Hardware or software issue?

Hi,

I've got an awful problem. I'm using a 13" early 2011 MacbookPro (just over one year old). When the power charger is unplugged, the computer goes into sleep mode. When I plug it back in, I can turn it on and "sorta" use it. When the charger is plugged in, at the top right where the status of the battery is listed, there is a small "X" over the graphic depicting the battery.

Also, sometimes the system CPU usage jumps up to 85% making the system work verrry slow. This computer is basically useless when this happens. Note: the computer does not get hot, and its fans don't kick on to high when the CPU usage shoots up.

With this in mind, I rebooted into Windows via Bootcamp for reference, and I was able to use the computer fine no problems unplugged or plugged in. No power issues at all.

I reboot back into OSX and everything works perfectly there too. This lasts only an hour though, and now I'm back to the "X" over the battery graphic and CPU jumping up. I rebooted back into Windows to see what would happened, and Windows now says no battery is detected.

Before Windows betrayed me, I thought the problem was contained only within the OS X partition. Thus I thought this was a software issue, and I was going to erase OS X and restore via Time Machine. Now--with Windows acting up--I'm starting to dread this is a hardware issue.

Can someone chime in with knowledge about whether this is software or hardware? If it's software, no problem. If it's hardware, would you say it's limited to the battery?

Thanks to anyone who lends me help.

It doesn't appear to be a software problem. Most likely hardware. Do you have Apple Care? If so, take it on in to the genius bar and have them check out the battery and associated circuitry. It's possible that your battery is bad and since it's the non-removable type, you probably should have Apple replace it. I'm not sure what they'll charge if you don't have Apple care so it might be best to ask first.

The first thing I would try is doing an SMC reset:

Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

If this doesn't work (and you still have Applecare remaining...I know you mentioned it was over 1 year old)...is have Apple look at it.

HTH,

- Nick

chscag said:

It doesn't appear to be a software problem. Most likely hardware. Do you have Apple Care? If so, take it on in to the genius bar and have them check out the battery and associated circuitry. It's possible that your battery is bad and since it's the non-removable type, you probably should have Apple replace it. I'm not sure what they'll charge if you don't have Apple care so it might be best to ask first.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's my only option if it's anything hardware related, including battery use. But do you think a bad battery could cause the CPU to act crazy? I mean, this CPU stuff happens when it's plugged in, so I'm wary of assuming it's a battery issue.

And yeah I don't have Apple Care..this had to happen just two months after 1 year warranty expired (thanks Apple).

Yeah, that's my only option if it's anything hardware related, including battery use. But do you think a bad battery could cause the CPU to act crazy? I mean, this CPU stuff happens when it's plugged in, so I'm wary of assuming it's a battery issue.

Click to expand...

You can check what's going on with the CPU by opening your Activity Monitor.app from Utilities and looking for whatever is spiking the CPU to 85%. I honestly don't know if a defective battery could be causing it to go that high.

However, I do know that when a battery is either defective or removed from the machine, it will cause a slow down. This is a built in "safety net" by Apple.

If you haven't already...try the SMC reset I suggested above. If you already tried it...then let us know the results...so we can cross it off the troubleshooting list.

Also...if you're getting this high cpu usage frequently...this will drain your battery very fast.

- Nick

chscag said:

You can check what's going on with the CPU by opening your Activity Monitor.app from Utilities and looking for whatever is spiking the CPU to 85%. I honestly don't know if a defective battery could be causing it to go that high.

However, I do know that when a battery is either defective or removed from the machine, it will cause a slow down. This is a built in "safety net" by Apple.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I did that, and there was no active application consuming more than 4% CPU. I brought up the Google homepage with Chrome and had Activity Monitor up; that's it. Still, system CPU usage at 85% at times.

Anyway, I guess we can conclude this is a hardware problem. Driving 3 hours both ways tomorrow to Genius Bar so they can likely charge me 500 bucks for a repair that would have costed me nothing if this happened 2 months ago.

It's certainly a first world problem I have here, and I shouldn't get too worked up about it. But just wow. Worst timing ever.

pigoo3 said:

If you haven't already...try the SMC reset I suggested above. If you already tried it...then let us know the results...so we can cross it off the troubleshooting list.

Also...if you're getting this high cpu usage frequently...this will drain your battery very fast.

- Nick

Click to expand...

Hi, yeah I did the SMC reset a couple times already. Thanks, though : )

GradStdnt said:

Hi, yeah I did the SMC reset a couple times already. Thanks, though : )

Click to expand...

I'm assuming it didn't work...you didn't really make the outcome clear in your post (no mind readers here that I'm aware of).

Regarding the high CPU usage (85%). What "chscag" suggested (check Activity Monitor) is really what you have to do.

There really isn't any sort of "stealth" activity that would use 85% of the cpu...and not show up in the Activity Monitor list. Make sure you have "All Processes" selected.

- Nick

I suppose one final question I could ask is maybe it's a virus? I know viruses really aren't much of a threat for the most part, but could it be possible given these symptoms?

pigoo3 said:

I'm assuming it didn't work...you didn't really make the outcome clear in your post (no mind readers here that I'm aware of).

Regarding the high CPU usage (85%). What "chscag" suggested (check Activity Monitor) is really what you have to do.

There really isn't any sort of "stealth" activity that would use 85% of the cpu...and not show up in the Activity Monitor list. Make sure you have "All Processes" selected.

- Nick

Click to expand...

Oh *ahem* yeah.

Here's a little ditty:

PID: 0
Process Name: kernel_task
User: root
% CPU: 330
Threads: 64
Real mem: 376
Kind: Intel (64 bit)


(And yeah, I tried the SMC reset and it did not work).

I guess this is bad haha.

GradStdnt said:

I suppose one final question I could ask is maybe it's a virus? I know viruses really aren't much of a threat for the most part, but could it be possible given these symptoms?

Click to expand...

Very, very, very, very unlikely. The high cpu problem can be either hardware or software (as your thread title asked). Sometimes it can be defective hardware...or a file from a program that got installed (that's why it should show up in the Activity Monitor list).

I recently had a high cpu issue somewhat similar to your's (but not exactly). I had high cpu use (but I did have the high fan rpm's...which you said you didn't have). I took it to Apple...and it was a defective fan. But...even though it was a hardware issue...I still had something show up in my Activity Monitor list with high cpu use.

So "something" should show up in Activity Monitor.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

I'm assuming it didn't work...you didn't really make the outcome clear in your post (no mind readers here that I'm aware of).

Regarding the high CPU usage (85%). What "chscag" suggested (check Activity Monitor) is really what you have to do.

There really isn't any sort of "stealth" activity that would use 85% of the cpu...and not show up in the Activity Monitor list. Make sure you have "All Processes" selected.

- Nick

Click to expand...

pigoo3 said:

Very, very, very, very unlikely. The high cpu problem can be either hardware or software (as your thread title asked). Sometimes it can be defective hardware...or a file from a program that got installed (that's why it should show up in the Activity Monitor list).

I recently had a high cpu issue somewhat similar to your's (but not exactly). I had high cpu use (but I did have the high fan rpm's...which you said you didn't have). I took it to Apple...and it was a defective fan. But...even though it was a hardware issue...I still had something show up in my Activity Monitor list with high cpu use.

So "something" should show up in Activity Monitor.

- Nick

Click to expand...

I tried to get the computer to upload a screenshot, but it can't even do that.

This person in this thread http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os-x-operating-system/256007-high-cpu-usage.html had a similar issue I believe. His 2nd screen shot down shows kernel_task. That is the problem causer in my list of All Processes. Except in mine it says the kernel_task is taking up to 330% CPU.

Actually the more I read into that thread the more I see it hinges on the kernel_task issue, which as another member mentioned can be very difficult to pin down. I see you, Nick, commented on that thread haha small world, so it looks like this may be something of a repeat of what that person experienced.

I do typically have a La Cie and a Western Digital hard drive (both 500 gb) connected to the computer, so maybe that's the culprit but I doubt it. I'll have to bit le bullet tomorrow.

I might switch back to Windows machines after this debacle.

GradStdnt said:

I tried to get the computer to upload a screenshot, but it can't even do that.

This person in this thread http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os-x-operating-system/256007-high-cpu-usage.html had a similar issue I believe. His 2nd screen shot down shows kernel_task. That is the problem causer in my list of All Processes. Except in mine it says the kernel_task is taking up to 330% CPU.

Click to expand...

The kernel task was the file that I had a problem with as well (when my computer was diagnosed by Apple with a bad fan).

The thread you linked is from someone with a Core 2 Duo cpu...this computer is only capable of a max. cpu % of 200%. You probably have a quad-core cpu...which is capable of a max. of 400%...that's why you can get a cpu use of 330% (and the other person 176%).

These problems can be very difficult to diagnose...since it can be hardware or software. You best bet may be to have Apple look at it. Even though it is out of warranty...maybe they will still diagnose it for free. Then they will hopefully be able to tell you what the issue is...give you a repair quote...and you can decide if you want them to do the repair...or do it yourself.

- Nick

p.s. By the way. Try booting the computer from an OS install disk (hold down C key after inserting the disk, and rebooting the computer). If it is a software issue...then booting from an OS disk will isolate any software issue on your HD.

If the high cpu use remains after booting from a OS disk (or maybe with a bootable USB stick)...then it's probably a hardware issue.

GradStdnt said:

I do typically have a La Cie and a Western Digital hard drive (both 500 gb) connected to the computer, so maybe that's the culprit but I doubt it. I'll have to bit le bullet tomorrow.

Click to expand...

In some cases...items that connected to the computer can be a problem (external monitors, external HD's, external input devices, printers, iPods, etc.)...and/or any special software that is installed for these devices...ALL can be potential sources of problems.

So it's best to unplug everything from the computer...and maybe uninstall any specialized software for these devices...to make things as simple as possible.

This is why I suggested booting the computer from an OS install disk (which will isolate/eliminate any issues due to the OS install or software installs on the internal HD)...or bootable USB stick (with no peripherals plugged into the computer).

Good luck,

- Nick