Mdimport always using 100% of CPU, even after complete reinstall of Mac Os

[tagaiz]

Ok so heres the problem. About 3 days ago I noticed mdimport was using about 100% of my processor, so after trying to fix it I archived and reinstalled. Came back. So I decided to back everything up and wipe the drive and reinstall. It worked for about a day and a half and then started running at 100% again. I ad installed a few apps such as iStat Menus, Quicksilver and several other things. By the way both the first time it happened I had just installed an update for my torrent program, Transmission. The second time it happened I was using that updated version of Transmission that I had made a copy of before wiping. I need any help at all that you can offer me. Oh, does anyone think this might be related to a hardware problem. All my hardware seems to run fine but I'm just asking.

PS I'm on a Macbook, C2D, 2.0 with a gig of ram, running 10.4.11

 

[tagaiz]

Ok. I think i figured out. I'm fairly sure it was Transmission so for anyone out there that uses it and installed the update make sure mdimport isn't working so hard. I also figured out how to disable spotlight from indexing and when I did that it seemed to help. The instructions are here http://osxdaily.com/2007/03/22/how-to-completely-disable-spotlight/

So far I seemed to have fixed but any help as to how this was caused would be much appreciated.

 

[cypher08]

I had the same problem. I was using Transmission and mdimport was running for several days using 100% of my processor. Instead of turning off spotlight (which is a great tool), I excluded Transmission download folder from spotlight search list. Just go System Preferences -> Spotlight -> Privacy -> and add the folder where you keep downloading and uncompleted files. This worked for me as it is third day now without mdimport taking all the computer resources. If that won't work you can always go to: http://www.macintouch.com/tigerreview/spotlight.html as they have explained nearly all possible problems with spotlight.

 

[Doctor X]

Any suggestions on how to do this on 10.5.5? I have noticed that mds routinely eats a lot of processor. The suggestions for disabling Spotlight for Leopard Here do not work . . . or I am doing something wrong.

I have done the usual reboots, Onyx, I have even put most things in "Private" for Spotlight which is a function, oddly enough, I never use.

AND after typing that, I check just ONE more search and find the Answer!

The easy way to disable spotlight is by setting its preference to prevent from searching on certain folder (or HD or external HD if any) on the Privacy Tab and uncheck all category on Search Result tab. It will stop indexing immediatelly.

and it does. CPU usage drops to "0."

--J.D.