iMac G5 running always running at 80%+ capacity!!!

[Apple!Freak]

Okay this is just ridiculous. My iMac which has a 1.8Ghz G5 processor inside that is maxed out with 2GB of memory always tends to run at 80% or higher CPU usage. I don't understand it because I only have several programs open (non-processor intensive) - Safair, Apple mail, iChat, iTunes, Stickies, and Finder.

It's to the point when I click to open iTunes, and it stalls for 6 seconds before opening. Then when I scroll my music library it always, always, always stalls and is just retarted. I have to hand-cuff myself to my chair practically to refrain from throwing my mouse at the screen sometmes. I know this is not how it should be. I mean come on, my iMac is only seven or so months old.

It just started to get really slow like this in the past couple of weeks. Before that, it still had a stall problem opening iPhoto but it wasn't a big deal considering I might open iPhoto once a month.

Also, when everything is closed, including finder, it runs at 50% or higher. Now that's just stupid. I mean first off, how is it possible?

Should it really be running like this?

My 160GB is half full at 79GB available right now so that shouldn't be an issue. What do you guys suggest? I do put the computer to sleep everynight and restart about once a week.

I also use MacJanitor and just installed Anarcon (or whatever it is called).

Thanks in advance for your help. If I don't get this fixed, when my new 17" iMac arrives Friday, I'm going to get used to the new speed so much that I'll be using it more often (and I don't want to that to happen, seeing as I plan on using that computer strictly for media content and my 20" for working).

Also, if it helps, I just repaired permissions about three hours ago. Almost seems slower since then.

 

[katie ta achoo]

do you have a lot of widgets running?
Although they may not seem big, they're still heavy on the RAM usage.


and you said you sleep it every night, well there are little janitorial things that run overnight. I'd leave it on tonight and see if it's still bad in the morning.

 

[Apple!Freak]

do you have a lot of widgets running?
Although they may not seem big, they're still heavy on the RAM usage.


and you said you sleep it every night, well there are little janitorial things that run overnight. I'd leave it on tonight and see if it's still bad in the morning.

Umm, actually, yeah. I've got, and always have, about 25 widgets running at one time. Is this the cause of my problems?

I'll leave it on tonight like you suggest and see what happens. But as far as it being in my room, should I just set the screen saver to a black screen or something? Will the scripts still run if the screen saver is on?

 

[katie ta achoo]

Umm, actually, yeah. I've got, and always have, about 25 widgets running at one time. Is this the cause of my problems?

I'll leave it on tonight like you suggest and see what happens. But as far as it being in my room, should I just set the screen saver to a black screen or something? Will the scripts still run if the screen saver is on?

Yeah, the scripts'll run with a screen saver on.

I always just dim my screen all the way and leave it on. Put an away message on Adium, whatever.

Close all the widgets and see if that makes it go any faster.
(maybe close the widgets and a restart, I dunno)

Ooof, if the iMac is anything like the PB or iBook, it'll raise the temperature of your room a few degrees while it's on. Crack a window and turn on a fan. It'll get hot. Bleh.

Good luck!

 

[mad jew]

Is there a single task/process in Activity Monitor that seems to be using up your CPU though?

 

[Apple!Freak]

Yeah, the scripts'll run with a screen saver on.

I always just dim my screen all the way and leave it on. Put an away message on Adium, whatever.

Close all the widgets and see if that makes it go any faster.
(maybe close the widgets and a restart, I dunno)

Ooof, if the iMac is anything like the PB or iBook, it'll raise the temperature of your room a few degrees while it's on. Crack a window and turn on a fan. It'll get hot. Bleh.

Good luck!

Okay, cool. Also, were you serious about raising the temp of the room by a few degrees? I find this hard to believe, though it would make sense because my room is typically a bit hotter than the rest of the house. Always thought it was because of my big window though (4 feet by 4 feet).

 

[DrNeroCF]

Run System Optimizer?

 

[Apple!Freak]

Is there a single task/process in Activity Monitor that seems to be using up your CPU though?

Very good idea to check that! Guess what I found? Go on, guess?

The widget I was using to tell me the CPU usage was the actual problem. The widget is called qMEM, and it was taking 79% CPU usage!!!!!

Let's hope that was it. iTunes is running much faster but still a little big laggy. I'll leave it on tonight like suggested and let you know what happens tomorrow.

 

[Apple!Freak]

nevermind

 

[mad jew]

Do a quick restart and you may be fully back up to pace (deletes Virtual RAM).

For what it's worth, I haven't run those scripts on my iMac since purchase yet I run them on my iBook (simply by chance) and I notice no difference on either.