Re: TOP consumes 100% CPU
You don't indicate which release you are using, but I have found that the named process has a tendency to run away with itself. (right now mine indicates 138% of a CPU - I have 8 cores, so it's impact is not critical)
another one is the gnome e-calendar-factory, as it seems to not terminate when the user logs out. This leaves a growing number of processes though none appear to use the cpu that much... though even killing them all, they keep coming back if somebody is logged in.
Top itself does take a lot of time - but remember, at the time top is taking it's CPU samples, it has to also be running.... which gives it a tendency to catch itself as the top user (right next to X or the terminal session when using a terminal window).
Also top does let you kill processes.
There is a warning about using 9 to kill processes -- yes it will kill it, but it can also cause file corruption if it is something that uses keyed files... I use 15 (SIGTERM) first, which allows the process at least a chance to close things out flushing buffers, but if it doesn't work, then a 9 (SIGKILL) which cannot be caught.
Last edited by jpollard; 24th November 2011 at 03:47 PM.