Slow Macbook Air - kernel_task

have the same issue. local shop is unable to repair & apple refuses to replace/repair it saying its a software issue

The Macbook air that I was working with that had this problem had the logic and fan controller replaced and is working fine now!

I had this problem as well. The culprit turned out to be the room temperature.

Just make sure your room is air-conditioned.

I'm not kidding okay?

I've been having this problem as well. For me it is a hit or miss problem. I've done some reading about kernel panics, but I can find no record of it in the log file - which there should be if it were really a kernel panic.

Sometimes it happens when I try to use tasks that should be differed to a video-card, like watching videos or encoding. But it is not limited to this because the problem continues long after I stop watching videos or really any application at all.

I have read about one core of the processor stopping, usually due to overheating. I have not experienced this, although it does heat up - I suspect this is because system processing usage is at 100%.

Good Luck Michaël, and If I find a solution I will post it too.

i currently have this problem either...
What's hapening is:
- the system gets overheated due to general applicaitons usage (the Air is very easy to overheat, even by just looking at youtube's videos)
- the kernel_task process raises CPU usage, most people argues it's due to the system trying to reduce heat by spinning fans and others
- actually, the system get more and more overheated due to the high CPU usage of kernel_task and enters a loop, until you stop the machine for a while

Until the release of the latest firmware SMC update this was impossible to solve, even by closing all runningapps.
This firmware release didn't solve the issue, but slightly improved the situation: now, if you close everything, the kernel_task will slowly reduce CPU usage and, in about 10 - 15 minutes, system gets back to normality.

What's annoying, is that on other Macbooks this issue doesn't exist, even in critical situattions the system firmware manages everything correctly, and kernel_task never gets to such high CPU usage (between 80% and 160% - multiple CPUs).

The most effective solution is to buy and install Coolbook, and undervolt the processor: http://www.coolbook.se/CoolBook.html

Here is a lsit of useful information on Coolbook settings: http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/i...

Here are some useful links:
- Thread on official Apple Discussion forum on the topic: http://discussions.apple.com/message....
- Latest firmware SMC update for Macbook AIR: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx...
- Another Apple discussion thread on the topic: http://discussions.apple.com/message....

That's all about this issue, and the only real chance to get a real fix to the issue is the Snow Leopard upgrade, at this stage...

I used to have the same kernel_task problem and brought my macbook air (first generation) to the genius bar. The guy there said they just replaced one cable within it and the problem solved. He said his first plan was to replace entire logicboard but it wasn't necessary.

Still, it gets overheated and becomes slow but much much better.