CPU "Hogging" - Need Help

[PLB]

QUESTION: How can I monitor in greater detail how my CPU is being
utilized? Can you suggest a program, or can I do it directly on the
iMac.

REASON FOR ASKING: Shortly after turning on my iMac (OS 10.5.5) the
fans start running at a very high rate (about 3400 rpm for the CPU
fan) and the iMac is very noisy. I have installed a widget the
monitors the overall status of my CPU. This widget indicates
approximately the following (there is some minor fluctuation): User =
100%, System = 0%, Nice= 0%, and Idle = 0%. So, it appears that some
application or ??? is taking control of my iMac and "hogging" the
CPU. Hence the need to get further granularity about the CPU's
utilization.

YOUR DIAGNOSIS?: Have you seen similar problems before? Can you
suggest possible causes and solutions?

Thanks

[J.J. O'Shea]

On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:14:55 -0400, PLB wrote
(in article
<a2b1e67e-90d7-46cc...@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com>):

> QUESTION: How can I monitor in greater detail how my CPU is being
> utilized? Can you suggest a program, or can I do it directly on the
> iMac.

Applications/Utilities/Activity Monitor

Or Applications/Utilities/Terminal, type 'top'.

>
> REASON FOR ASKING: Shortly after turning on my iMac (OS 10.5.5) the
> fans start running at a very high rate (about 3400 rpm for the CPU
> fan) and the iMac is very noisy. I have installed a widget the
> monitors the overall status of my CPU. This widget indicates
> approximately the following (there is some minor fluctuation): User =
> 100%, System = 0%, Nice= 0%, and Idle = 0%. So, it appears that some
> application or ??? is taking control of my iMac and "hogging" the
> CPU. Hence the need to get further granularity about the CPU's
> utilization.
>
> YOUR DIAGNOSIS?: Have you seen similar problems before? Can you
> suggest possible causes and solutions?
>
> Thanks

--
email to oshea dot j dot j at gmail dot com.