How can my MacBook use more than 100% CPU?

[Hesselberg]

Hi, being a new member, I hope this is the right section to post a question like this:

When I look at the running processes, my antivirus app uses almost 100%, and when it is scanning the disk, it uses more - i have seen up to 107%. The enclosed pic documents it.

Is it a error in the antivirus s/w or is it Mac OSX that doesn't know how to handle this.
Can it be rectified?
Is there any need to rectify this?

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Your MacBook technically has two processors (hence the "dual-core" moniker). Each core can be utilized up to 100%, and since you have two cores, your theoretical maximum processor usage is 200%.

If you had a quad-core machine, you could theoretically be using 400% at any one time (4 cores * 100% utilization/core).

This cannot be rectified nor corrected because it's not an error -- your MacBook is doing exactly what it should be doing, and is reporting processor utilization accurately.

 

[Hesselberg]

Thank you for the answer - it makes sense ...