Carbonite CPU High Usage on Mac
Hi All,
I have a client with Mac OSX 10.11.6 with Carbonite installed. Carbonite has completed its initial backup but is now maxing out the CPU and causing the Mac to overheat/reboot because it is running the CPU +100%. Any remedy to address it?
I have a client with Mac OSX 10.11.6 with Carbonite installed. Carbonite has completed its initial backup but is now maxing out the CPU and causing the Mac to overheat/reboot because it is running the CPU +100%. Any remedy to address it?
Last Comment
Hi PAMurillo,
The best way to address the issue of overheating and rebooting (which is due to the overheating) is to open Terminal & Activity monitor.
Please follow these instructions:
1) Once you have both of these apps open you want to look at Activity Monitor and peruse the list of the processes that are being CPU hogs.
2) Click on the first culprit (to not lose the bugger during the interchanging of processes), then look to the right and remember the "PID."
3) Now type "kill 12345" Substituting 12345 for the process's PID and without the quotations. Hit "Return," and after a few seconds, you should see the process drop from the list.
Most likely Carbonite (the CPU hog & culprit) will have stopped after a minute or two, and you'll notice that your Mac fans are slowing down and you're able to open things at an average speed again. After everthing returns to normal, please power your Mac down and give it a much needed nap.
Lastly, this is very normal if things start to stall out on the Mac (Internet connection, other apps competing for CPU resources, antivirus is running an auto-scan at the same time Carbonite is backing up, etc...) so don't worry too much about the Mac itself. That said if the Mac is aging you can max out the RAM, change out the HDD for an SSD, and if possible make sure the Mac is hooked up via an ethernet cable before Carbonite performs its backup (ethernet is faster and more stable than Wi-Fi). If this Mac is an iMac make sure that if you're going to use an ethernet cable, that Wi-Fi is turned off.
Why?
Ethernet does take precedence when both Wi-Fi and Ethernet are on, but weird things happen (especially if you have a backup taking place) so make sure that if you're using one, the other is off.
I hope all this helps. Take care.
The best way to address the issue of overheating and rebooting (which is due to the overheating) is to open Terminal & Activity monitor.
Please follow these instructions:
1) Once you have both of these apps open you want to look at Activity Monitor and peruse the list of the processes that are being CPU hogs.
2) Click on the first culprit (to not lose the bugger during the interchanging of processes), then look to the right and remember the "PID."
3) Now type "kill 12345" Substituting 12345 for the process's PID and without the quotations. Hit "Return," and after a few seconds, you should see the process drop from the list.
Most likely Carbonite (the CPU hog & culprit) will have stopped after a minute or two, and you'll notice that your Mac fans are slowing down and you're able to open things at an average speed again. After everthing returns to normal, please power your Mac down and give it a much needed nap.
Lastly, this is very normal if things start to stall out on the Mac (Internet connection, other apps competing for CPU resources, antivirus is running an auto-scan at the same time Carbonite is backing up, etc...) so don't worry too much about the Mac itself. That said if the Mac is aging you can max out the RAM, change out the HDD for an SSD, and if possible make sure the Mac is hooked up via an ethernet cable before Carbonite performs its backup (ethernet is faster and more stable than Wi-Fi). If this Mac is an iMac make sure that if you're going to use an ethernet cable, that Wi-Fi is turned off.
Why?
Ethernet does take precedence when both Wi-Fi and Ethernet are on, but weird things happen (especially if you have a backup taking place) so make sure that if you're using one, the other is off.
I hope all this helps. Take care.
ASKER
I had Carbonite Support log in and troubleshoot. Even though, the MacBook Pro is an i7 Processor it was manufactured mid-2007 with OSX 10.11.6, their suggestion is to replace the Mac. They couldn't apply any other remedies
Since the very first core I7 was not introduced by Intel until November 2008 and Apple did not have a MacBook Pro with one until mid 2010, somebody is feeding you a line of malarkey.
https://everymac.com/systems/by_processor/intel-core-i7-macs.html
Shall we try again?
https://everymac.com/systems/by_processor/intel-core-i7-macs.html
Shall we try again?
Hi PAMurillo,
Davis is right. There is a wonderful app that tracks all things related to Apple (Software & hardware) and it's called Mac Tracker. Mac Tracker will help you dig into the details on everything that you wanted know about Apple software, hardware, and what is the max limit you can upgrade your system to (OS, RAM, etc...)
All of that said, Carbonite (while a great company) doesn't know everything about your personal system and the advisor may not be an Apple professional (that's what we Apple pros at EE are here for. ;) ) So, let Davis and I take you step-by-step in getting your Mac back to its optimal state.
Thank you for your time and letting us EE Experts help you troubleshoot your Mac. Take care.
Davis is right. There is a wonderful app that tracks all things related to Apple (Software & hardware) and it's called Mac Tracker. Mac Tracker will help you dig into the details on everything that you wanted know about Apple software, hardware, and what is the max limit you can upgrade your system to (OS, RAM, etc...)
All of that said, Carbonite (while a great company) doesn't know everything about your personal system and the advisor may not be an Apple professional (that's what we Apple pros at EE are here for. ;) ) So, let Davis and I take you step-by-step in getting your Mac back to its optimal state.
Thank you for your time and letting us EE Experts help you troubleshoot your Mac. Take care.
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Hi PAMurillo,
That reasoning sounds solid to me. ;) Take care.
That reasoning sounds solid to me. ;) Take care.
Switch. Don't use carbonite. Use something else.
ASKER
@serialband
Hindsite is 20/20. I have 15 users on Carbonite at this organization. This Mac is the only juggernaut, otherwise I would.
Hindsite is 20/20. I have 15 users on Carbonite at this organization. This Mac is the only juggernaut, otherwise I would.
What is almost undoubtedly causing your problem is that something on that user's Mac is constantly changing a file which is part of the Carbonite backup and shame on Carbonite for not including the scheduling options (period).
You should be able to go into the Carbonite settings and figure out what that file or folder is. Afterwards, you have two choices; either exclude it and back it up some other way or teach the user how to pause his backup and turn it back on:
https://support.carbonite.com/articles/Personal-Pro-Mac-Pausing-Carbonite
You should be able to go into the Carbonite settings and figure out what that file or folder is. Afterwards, you have two choices; either exclude it and back it up some other way or teach the user how to pause his backup and turn it back on:
https://support.carbonite.com/articles/Personal-Pro-Mac-Pausing-Carbonite
ASKER
This was the most pragmatic solution
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Even if the Mac is at 100% CPU usage, it shouldn't be rebooting due to overheating unless there is something wrong with the hardware. Have you blown the dust out of it?
What kind of Mac is it and what year is it from? (MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, Mac mini, etc.)