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Bootcamp High CPU Usage

I

Indy89

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 26, 2009
57
0
Hi All,

I have a problem with running Windows 8.1 under bootcamp where bootcamp itself uses between 25-35% CPU constant. Also when pressing any function keys such as volume or display/keyboard brightness it can take minutes to respond. Then when it does the translucent overlay can stay on screen for a long time before going. This occasionally goes after sometime (like 2 hours) but as soon as a reboot is done it starts again.

I have had Windows 7 on this Mac previously which was perfect. I could maybe understand problems if I had done an upgrade but I didn't to try and avoid issues like this. When I moved to Windows 8.1 I did a clean install.

I have looked around on this issue but not really found anything that has helped this problem.

Anyone else had this issue or have any thoughts on a possible solution?

Thanks for your time to anyone who replies.
 
Never installed Windows 8/8.1 on my MBP, however on my old Thinkpad it did a similar massive CPU usage for very minor navigation(start screen & desktop) until I upgraded the video card drivers.

Since you have Intel Iris graphics check Intel's driver version via their support site--read the "Release Notes" describing what bugs were fixed. From personal experience of Intel IGPs since X3100(GMA965), whenever you deal with service patch releases of Windows it usually introduces unexpected bugs and Intel usually releases updated drivers quickly but OEMs such as Apple, Dell, Lenovo, etc need to do their own "support certification/slight adjustments" for their custom power management drivers. Windows 8.1 Update 1 has been a bag of hurt for many users, I fear what Update 2 will be... :eek:

I've gotten to a point Windows 8 isn't even worth the effort to use, each update has broken OEM drivers then you play the waiting game for the OEM to play catch up... Windows 7 never had this kind of excessive under-the-hood headaches.
 
Are you talking about the bootcamp app in windows? Kill it, for what ever reason my doesn't start up all the time or it ends. My windows installation works fine, and when I want to switch to OS X, I go to the control panel and fire up boot camp to switch the start up disk
 
happyfrappy said:
Never installed Windows 8/8.1 on my MBP, however on my old Thinkpad it did a similar massive CPU usage for very minor navigation(start screen & desktop) until I upgraded the video card drivers.

Since you have Intel Iris graphics check Intel's driver version via their support site--read the "Release Notes" describing what bugs were fixed. From personal experience of Intel IGPs since X3100(GMA965), whenever you deal with service patch releases of Windows it usually introduces unexpected bugs and Intel usually releases updated drivers quickly but OEMs such as Apple, Dell, Lenovo, etc need to do their own "support certification/slight adjustments" for their custom power management drivers. Windows 8.1 Update 1 has been a bag of hurt for many users, I fear what Update 2 will be... :eek:

I've gotten to a point Windows 8 isn't even worth the effort to use, each update has broken OEM drivers then you play the waiting game for the OEM to play catch up... Windows 7 never had this kind of excessive under-the-hood headaches.
Click to expand...

I have to say it never crossed my mind to try the Intel drivers but its certainly worth a try. The drivers installed will be whatever version Apple package with the bootcamp drivers, history tells me this will be terribly outdated. I only really updated to Windows 8 as there was a free copy going from where I work so thought I would give it a shot. I'll look up the Intel drivers and see if that remedies the problem.

----------
maflynn said:
Are you talking about the bootcamp app in windows? Kill it, for what ever reason my doesn't start up all the time or it ends. My windows installation works fine, and when I want to switch to OS X, I go to the control panel and fire up boot camp to switch the start up disk
Click to expand...

Yeah thats right its 'bootcamp.exe' in Windows that is showing constant 25-35% CPU usage in task manager. If this turns out to be the problem I think I will just stop it even loading on startup.
 
Indy89 said:
I have to say it never crossed my mind to try the Intel drivers but its certainly worth a try. The drivers installed will be whatever version Apple package with the bootcamp drivers, history tells me this will be terribly outdated. I only really updated to Windows 8 as there was a free copy going from where I work so thought I would give it a shot. I'll look up the Intel drivers and see if that remedies the problem.

----------



Yeah thats right its 'bootcamp.exe' in Windows that is showing constant 25-35% CPU usage in task manager. If this turns out to be the problem I think I will just stop it even loading on startup.
Click to expand...

It turned out to be Intel's graphics drivers that were the problem. Updated to the latest and all is ok now. Thanks for the help with this :)
 
Indy89 said:
It turned out to be Intel's graphics drivers that were the problem. Updated to the latest and all is ok now. Thanks for the help with this :)
Click to expand...

How did you update them, downloading them from Intel or Apple's boot camp download?
 
maflynn said:
How did you update them, downloading them from Intel or Apple's boot camp download?
Click to expand...

I downloaded them direct from Intel's website here. It has also boosted performance from what I can see. Double bonus. Although I don't do any heavy gaming on this, I wasn't seeing framerates as expected in some games. Now however games that stuttered before are smooth now. :)
 
Indy89 said:
I downloaded them direct from Intel's website here. It has also boosted performance from what I can see. Double bonus. Although I don't do any heavy gaming on this, I wasn't seeing framerates as expected in some games. Now however games that stuttered before are smooth now. :)
Click to expand...

Awesome thanks for the link :)
 
maflynn said:
Are you talking about the bootcamp app in windows? Kill it, for what ever reason my doesn't start up all the time or it ends. My windows installation works fine, and when I want to switch to OS X, I go to the control panel and fire up boot camp to switch the start up disk
Click to expand...
wait, so I could end bootcamp in task manager and everything will be ok?
 
I know this is an extremely old post, but I'm facing the same issue in a fresh install of W10 Home on 2014 rMBP 15-inch. 15-20% CPU usage by system during idle, does the graphics driver fix still work in 2020?
 
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