot
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Apr 25, 2019, 05:16 PM
 
Check /Library/LaunchDaemons/ for the Microsoft daemon and delete that.
     
kevs  (op)
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Sep 13, 2019, 10:43 PM
 
Kernal task recently on laptop at 321%. Again, still not clear why the task is a mystery. Apple cannot know what is going on?
     
andi*pandi
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Sep 16, 2019, 11:53 AM
 
Maybe you need a app to find office 11 related files and delete them...
     
   
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