Why is kernel_task taking up so much CPU and Memory?

[Crawn2003]

Hello all,

I have a question about a problem that is really becoming annoying...

The process kernel_task keeps on jumping around on me. It'll suck up anywhere from 16%-200% of the CPU and that's the computer just sitting idle with no other work going on.

This has only been happening since Leopard and I never had a problem with it in the past on 10.4.

I'm also posting a capture of the Activity Monitor. Also note that folding@home (FahCore_a1.exe) will be stopped and the problem still persists.

I've tried everything I can think of including closing all widgets, Time Machine, menu items/bars, etc. and it still goes on. I even just did an archive and install on Mac OS X and it's still acting up.

Does anyone have any ideas on what's causing this and what I can do to fix it???

~Crawn

[trainguy77]

Is it like that after a restart as well?

[SC68Cal]

Kill kernel task, that'll fix everything.

Just kidding. Don't do that.

I think, a benefit would be to sort the processes list based on hierarchy. Then look at where kernel_task ends up.

BIG HINT: Notice how kernel task is above launchd. Notice how launchd spawns all other processes. Now, what does that tell you about kernel_task? Does the 0 have anything to do with it?

[lil'homunculus]

there seems to be a heck of a lot of '.exe ' programs at the top of this list. Care to expand up:confused:on just what it is you are running?

[SC68Cal]

there seems to be a heck of a lot of '.exe ' programs at the top of this list. Care to expand up:confused:on just what it is you are running?

RTFP. It's his folding@home stuff.

[xUKHCx]

there seems to be a heck of a lot of '.exe ' programs at the top of this list. Care to expand up:confused:on just what it is you are running?

The fah_core.exe are Folding at home (http://folding.stanford.edu/)