High_Kernel task usage on MacBook, please help.

[NavodafromAustralia]

Hi all,



A few days ago the fans on my late 2014 MacBook Air ramped up and the system became incredibly slow even with no programs open and the machine it self was cool to the touch. I went into activity monitor to find that the process "kernel_task" is using more than 200% CPU usage. I have tried unplugging any external hardware connected to the device such as my iPhone 4S. I reset the SMC and PRAM to no avail. I have uninstalled Adobe CC which I believed to be the cause, the issue persisted. I created another account on the machine and logged into it to see if the issue remained and it did. Finally I booted into safe mode to see if the fans spun up and they did, this leads me to believe there is something wrong with macOS itself. I have a Time Machine backup from a month ago when the device did not have the issue should I revert back to it? Could there be a problem with the heatsink's ability to dissipate heat such as dust?



Any help is much appreciated below is my EtreCheck report,

EtreCheck version: 3.4.6 (460)

Report generated 2018-01-05 15:32:52

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime: 14:56

Performance: Poor



Click the [Lookup] links for more information from Apple Support Communities.

Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.



Problem: Computer is too slow



[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

MacBook Air - model: MacBookAir6,2

1 1.4 GHz Intel Core i5 (i5-4260U) 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

Handoff/Airdrop2: supported

Wireless: en0: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 593

iCloud Quota: 1.08 GB available



[Lookup]



/System/Library/Extensions/ssuddrv.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungACMControl (1.4.32 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungACMData (1.4.32 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungMTP (1.4.32 - SDK 10.5) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungSerial (1.4.32 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]



[Lookup]



[Lookup]

[running] com.adobe.agsservice.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2017-09-23) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (? 2afb3af7 96972bcc - installed 2017-11-28) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper.plist (Microsoft Corporation - installed 2017-04-30) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (? 6d8cb30e cf9ce3fb - installed 2014-02-26) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.netboxblue.byod.plist (Shell Script f431f224 - installed 2014-09-04) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (Shell Script e3fefdd2 - installed 2017-09-06) [Lookup]



[Lookup]

[loaded] com.valvesoftware.steamclean.plist (? b01437e9 6db598b5 - installed 2017-11-22) [Lookup]



[Lookup]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2017-12-26)

Flash Player: 28.0.0.126 (installed 2017-12-13) [Lookup]

JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 151 build 12 (installed 2017-10-22) Check version

PepperFlashPlayer: 28.0.0.126 (installed 2017-12-14) [Lookup]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.7.3 (installed 2017-04-30) [Lookup]



https://adblockplus.org/ (installed 2017-10-07)



[Lookup]

Java (installed 2017-10-22) [Lookup]

MenuMeters (installed 2015-10-07) [Lookup]



Time Machine: ⓘ

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 120.47 GB Disk used: 74.58 GB

Destinations:

MAC [Local]

Total size: 299.88 GB

Total number of backups: 32

Oldest backup: 14/8/16, 5:16 pm

Last backup: 28/11/17, 7:59 pm

Size of backup disk: Adequate

Backup size 299.88 GB > (Disk used 74.58 GB X 3)



Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

14% WindowServer

5% mds

5% SubmitDiagInfo

5% Activity Monitor

4% sysmond



Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

500 MB kernel_task

126 MB mds_stores

65 MB Spotlight

64 MB cfprefsd

56 MB Finder



Top Processes by Network Use: ⓘ

Input Output Process name

18 KB 12 KB mDNSResponder

4 KB 11 KB apsd

2 KB 478 B netbiosd

0 B 88 B SystemUIServer



Top Processes by Energy Use: ⓘ

12.12 WindowServer

5.50 Activity Monitor

4.38 mds

3.34 SubmitDiagInfo



Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

1.80 GB Available RAM

30 MB Free RAM

2.20 GB Used RAM

1.77 GB Cached files

0 B Swap Used



Software installs (last 30 days): ⓘ

Adobe Flash Player: (installed 2017-12-13)

Adobe Pepper Flash Player: (installed 2017-12-14)

Evernote: 6.13.1 (installed 2017-12-26)

Bitdefender Virus Scanner: 3.10 (installed 2018-01-01)



Install information may not be complete.



Diagnostics Events (last 3 days for minor events): ⓘ

2018-01-03 17:20:43 DVD Player.app Hang [Open]



Files deleted by EtreCheck: ⓘ

2018-01-04 15:03:57 - ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.jdibackup.JustCloud.autostart.plist - Unknown

2018-01-04 15:03:57 - ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.jdibackup.JustCloud.notify.plist - Unknown

2018-01-04 15:03:57 - ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.spigot.ApplicationManager.plist - Unknown

 

[Audit13]

Was the Macbook dropped or exposed to liquid?

Fans running at high speed with high kernel usage is a sign that something is probably wrong with the logic board, possibly the sensors or smc circuits.

 

[NavodafromAustralia]

No the device has never been exposed to liquid but may have been dropped a couple times, though not in a major way.

 

[Audit13]

No point taking it to the Apple store IMHO as they will recommend an smc and pram reset. If that doesn't fix it, they'll probably offer a logic board replacement at great cost.

Is there an Apple repair shop close to you that can perform board-level diagnostics and repairs?

 

[NavodafromAustralia]

Yeah there are Apple stores nearby but I'm not sure they perform repairs.

 

[Audit13]

Nope, the Apple stores will only do swaps, no board-level repairs.

 

[NavodafromAustralia]

Oh ok. So they'll have to send it away?

 

[Audit13]

They may send it away but they will replace the entire logic board rather than repair the logic board, assuming the problem lies with the motherboard.

I assume it charges and recognizes the battery?

 

[NavodafromAustralia]

Yes it does.

 

[Audit13]

In this case, it's probably a logic board problem.

 

[NavodafromAustralia]

Ok thanks so much for your help. I'll look into getting the motherboard repaired.

 

[Audit13]

No worries. Good luck in your search.

I also had an early 2015 MBA with the same issue as yours. It cost a few hundred to fix it but I got it used for a very good price which made the repair worthwhile. It had no signs of liquid damage either.

 

[cis7850]

This happened on my daughter's MacBook Air (running 10.13.3 i7 8GB RAM). Followed all procedures for SMC and NVRAM reset with no success. Called Apple support who suggested the SMC and NVRAM solutions. Researched online and found others had similar issues, that is, high fan speed, kernel_task running 250 to 300%, Facetime video would not run due to temperature issue. Diagnostics (pressing D on restart) returned codes PFM006 and PPN001. The solution that resolved the issue was to remove 1 of the 2 cables and clean the trackpad(suggested online remedy was to remove both). The trackpad had 2 cables - one wide and one thin. I carefully removed the thin cable and used canned air to clean the area.(BE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS and KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!) after reconnecting the cable the fan was smooth, no more noise - cpu in an idle state via activity monitor went from running between 69 -76% to 2% or less. What I am disappointed about is that I forked out over $2000 to get her a MacBook as she is in college and needed a computer for classes. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this incident and Apple's response - much like the iPhone Battery issue- what does Apple want to hide about their products - heck they just made $2000 for something easily fixable. The user community is more of a Genius it seems.