Mac client eating constantly a lot of CPU during 15mn and more after launch

All Discussions > Steam Forums > Steam for Mac > Topic Details

Dorok Apr 29, 2015 @ 1:20pm

Since some weeks I have a totally new behavior of the client. When I start it, most often it uses a lot of CPU up to get almost constantly the busy cursor. After about 15mn or even more, it becomes normal.

It's like the client does a lot of check in background but very CPU intensive. I wonder if it's a new behavior, or eventually a Hard drive going bad (I have 3 library locations on 3 different drives), or eventually it's because I have too many games installed, or it's because most games installed don't have an auto update just update at launch (I want see what's updated since last time I played a game).

Any clue about that?

Last edited by Dorok; Apr 29, 2015 @ 1:21pm

< >

Showing 1-15 of 16 comments

Dorok Apr 30, 2015 @ 11:47pm

So I alone have this problem??? That's very bizarre.

ft May 1, 2015 @ 8:44am

Not the same issue but I've different problem related to it. After I quit CS:GO, hours later, CS:GO process is still working on background and consumes 99% CPU. Such a shame that a game that played a lot leaves a zombie process behind it.

Dorok May 1, 2015 @ 11:10am

Not the same, for me that's always right after have start the client, I guess it's related to having about 25 games waiting the update (no auto update).

In fact I never checked the CPU it's just I get the busy cursor during 2 or 3 seconds, then not during half a second at best, then again busy cursor during 2 or 3 seconds, and so on, and so on. Perhaps not during 15mn but during a long time. Next time I'll check the CPU.

loppantorkel May 2, 2015 @ 2:03am

Most of the times I start up Steam on my mac, Steam locks up with the twirling circle for like 20s with a brief 1s pause in between. It keeps going like this for 10-15min before it settles down. Has been going on for like a month or so. I started a topic on it but no answers...

I've got no games waiting for update. I'm on Maverick.

Last edited by loppantorkel; May 2, 2015 @ 2:04am

call me GOD May 2, 2015 @ 2:16am

Originally posted by Dorok:
Since some weeks I have a totally new behavior of the client. When I start it, most often it uses a lot of CPU up to get almost constantly the busy cursor. After about 15mn or even more, it becomes normal.

It's like the client does a lot of check in background but very CPU intensive. I wonder if it's a new behavior, or eventually a Hard drive going bad (I have 3 library locations on 3 different drives), or eventually it's because I have too many games installed, or it's because most games installed don't have an auto update just update at launch (I want see what's updated since last time I played a game).

Any clue about that?

Here is what I recommend:

1. If you haven't already, install a fan control software. I personally use smc Fan Control on my macbook pro (its free).

2. Clear up hard drive space (low hard drive space can affect performance). Then install the free application called CC cleaner. CC cleaner will clean up you're ram thats being chewed up by programs which run in the background.

3. Use the mac application Activity Monitor (mac version of task manager). To determine how much cpu is being used, how much ram is being used, and use the information to target open programs which don't need to be open.

4. Use CC cleaner once again to remove any program doesn't need to be launched on startup.

5. Report back here if the problem persists.

call me GOD May 2, 2015 @ 2:18am

Originally posted by loppantorkel:
Most of the times I start up Steam on my mac, Steam locks up with the twirling circle for like 20s with a brief 1s pause in between. It keeps going like this for 10-15min before it settles down. Has been going on for like a month or so. I started a topic on it but no answers...

I've got no games waiting for update. I'm on Maverick.

1. Please use steps 1-5 as listed above ^

2. If you can, get off of Maverick as soon as possible.

loppantorkel May 2, 2015 @ 2:40am

Originally posted by call me GOD:
Originally posted by loppantorkel:
Most of the times I start up Steam on my mac, Steam locks up with the twirling circle for like 20s with a brief 1s pause in between. It keeps going like this for 10-15min before it settles down. Has been going on for like a month or so. I started a topic on it but no answers...

I've got no games waiting for update. I'm on Maverick.

1. Please use steps 1-5 as listed above ^

2. If you can, get off of Maverick as soon as possible.

Thanks for the answer. There's no issue with the fan going hot or cpu usage. It's a new macbook pro and the disk is nowhere near full. It's got 8GB RAM. Sometimes there's no issue on start-up and the issue started about a month ago.

It might be Maverick - Steam though. I've held back updating to Yosemite because I heard there were issues with it. Maybe it's time to update anyway? I should get off Maverick as soon as possible.. I could, but should I?

call me GOD May 2, 2015 @ 3:26am

Originally posted by loppantorkel:
Originally posted by call me GOD:

1. Please use steps 1-5 as listed above ^

2. If you can, get off of Maverick as soon as possible.
Thanks for the answer. There's no issue with the fan going hot or cpu usage. It's a new macbook pro and the disk is nowhere near full. It's got 8GB RAM. Sometimes there's no issue on start-up and the issue started about a month ago.

It might be Maverick - Steam though. I've held back updating to Yosemite because I heard there were issues with it. Maybe it's time to update anyway? I should get off Maverick as soon as possible.. I could, but should I?

I personally experience the following:
1. click on steam
2. nothing happens for 5 seconds.
3. steam stops responding for 10 seconds.
4. steam has connected and opens in about 5 seconds.

Never put too much thought into it as once steam opens, its fine.

If that issue happens again, here is what i recommend you do:
1. open activity monitor
2. force quit steam

To PREVENT IT from happening again please follow steps 1-5 as listed above ^:

1. Mac laptops are good at dealing with heating, but they are still laptops. My mac can get up to 190 degrees when im playing very graphically intesive processes. Knowing the internal temperature of any computer/laptop is absolutely necessary as it is a clear inditcator when something is wrong, and it does the fan no harm to keep it at maximum rpm when gaming. Mac's will also curve performance once they get hot enough to prevent internal damage.

2. CC cleaner is one of the most important applications when performing maintenance on one's computer no matter how old. Cache's accumulate, and data from browsing/programs which is in no way useful to you is still being kept on standby. When it comes to gaming, having you're ram spike and make the difference between life and death.

3. Activity monitor is one of the most important programs on your mac. It tell's you what is running, how much of an impact its having on your hardware, allow you to close backround/non-visible tasks, and see visual data on exactly how much strain the hardware is going through.

4. Startup programs should be chose carefully. Most Startup programs are harmless, however, some will start running once your lapotp is powered one, and wont stop eating away at the ram. Compounded by several tasks at once, your computer performance will take a significant hit in performance.

5. If problem still persists, please contact me.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please eliminate OTHER variables that are obvious, and use tools such as Activity Monitor and CC cleaner to keep your computer running in good shape.

Yes both are flawed choices in my opinion. Yes Yosemite, has had issues, but it has gotten significantly better since it's release. Mavericks is good all around, however if there is an issue with the starting of steam, there are only 3 possibilities.
1. files are corrupted/getting errors.
2. it hasmore recent hardware drivers to install which will boost performance.
3. (Both are crappy builds in my opinion)

✪Kit May 2, 2015 @ 4:18am

Vulcho Lisichkov May 2, 2015 @ 5:02am

mac sucks

#10

loppantorkel May 2, 2015 @ 8:30am

Ok, I've restarted steam, forcequit it, restarted the mac, run the cc-cleaner, etc. Still the same. It's a steam-issue. I've checked the activities before and the processor is used less than 10% even when Steam locks up. Temp is around 30-37'C. It's a pretty clean mac, hardly any extra programs running in the background. It doesn't matter if I start Steam off- or online.

Steam behaves like this for 5-10 minutes, in which there's no use trying to use it at all. After that initial faze it's good again. No lock ups or anything. During that faze, I just put steam in the background and browse the internet or anything. It's just Steam that does whatever it does and stop responding. All else is fine and the computer is not under any load.

It's annoying, but not anything that I can't live through.

#11

call me GOD May 2, 2015 @ 2:38pm

1. system preferences
2. security and privacy
3. privacy tab
4. (unlock so you can make changes)
5. allow steam to take over your computer
if not solved:
6. click on firewall tab
7. firewall options
8. add steam as an exception.

let me know if that works. will keep trying man.

#12