Time changeover generates Snow Leopard problems
updated 03:30 pm EST, Mon November 2, 2009
Switch from DST hurts CPU performance
The flip from daylight savings to standard time has created unusual problems for Snow Leopard owners, Apple's support forums indicate. Some Mac users note that nearing the point of the official changeover, 2AM on November 1st, their CPU usage peaked as high as 100 percent for no apparent reason. Aside from rendering software unusable, such spikes also run the risk of overheating a computer.
The bug is generally said to have resolved itself after the new time was reached. If the problem has not already ended, it can be fixed by temporarily disabling the Menu Bar clock through System Preferences. It is not known whether or not the issue is being corrected for Mac OS X 10.6.2, which should debut through Software Update later this month.
Aha!
11/02, 03:38pm reply
So THAT'S what was going on the night before last. I noticed that one of the cores on my older MBP had maxed out, and the windowserver process was chewing up almost 100% of a CPU for no apparent reason.
I'd assumed it was some odd glitch caused by a program I was running, but it went away before I'd gotten around to restarting.
Didn't even think that it might have something to do with daylight savings time until reading this.
Makosuke
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Time Zone Change?
11/02, 03:42pm (1 reply) reply
Did anyone else's selected time zone change? I've been using the Pacific time zone since I got my MacBook (except when traveling, of course) and some time between midnight and noon my time zone changed to "Arizona" time which does not recognize Daylight Savings. (And I my MacBook has never been to Arizona, so it's not my fault.) So, my time did not appear to change.
GreenMnM
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2000
sensational title fail
11/02, 03:47pm reply
With millions of users, it doesn't seem to be wide spread problem.
Title should be "Time changeover causes problem for some Snow Leopard users"
dliup
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006
Surely not here
11/02, 03:51pm reply
I have three Macs; I was awake and surfing on one of them, and nothing happened. Everything was as it should be.
vasic
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2005
oh god...
11/02, 04:02pm reply
It was probably the cron scripts that run every night.... between 1AM-3AM.
JuanGuapo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2008
Overheating? Really?
11/02, 05:19pm (1 reply) reply
[i]...such spikes also run the risk of overheating a computer.[/i]
Really? I've kept my computer cores pegged at 100% for hours at a time (movie conversions) without risk of overheating. Sure, it gets hot, but it's supposed to, and the fans keep it within acceptable limits.
If one or more cores were to approach overheating range, they would automatically shut down and the computer would turn off to *prevent* overheating.
I don't think this bug runs the risk of overheating anything, nor does keeping your cores pegged at 100%.
DiabloConQueso
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2008
Oh That's It
11/03, 08:27am reply
I'm Switching! :D
bloggerblog
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2007
It's CRON Scripts!
11/04, 06:47am reply
You FOOL! ...It's not a bug, it not a problem. Macs are built on UNIX and they run cron to keep the system optimized. There a are 3 kinds: Daily, Weekly, and Monthly. At the beginning of the month the system runs all 3 late at night when most people are sleeping. What a bunch of troll FUD. Windows would be so lucky to only have this kind of problems.
syzygi
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2008