kernal_task using all CPU on iMac

[FuzzyRaichu]

So every since updating to Sierra, my iMac has been spending all of the CPU power on kernal_task, and it's been making the whole machine run slow and the fan run obnoxiously loud.

We tried reinstalling with recovery mode, and it worked... for about a day, and then went back to slow computer and loud fan. What can be done to fix this?

 

[gsahli]

I think you'll need to do a more in-depth analysis. kernel_task is a scheduler of others, so it's always in the top 5 on my mini (but not a high percent of CPU). Try etrecheck.

 

[FuzzyRaichu]

So etrecheck printed out this:

Top Processes by CPU: <etrecheck://help/cpu> ⓘ <etrecheck://help/cpu>

28% mds

21% mds_stores

8% WindowServer

3% Adobe CEF Helper(2)

2% kernel_task

Which seems weird, because, again, kernel_task is (according to Activity Monitor) taking up 250-300%.

 

[Weaselboy]

28% mds

21% mds_stores

This is Spotlight indexing. Did you just add a bunch of files that need indexing?