Linux Mint 19 High CPU Usage On 1 Core of 4 FIX POSTED.

[fosssurfer]

I have a clean new install of Linux Mint 19, only 1 of 4 cores (i7 with 4 additional threads) runs at 92+% all the time (note: only 1 core the rest seem fine).

I upgraded the kernel to the latest but still the same single core at 92+% and Cinnamon at 3 to 10%+ all other cores at normal 1-3% at idle.

I noticed this on previous 18.x kernels exact same problem in 18.2 with the exact same 4.15.0-24-generic or other 4.15x kernels in another partition.

I have another laptop with no nvidia gpu intel cpu and it works fine on both 18.2 and 19 with the same exact kernel and updates applied no high cpu use.

System Info...

Asus laptop with Skylake i7 and Nvidia 965M GPU

Kernel: 4.15.0-24-generic (upgraded via update-manager)

Additional Drivers: nvidia-driver 396 (installed)

Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GM204M [GeForce GTX 965M] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 ) drivers: nouveau (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1920x1080@60.02hz, 1920x1080@60.00hz
OpenGL: renderer: NV124 version: 4.3 Mesa 18.0.0-rc5 Direct Render: Yes

tops shows root at 92+% (kworker process) constant and Cinnamon at about 3 to 10%+ constant.

I installed a fresh Linux Mint 19 install off mirrors should be clean.

I have goggled and come across ubuntu forums this trouble shooting tip...

What is kworker? kworker means a Linux kernel process doing "work" (processing system calls). You can have several of them in your process list: kworker/0:1 is the one on your first CPU core, kworker/1:1 the one on your second etc..

Why does kworker hog your CPU? To find out why a kworker is wasting your CPU, you can create CPU backtraces: watch your processor load (with top or something) and in moments of high load through kworker, execute echo l > /proc/sysrq-trigger to create a backtrace. (On Ubuntu, this needs you to login with sudo -s). Do this several times, then watch the backtraces at the end of dmesg output. See what happens frequently in the CPU backtraces, it hopefully points you to the source of your problem.

While the system works fine all Apps run OK having one core at 92% all the time seems abnormal and some type of bug, Any suggestions?

[ssspace]

There's something going on, I'm seeing several users reporting high CPU usage lately:
- viewtopic.php?f=208&t=272367&p=1491071&hilit=cpu+high
- viewtopic.php?f=208&t=272734&hilit=cpu+high

[fosssurfer]

It appears that when you use W+L and Restart Cinnamon the 1 core at 92%+ constant high cpu usage disappears.

I fixed this or it got fixed like this...

1. W+L

2. click the little box (Actions) on the bottom right

3. click Restart-Cinnamon

Note: at this point my system hung with no Cinnamon stayed like that for over 5 minutes so I hit the power button to shut down Off.

CPU usage now in the 10% or less range for 1-2 cores some at 0-1% the way it should be.

I switch back on problem solved! Go figure.

[manu4ar]

What is W+L?

[GhostInTheShell]

W+L is another way of saying Superkey + L, or Windows Key + L. Basically, press those two keys at the same time, and you get Melange, the Cinnamon Debugger. In the lower right corner of the application, you will see a drop-down box "Actions". Click it, click Restart Cinnamon.

[Peter_Kuykendall]

I'm having a similar problem with Mint 18.2.

When I boot it's fine. Open a terminal window, fine. Open Chrome, fine. Open Freeciv, the initial screens are OK, but once the full screen game starts, XORG pegs to 100% of a single core, even when nothing is happening. Closing Freeciv returns XORG to normal.

Screen shots showing atop output for each of these test cases are located here https://drive.google.com/open?id=1e15Za ... xZ99_pZDf0

[trytip]

I'm having exactly the same problem with Mint 18.2. How do I restart Mate? Windows+L doesn't pop up a debugger like Cinnamon does.

Thanks. This XORG problem has been going on for several years, according to search results. There are a lot of threads marked "solved" which aren't; this is the only one I've found with a working solution.

CTRL + ALT + BACKSPACE will log you out. log back in and check what is running your cpu at high with top in Terminal

[Peter_Kuykendall]

Thanks. Just after posting I realized it's being triggered by Freeciv. I edited the post to reflect that.

That info about killing the X server looks very useful, thanks.