RetroRocker
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Maxtor system process (maxbackserviceint.exe) eats 50% CPU cycles, is this OK ?
Hi
Recently installed a Maxtor One Touch III external backup HDD. Noted that the process maxbackserviceint.exe is using 50% CPU cycles all by itself (there are 59 other processes running which at any one time take a mere fraction of this capacity)
My CPU is a dual core Athlon 4200 and I'm wondering if the task manager is incorrectly reporting this figure because the Maxtor process is perhaps not 'coping' with dual CPUs - pure speculation on my part ! A google on 'maxbackserviceint.exe' says that it should not be suspended ( presumably backups would stop working ;-). So any ideas please ? , this cannot be correct.
best wishes always
RetroRocker
Recently installed a Maxtor One Touch III external backup HDD. Noted that the process maxbackserviceint.exe is using 50% CPU cycles all by itself (there are 59 other processes running which at any one time take a mere fraction of this capacity)
My CPU is a dual core Athlon 4200 and I'm wondering if the task manager is incorrectly reporting this figure because the Maxtor process is perhaps not 'coping' with dual CPUs - pure speculation on my part ! A google on 'maxbackserviceint.exe' says that it should not be suspended ( presumably backups would stop working ;-). So any ideas please ? , this cannot be correct.
best wishes always
RetroRocker
ASKER
HI giltjr
Yes, it is task manager as mentioned in the original post. Your first statement is correct (status bar 50%, maxback... process 50%, therefore 25% CPU used) BTW thanks, I didn't realise it worked like that.
But isn't even 25% CPU time an awful lot for an IDLE process because I'm not backing up at the the time and this CPU % display is always showing these values. Surely this cannot be correct ? It seems a huge amount for a single, idle process.
RetroRocker
Yes, it is task manager as mentioned in the original post. Your first statement is correct (status bar 50%, maxback... process 50%, therefore 25% CPU used) BTW thanks, I didn't realise it worked like that.
But isn't even 25% CPU time an awful lot for an IDLE process because I'm not backing up at the the time and this CPU % display is always showing these values. Surely this cannot be correct ? It seems a huge amount for a single, idle process.
RetroRocker
Are you running the backup at this point?
If you are not backing up at that time of day, then why is the process running?
If it is using that much CPU all day everyday, then I would say something is wrong or it is doing something that you are not aware of.
If it is using that much CPU all day everyday, then I would say something is wrong or it is doing something that you are not aware of.
ASKER
RDAdams
No, I am not backing up at the time as stated in my previous comment.
giltjr
Yes this is really strange and hideously processor intensive. There is also another Maxtor process running called 'onetouch.exe' which is idle and shows no CPU usage unless a backup is running. The process 'maxbackserviceint.exe' is perhaps related to backup scheduling - again pure speculation on my part - so I'm going to go away and try reconfiguring some backup settings to see if it will go away. Will report back soon.
Thanks
No, I am not backing up at the time as stated in my previous comment.
giltjr
Yes this is really strange and hideously processor intensive. There is also another Maxtor process running called 'onetouch.exe' which is idle and shows no CPU usage unless a backup is running. The process 'maxbackserviceint.exe' is perhaps related to backup scheduling - again pure speculation on my part - so I'm going to go away and try reconfiguring some backup settings to see if it will go away. Will report back soon.
Thanks
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ASKER
I tried various configuration options but to no avail.
Have put out a support request to Maxtor - will report back - but don't hold your breath(s) ! You know what first line tech support is all to often like.
This drive looks exactly like a 'normal' drive to Windows (I use a USB2 connection) and you use it just like any other drive. I store 'normal' files on it and of course it is a backup drive as well used by Maxtor's backup software which I believe to be a disguised version of Dantz Retrospect (if that makes sense).
I really think that Maxtor could do a hell of a lot better than this ! and this is their 3rd generation of 'one touch' back up systems. Hmmmm ... they tried to make it so simple, it's stupid ! ;-)
RetroRocker
Have put out a support request to Maxtor - will report back - but don't hold your breath(s) ! You know what first line tech support is all to often like.
This drive looks exactly like a 'normal' drive to Windows (I use a USB2 connection) and you use it just like any other drive. I store 'normal' files on it and of course it is a backup drive as well used by Maxtor's backup software which I believe to be a disguised version of Dantz Retrospect (if that makes sense).
I really think that Maxtor could do a hell of a lot better than this ! and this is their 3rd generation of 'one touch' back up systems. Hmmmm ... they tried to make it so simple, it's stupid ! ;-)
RetroRocker
ASKER
I approached Maxtor about this. The bottom line here is that they suspect conflict between their process and anti virus and /or firewall software (I use Zone Alarm Security Suite - wouldn't be the first time ZASS has been implicated in an issue would it ? !!!)
As far as Maxtor are concerned, their process can be removed as long as you accept reduced functionality with backup facilities. This would be loss of the 'sync' feature and loss of the 'M' icon from the taskbar system tray. Oh well, live with that.
So there you have it. Sort of self resolution really but I will allocate the points happily because I am grateful for the time taken and effort made by you guys in an attempted resolution.
best wishes
RetroRocker
As far as Maxtor are concerned, their process can be removed as long as you accept reduced functionality with backup facilities. This would be loss of the 'sync' feature and loss of the 'M' icon from the taskbar system tray. Oh well, live with that.
So there you have it. Sort of self resolution really but I will allocate the points happily because I am grateful for the time taken and effort made by you guys in an attempted resolution.
best wishes
RetroRocker
Um, the "sync" feature? Jumping to conclusions this sounds like a feature that would automatically keep file files on the external drive in sync with files on another dirve. This would require monitoring for all file changes which could chew up a lot of CPU.
If so you need to be carefull. When you look at the % CPU for an indvidual task, this is the % of the currently used CPU of the system. That is:
If in the bottom status bar it shows 50% CPU and maxbackserviceint.exe shows 50%, then maxbackserviceint.exe is using 50% of 50%, or 25% of the total system.
If the status bar shows 10%, then it is taking up 50% of 10% or 5% of the total system.
If the status bar shows 100%, then yes maxbackserviceint.exe is using 50% of the total system.
As for dual core, I am not 100% sure it is still true, but most backup processes are not multi-threaded so they can't take advantage of multiple CPU's, which a dual core processor is.
Normally a backup process does not use a lot of CPU for the whole backup run. It uses a lot of CPU to figure out what files should be backed up and then very little to do the actual backup. Unless you have enabled the backup software to compress the data as it backs it up. Then it will use a lot of CPU to do the compression.