Google+ Auto Backup is using a huge amount of CPU

Question

On booting (OS X 10.92 and at random points, google+ auto backup is using up to 100% of CPU, is there a way I can reduce this or is it a bug?

I cannot post an image but it is currently using 99.9% CPU and 8:32.42 CPU time with 14 threads.

username       955   ??    0.0 S    21T   0:00.76   0:02.35 /Applications/Google+ Auto Backup.app/Contents/MacOS/Google+ Auto Ba
              955         0.0 S    23T   0:00.21   0:00.05 
              955         0.0 S    21T   0:00.00   0:00.00 
              955         0.0 S    21T   0:00.00   0:00.00 
              955         0.0 S    53T   0:00.00   0:00.00 
              955         0.0 S    21T   0:00.00   0:00.00 
              955         0.0 S    30T   0:00.00   0:00.00 
              955         0.0 S    30T   0:00.00   0:00.00 
              955         0.0 S    11T   0:00.01   0:00.01 
              955        99.0 R     0T   0:44.70 323:31.28 
              955         0.0 S    21T   0:00.00   0:00.01 
              955         0.0 S    21T   0:00.00   0:00.00 
              955         0.0 S    21T   0:00.00   0:00.00 
              955         0.0 S    21T   0:00.00   0:00.00

Can you provide a ps output showing the details of the threads (I think it is something like ps -axxwM)? It really just sounds like it is working. If it isn't then we'll need more details about it (though don't expect high level process debugging from SU). I see similar reports about the windows version (https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/picasa/8l5p8I6Ilu8) but can't find anything specific about the Mac version. — MaQleod, May 14 '14 at 15:31
I get the same for the Windows version, I wonder if it's using local CPU resources to do some image processing to save their servers some of the workload? — David d C e Freitas, Jun 03 '14 at 23:14

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 08 '15 at 04:14

a little old now, but I was able to address this on a Windows machine by viewing the "failed uploads" and selecting to "retry" those (it did, and processor usage abated). hope this helps!

more about this here: http://chapmanit.blogspot.com/2015/04/google-auto-backup-high-processor.html

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 08 '15 at 05:02

Since the slowest step is transferring the data through your ISP, it is very likely that your files are being compressed before the transfer and are stored in the compressed state online. This way Google saves storage space and CPU hours by having your computer compress the data.

Google+ Auto Backup is using a huge amount of CPU

2 Answers2