Browsers use 100% CPU and run hot

I am using OSX 10.4.11 on a mac book with Safari and Firefox 3.6.17

Both browsers, on a daily basis, end up using 100% CPU and this naturally makes the computer run hot and engages the fan. I always close down the browser as soon as I see the problem starting,and this allows CPU to fall back to almost zero. I have read a bit about this problem, but have not yet seen a clearly identified fix. can anyone help?

I can't say conclusively but take a look at this thread and the link van posted here and see if it's helpful

On the grounds that I use Firefox as my main browser (although the problem does happen with Safari), I wonder if van's fix covers all the bases?

CPU usage 100% Firefox and Safari

I see there is common problem while browsing which I share with my macBook using 0SX 10.4.11. It is all over the Forums, but I have not come across a definitive solution.

I am browsing, I hear the fan coming on, I check Activity Monitor, I note all CPU capacity used up by the browser, I exit the browser and usage drops back to almost zero, and the fan begins to slow down.

PLEASE, what is the problem, and just as important, what is the fix? Are the mac developers aware of this problem? Are they coming up with a system update which is going to stop it happening?

It is a nonsense that this should be happening, and happening and happening.

I had a similar problem. What worked for me was installing an extension in Safari called Click To Flash. It disables Flash ads and videos by default. If you want to view the video, just click on the grey box and the video will appear. It's just a way of hiding flash but still giving you the option to select what flash content you want to view.

Thanks a lot. I can see some sensible ways forward here. It is too late tonight to do anything, but I will take up at least one of the ideas I see here tomorrow.

Borwsers use 100% CPU and this causes overheating

I am using an early macBook with 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processsor, with 2GB RAM, and OSX 10.4.11.
I have posted a couple of times recently about this which occurs with all browsers (Safari and Firefox). In response to a suggestion I installed "Click to Flash", and also tried Camino, but the problem persists, and happens when I am not actually using flash. In fact it happens when I have no windows open but have not quit the browser.

This is all very strange. I do notice that Skype uses about 75% CPU, and makes the machine run hot too.

This is really frustrating, and I can see that mine is not an isolated problem. Are the people at Apple interested in their customers?

Note: Merged multiple duplicate threads.

Thank you for the helpful suggestion.

It is not so much the actual overheating that is concerning me; more worrying is the fact that browsers that are not actually doing anything, are using 100% of CPU and causing the fan to work overtime. I really want to find out why the browsers ramp up to 100% of CPU when all I am doing is just normal browsing - or nothing.

diermot - I'm not sure that anyone here can state conclusively what's going on there - which probably explains the lack of responses. It's definitely an odd symptom.

Have you done some standard OS maintenance tasks to see if that improves anything? Try running Onyx - repairing permissions - clearing caches. Reset your browsers and see if you get anywhere. This is the kind of thing that you're going to have to easter egg a little to see if you can find a solution - since it's not a widespread symptom that people seem to be experiencing.

Make sure your plug ins are up to date also ad blocker and private browsing have caused CPU to crank up on occasion.

Thanks for those bits of advice.

What really bugs me is that every browser does exactly the same thing, and just as spooky, the browsers move to 100% CPU usage, when they have no windows operating, and should just be idling.

"bump"

My thanks to those who have tried to help me.
As suggested by BrianLachoreVPI I have done maintenance on the computer by using OnyX.
Since this is an issue that predated a hard drive crash/replacement, I have not reset browsers, but one of the browsers has only been on the computer for a couple of days anyway.
100% CPU usage and a very active fan happened today, and on this occasion I looked at the System Log to see what was going on. Coinciding with the occurrence od 100% CPU usage was the following report which was repeated 14 times, persumably until I quitted Firefox.
Jun 6 16:37:51 macbooks-computer kernel[0]: USBF: 539.760 AppleUSBHubPort: Port 1 of Hub at 0x7d000000 reported error 0xe00002ed while doing set feature (resetting port

Does this get any closer to knowing what is going on?
BTW, I see a reference to USB HUB PORT - and IO can say that none of the USBs were in use at the time.

Maybe you should try running Apple Hardware Test:
Intel-based Macs: Using Apple Hardware Test

I realize this is no help, but ... 10.4.11 is no longer supported by Apple. There are no developers working on this problem.

"bump"

I have been watching the system log each time my problem occurs. What I see every time is:

Jun 11 16:13:00 macbooks-computer kernel[0]: USBF: 2286.520 AppleUSBHubPort: Port 1 of Hub at 0x7d000000 reported error 0xe00002ed while doing set feature (resetting port)

This message appears at one second intervals until I quit the Browser.

Does anybody understand the message, or tell me anything that will help me avoid the problem I have?

Thanks

100% CPU usage on a dual core processor doesn't mean that the processor is being completely utilized. A dual core processor, in essence, is two processors and as such, a dual core processor can see usage up to 200% (100% for each core).

As for the machine, you'll notice that Skype requires a Core 2 Duo processor (here) and as such, if you're running it on a Core Duo, you may see some issues (I don't see why it needs a Core 2 Duo but that's what the system requirements say). Do you notice these CPU spikes with every program?

Thanks for replying.
I understand a little better the figures I was seeing in the Activity Monitor. Typically 180% of CPU, and 0% idle. These excesses only appear when a Browser is active, either Safari or Firefox or Camino. Skype runs hot, as does iPlayer, but I begin to see why this is so.

So the CPU spikes do not appear on anything apart from the browser, and on the basis that the spikes become a column and then a steady line at the top of the chart, and remain there until I quit the Browser, and that it can happen after I have finished browsing and have no open windows (but have not quit the Browser), I have a worrying problem.
The problem predates a recent hard drive crash and replacement, and I do begin to wonder if some overheating that I did not notice was the cause of the crash.

same problem

Hey, I'm having the same problem. I've been having it for a while, and it's been getting progressively worse, ie. quitting safari just means that it happens again immediately upon restarting safari, which didn't used to be the case. Now I have to restart the computer, and that only buys me maybe 10 or 20 minutes of internet browsing before I'm at 100% of CPU again, and everything is running slow and hot.

I'm running 10.5.8 on a three year-old macbook air. Safari v5.0.5, but it happens to all browsers. Firefox, Chrome. Firefox is actually the worst, Chrome is about as bad as safari in the time it takes for it to happen.

I've looked at several related forum discussion in various places, and I've yet to seee a proposed solution that resolves the problem. This problem is apparently very common. It does seem to afflict primarily older laptops. (but not THAT old. C'mon, I should be able to get 3 or 4 years of use out of a laptop, including the ability to browse the internet.)