SymDaemon frying my CPU

running OS X 10.10.3, same problem except turn off idle scan does not work. symdaemon runs greater than @ 90% cpu.... are there any ideas out there to fix this ?

Same problem for me since today. Symdaemon runs more than 90% CPU. I saw this kind of problem was solved a couple of years ago, but can't find how.

for me, following solved the problem: in activity log i killed the symdaemon process twice, it starts automatically up again, but the hanging thread was eliminated and the process started to work normally since then. for security reasons i restarted my mac and had no more problems since with it. hope this works for others too. ps i running my machine @ OS X 10.10.3 beta, this system works good so far with some little bugs in finder and system settings but it's ok. interesting is also the fact that symantec blocks its own ip's in the firewall app ( 143.127.102.43 and 166.98.7.14 .....)

Thanks, seems to work.

This looks like a new issue. Can you please help us understand more about it by sending us the sample output from Activity Monitor.

Open Activity Monitor -> Double Click on the SymDaemon process -> Click on the Sample button in the window that opens.

Thanks!

Thank you! We will analyze this.

ok, here another one. symdaemon today runs wild again so i had to kill it again twice. there was no possibility to bring the sample to an end, so here is the sample on running in "normal" condition...

No problem. Thank you both!

I am having a similar problem, not really making it over heat (or maybe it is) but my computer has been shutting down, when it has been running for hours.  I have included some info I hope will help.  I am wondering if I can delete the following and Norton still work.  Cause one of the one of these according to my console is the reason for the kernel panic.

com.symantec.kext.SymAPComm (12.7.1f4 - SDK 10.8) 

  com.symantec.kext.internetSecurity (5.4f4 - SDK 10.8)

  com.symantec.kext.ips (3.10.2f23 - SDK 10.8)

It's me again. The problem still appears from time to time, and I'm unable to make a sample with Activity Monitor : the sampling process never ends...

As a workaround while Symantec is working on diagnosing and solving the problem, you can try downloading a fan-control app from http://www.eidac.de. This will neither improve performance nor fix the problem, but it will allow you to manually increase the fan speed so the CPU will not fry. Any suggestions on how to sample the process when it is actually hung? I doubt that samples taken in its normal state will directly reveal the cause unless some specific sequence of steps or actions can reliably "trigger" the problem.

Hi.

Just a conjecture : may the problem be related to firefox ? I'm using mac version of firefox, v. 37.0.2, and I have a hunch that symdaemon run mad when I use it (but not every time...).

Me again. It's currently happening while LiveUpDate is downloading some stuff !

Any fix for this issue? I don't know when it was happening and it seems happen to my Mac recently.

 

Similar issue here.  SymDaemon using 95%.  I started noticing this yesterday.  I have a multicore iMac Retina 5k -- and the fans are mostly quiet.  So the issue could have been going for several days & I just now noticed.    See attached Sample log.  I took this before resetting the process.  -MB2 

Running a MacBook Pro 10.10.3 mid-2014 retina was the first time I experienced this CPU issue. An update to Norton Security 6.3 seemed to have solved the problem, but it came up once again. When I killed the task from Activity Monitor, it returned at a much more sedate, far less CPU-demanding, level. So far, after a month, I have only had that one instance SymDaemon attempting to turn my laptop into a hotplate. Previously, the problem not only occurred frequently, but even when the machine was closed up an put away.

Hi !

Sorry for asking but : What is Symantec doing about this problem ? Does anyone look for a solution ? I'm pretty disappointed with paying Norton Security and not being able to use it!

At times it's using 125% of my CPU. This problem started in the last 10 days. Until I hear back I'm going to have to turn off Norton Security and complain to ComCast, from where the service was provided.

Have had the problem on/off for a while.

For me; if any app is closed - but not 'quit' from - : then even tho the unit is shut down , the Symdaemon value does not reset.

So...; I leave the activity monitor open in the dock full time.Each time I switch on/log in I check and highlight(easier to follow)the symdaemon value in the cpu time column.Anything over the 4-5 hour mark and I 'quit' all programs/apps and do a restart. Presto.. the hangs seem to vanish.

I use firefox(app) as default - so for me, it tends to happen mostly with said browser.

Activity monitor; -> Apps->Utilities->Activity Monitor (->Open browser/app , then highlight Symdaemon)

Lazily I tended to close browser/App and shut down. Now I close, then -> dock icon and r/click 'quit'

It's not a fix but may help manage the situ.

(Previously I have with Symantec's help; did a reinstall of their software. It did not resolve the underlying problem.I'm assuming this is the same issue and hope this may help).Apologies if not.

Admin, pls delete post if not applicable.

I'm experiencing this problem too - what is Symantec doing to resolve this?

I'm also experiencing the problem on my late 2013 13" MacBook Pro with MacOS 10.11!     Has Symantec done anything to resolve this issue?     I am attaching the SymDaemonSample file.    My computer is FRYING!   Please help.

I have the same issue with my macbook pro retina, symdaemon runs at 90-180% the laptop gets hot, programs don't work. Spent 2 days on the phone with norton, no luck. supposedly a level 2/3 tech was to call me back yesterday, still waiting. Apparently this problem resurfaces since 2013 and they don't seem to fix it. only solution is to remove norton.

Count me in as I have the same issue. I'm currently running 10.10.5 and the only thing can do is kill to process in Activity Monitor. I already did a clean install but nothing seems to help. Can't find a solution in the Norton site and it's very disappointing to see this is still not fixed.
 

My first time in here since getting Norton. Does any tech from Norton ever respond to anything or is this just a place to blow off steam? 
Running 10.9.5 on a Mid 2009 Mac Book Pro. Symdaemon eating CPU. Everything else clocks I assume waiting for CPU. Forced quit from activity monitor worked (had to do it twice) the first time, but now Symdaemon no longer restarts after a forced quit and Norton tells me I am unprotected. After a "FIX Now", symdaemon goes right back to eating the CPU.

I am running Safari, by the way.

Tried sample as suggested in one of these posts but it just hung.

Symdaemon back to 99% of CPU after reboot.

I am using Safari and having similar problem.

Initially I had exactly the same problem where Symdaemon was using up all CPU and fans kicking in. 

Followed the steps suggested earlier of Force Quitting Symdaemon via Activity Monitor and turning Idle Scan off.

Ran a full scan (found some malware) and Symdaemon does use up all CPU whilst running, however it is performing normally now for the last 3 days. 

Hi there, i am having a similar issue on my MBP (El Capitan, Beta 3) sine upgrading to version 7.0 (6.4 was running without any problems): the process "launchd" is fireing my CPU constantly up to 60% usage, the logs are filled up with com.symantec.wps error messages... any idea how to fix? Thx, Alex

Same here. Norton 7 build 124, on 2014 rMBP symdaemon merrily chewing away at CPU taking a massive hit on battery life. Will uninstall and try Kaspersky unles Symantec/Norton actually start doing something about this. Very disappointed with lack of support for Mac products, I thought this company were better than that. Silly me! Jon

Sorry for the problems. Anybody who has the issue--can you please open Activity Monitor, double cick on the SymDaemon process that is consuming CPU, and click the "Sample" button. This will create a backtrace that tells us where in the code SymDaemon is using CPU. Once it's done please save the file and post it here, or send it as a private message.

(Since some of the posts above were created before version 7.0 came out, we have to get a new sample for version 7.0).

Thanks,

Ryan

Could you tell me how to find out the version we're running? I get as far as this (below) but not sure where to look for the version.

Thanks!

This is the 5.x version of the Norton Internet Security or Norton AntiVirus product. The version information will also be part of the sample information, so if you aren't sure, just send a sample along and let us sort it out.

Thanks,
Ryan

Thanks. I'll be submitting a few once I see excessive CPU load and am able to remote into those systems (not always the case unless there is a way to sample it via ssh). We monitor SymDaemon on about 20 systems (Xserves, iMacs, Mac Pros) and should have plenty of samples.

just send a sample along and let us sort it out

Can't: "Please wait while the sample is taken" sits there seemingly doing nothing for over an hour now. Tried on two different systems (2014 iMac 5K, OSX 10.10.5; Mac Pro 5,1, OSX 10.9.5).

Anything else I can do on this?

I do see quite a few log files such as `powerstats_2015-12-04-001516_(Machine_Name)` in `/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/` with things such as this in the text:

Powerstats for:  SymDaemon
Microstackshots: 91 samples
Primary state:   85 samples state 0x490

Would you like these?

Yes, those files would be useful.

Although I am able to get Activity Monitor to show a sample, it looks like that may be due to changes in 10.11 (when I tried, I was using a Mac running 10.9).

You can also run sample from the Terminal. Open Launchpad, and find the "Terminal" application in Utilities (or search for it). Then when the Terminal window opens, copy and paste the following into the Terminal window:

sudo sample SymDaemon -f ~/Desktop/SymDaemon.txt

(You'll have to enter your password).

This will write a file on the Desktop.

Sent you a link to the collected logs and samples via a private message. (Could not attach files there.) Let me know if you need anything else.

I looked at the files sent by a couple of users, and I see where it is spending the CPU but I need to give them a deeper look to figure out the "why".

In the mean time, if you are experiencing this issue, please give this a try: In the Norton Security application, disable the Idle Scan feature by clicking on Advanced -> Protect my Mac and click the slider for "Idle Scan" so that is disabled (red).

Please let me know if this fixes the problem.

In the mean time, if you are experiencing this issue, please give this a try: In the Norton Security application, disable the Idle Scan feature by clicking on Advanced -> Protect my Mac and click the slider for "Idle Scan" so that is disabled (red).

Don't see that option in my settings.

Did I miss it?

Hi,

So turning off idle scans on Norton Security doesn't seem to impact this problem at all. Based on another contributor's suggestion I tried this and have been using my machine for about a week, and I'm still hearing whirring fans, and it's having a performance hit with the mouse stuttering as it tracks across the screen on occasion. If I look in activity monitor, yes you guess it, symdaemon is chugging away at 100%.

E.g. I attach a screengrab from activity monitor, which doesn't show high usage at this point in time, but for the 3 hours my laptop has been switched on (started from cold, not from sleep). Symdaemon has used an *HOUR* of CPU time. It wasn't running a scan either - at least I didn't ask it to.

Apart from removing Norton and asking for a refund what are my options?

Best wishes,

Jon

I want to add urgency to this thread. I have the same problem. If no solution shows up I will be left with no choice but to discard Norton.

I keep killing the SymDaemon indefinitely, but after ten minutes it pops up again. It seems to hang on /usr/lib/libsqlite3.dylib.

I have not seen Norton Internet Security ever update itself, other than maybe an new virus list. 

Out of nowhere... earlier this week, Norton performed an auto (forced) Symantec upgrade on my system.  It then prompted me to reboot.   I waited a few days before doing so, as its tax season. 

Once I rebooted, so far I have not yet seen the problem re-appear.  Running Yosemite on an iMac.

Norton Internet Security reports the version I am now running as version 5.9.  This version is provided by Comcast as a member of their service. 

Check your version... and see if matches mine.   

If not, try to perform an update.

-KJF

I believe I had an update some days ago, anyway now I am running NIS 5.9 (35) and searching for an update over the (new) link on top of the window says that there are no updates available.

But also, there is something new since a few minutes ago: Norton says its license status is "unknown". Shouldn't be. I bought it from Telekom a few years ago and pay regular fees.

Having the same issue with Norton antivirus.

I had to perform a manual update to NIS 6.4 (after deinstalling NIS 5.9). I don't know if that update should have been made automatically or whatever.

Now I am observing my system and so far it behaves well.

FWIW, upgrading SEP (Symantec Endpoint Protection) from version 12.1.5337.5000 to 12.1.6465.6200 fixed the issue for us.

Same problem!!! Quitting SymDeamon and kernel_task stops using CPU and fans stops running, minutes later SymDeamon shows up and kernel_task increase CPU usages and fans start running high.