Wow Baloons my "kernel_task" and slows down too much

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1

[I put in a ticket on this, but in the hopes that I might be able to play with my nephew before i have to go home, and maybe to help others, I’ll ask it hear also.]

As I play WOW (when I start fighting some mobs?) my “kernel_task” process balloons (~500% or greater on a 4 core machine) and the game becomes implayably slow (maybe 3 frame/sec?). It never goes back down until I quit WOW.

Disabling add-ons has no effect. I would try and reinstall, but the only Mac directions I could find, using battle.net application, where wrong (no option existed where indicated).

I am using a MacBook Pro (15-inch 2017), with High Sierra (10.13.6).

[Added note: Note, this is not the problem you have with “kernel_task” and general overheating. This only happens with WOW. It doesn’t start until after I start WOW and if I quit WOW, it goes away.]

2

i recall that’s a long standing macOS bug with Any of following

  1. Using external monitor on a laptop

  2. Using a laptop after having used standby mode unless you reboot, or remove ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin rules (not for the unsavvy)

  3. Having graphics switching enabled on a laptop. set it to one gpu only if that’s even still possible anymore

  4. basically, just owning a laptop running macOS :smiley: no seriously this bug has been around forever and it pretty much only happens when “laptop” is part of equation with macOS. :smiley:

You can try this first:

Or reading and trying more advanced solution like:
You can try giving https://tutorials.technology/tutorials/80-How-to-fix-kernel_task-CPU-usage-on-High-Sierra.html a read through but don’t try work arounds you don’t know how to undo.

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Thanks. I’ll need to review a bit before I try this.

4

First and foremost, make sure you do an SMC reset, and make sure you aren’t overheating. One of functions of kernel task is to fake cpu usage as a means of throttling, so it might report high cpu but really it’s just telling OS it’s all being used so it’s not used elsewhere (IE, thermal throttling).

But if sure temperatures are fine, and you’ve done an SMC reset, then check the more advanced solutions.

5

FWIW, I’ve been down the overheating road. This isn’t that. I’ll try the SMC reset…