High CPU Load on Yosemite?

[bacoboy]

I got a new computer to replace an old mac pro 1,1 (2006). The CPU load on the new computer (mac mini maxed out) shows sighthound is out of control. I killed all the processes and restarted, but it came back right away and has not subsided.

I wasn't expecting an 8 year newer computer to perform so much worse than the old clunker.
Perhaps something with the new OS? Thought I'd ask. See attached shot of activity monitor. I'm running 2.3.2 build 14715 (latest).

sighthoundCPULoadMacMiniYosemite.png

activity monitor screen shot

(142.46 KiB) Downloaded 384 times

Thanks!

[bacoboy]

So whatever was going on seems to have subsided. Any ideas what caused this. It ran for almost an hour like this and it wasn't doing anything like moving video around, etc.

Thanks,
Steve

[Semper Vaporo]

Just a silly question from a "non-Apple" type guy...

How do you get 306.4% out of a CPU? I agree that seems a tad excessive for any program, and I realize that professional athletes often claim to give 110% of their effort in a game, but I just cannot wrap my PC mind around it. I have written a lot of software for the PC, but lousy programmer that I am, I have never been able to coax more than 100% usage out of a CPU.

[ryan]

Hi bacoboy,

I'm afraid it's impossible to tell from just this screenshot. My suspicion is that your machine had been off for quite some time, and when the application was launched again it had a great deal of cleanup/maintenance/bookkeeping to do which it normally would have been able to do in real time as the application was running, such as when temporary video expires and needs to be removed or split into clips and partially saved. Such processing does happen at a lower priority (so that other applications will receive CPU they need), but it will use free CPU to accomplish what it needs.

Note that force quitting processes is never advisable as it will likely result in some data loss - instead turn off all cameras and exit the application normally.

If you encounter any trouble in the future please submit a bug report from "Help->Report a Problem..." The included logging and diagnostic information can help point to any oddities that occur in the course of running the application.

@Semper - it is very odd to see such high CPU percentages, especially coming from the PC world. The activity monitor in OSX will quote 100% for each CPU core rather than a 100% total, so if you have a quad core machine as pictured here you will have a 400% total to work with.

Best,
- ryan