How much CPU would Spotlight consume after an update, like say the 13.3 update?

[PinkyMacGodess]

I was having screen jitter in an app I use post update, and their support people are saying that it was likely Spotlight doing its thing rather than any potential compatibility issue with their app and the update. I find that rather hard to imagine, so I'm asking. Does it drink heavy from the CPU? When I checked Activity Monitor, it wasn't in the top 20 so, was it done already?

I excluded the drive, JIC, in the future... How often does Spotlight try to scan a drive if it's able to? Does it just do a full scan at random, or on a fixed schedule? Trying to see if this is a possibility, or the Mini is freaking out again.

TIA...

 

[Weaselboy]

I notice Spotlight reindexing after OS updates like that, but for me anyway, it seems to finish in ten minutes or so then settle back down to almost no CPU usage like you are seeing.

If are not seeing high CPU usage from Spotlight, I would think your problem lies elsewhere.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I notice Spotlight reindexing after OS updates like that, but for me anyway, it seems to finish in ten minutes or so then settle back down to almost no CPU usage like you are seeing.

If are not seeing high CPU usage from Spotlight, I would think your problem lies elsewhere.

Or it was complete by the time I checked on it.

It really makes me wonder if the problems I was having with this Mini earlier might have actually been due to Spotlight. It sounds stupid, and somewhat insane that Apple didn't proffer that as a possibility when I was driving HOURS back and forth to the laughingly 'local' Apple Store. (I thought it was corporate, and it's not) I just hope Spotlight doesn't have a snit, being locked out of everything in that Mini.

 

[gilby101]

I was having screen jitter in an app I use post update

What app? Does it do a lot of writing files to disk?

How often does Spotlight try to scan a drive if it's able to?

It is very unlikely to do a full scan, it relies on detecting changes to file. Of course, if you exclude a drive and un-exclude it, it will need a full scan.

After a mcOS update there is some re-scanning depending on changes in the update - but not intrusive.

Indexing (like Time Machine) is throttled if the computer is busy with other things. So you should not notice it - unless you look for it.

If you do want to look, Activity Monitor > View All Processes and filter firstly by 'mds' and then by 'mdw'. (without the quotes).

Generally just leave it alone unless you have drives that you know you don't want to index.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

What app? Does it do a lot of writing files to disk?


It is very unlikely to do a full scan, it relies on detecting changes to file. Of course, if you exclude a drive and un-exclude it, it will need a full scan.

After a mcOS update there is some re-scanning depending on changes in the update - but not intrusive.

Indexing (like Time Machine) is throttled if the computer is busy with other things. So you should not notice it - unless you look for it.

If you do want to look, Activity Monitor > View All Processes and filter firstly by 'mds' and then by 'mdw'. (without the quotes).

Generally just leave it alone unless you have drives that you know you don't want to index.

Ahhh, those processes were running, but not very high usage.

I'm at a loss. With this Mini, I have quite a history of it having some major video issues, including several trips to the Apple Store. The last trip ended with them suggesting I send it in to Apple Corporate, they washed their hands of the issues. (It had a motherboard swap due to processor heat sink issues)

I wouldn't think that Spotlight would cause that much of a problem, the latest issues ran for nearly 20 minutes. It was suggested by the app vendor (Zwift). They do a lot with animation, but don't hit the local drive very hard I'd imagine... I do have an M1 Mini, but that app throttles the video resolution. I feel somewhat cornered.