/usr/libexec/routined high CPU

A lot of time the MacOS process /usr/libexec/routined is using a significant amount of CPU and it has persisted through reboots and even a reinstall.

I read that it is used by Location Services which I have disabled, but nothing has changed.

Process: routined [21860]
Path: /usr/libexec/routined
Load Address: 0x105277000
Identifier: routined
Version: 690.0.9
Code Type: X86-64
Parent Process: ??? [1]
Date/Time: 2020-02-18 17:46:10.513 +0700
Launch Time: 2020-02-17 17:04:08.430 +0700
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.15.1 (19B88)
Report Version: 7
Analysis Tool: /usr/bin/sample

I have verified the file with codesign and it doesn't seem to be (replaced by) malware.

Executable=/usr/libexec/routined
Identifier=com.apple.routined
Format=Mach-O thin (x86_64)
CodeDirectory v=20100 size=387 flags=0x2000(library-validation) hashes=5+5 location=embedded
Platform identifier=9
VersionPlatform=1
VersionMin=659200
VersionSDK=659200
Hash type=sha256 size=32
CandidateCDHash sha256=8850589411172ae27f5eb527ca8c61a9171a64b5
CandidateCDHashFull sha256=8850589411172ae27f5eb527ca8c61a9171a64b5b2626ca4cbc2707a627ae89d
Hash choices=sha256
CMSDigest=8850589411172ae27f5eb527ca8c61a9171a64b5b2626ca4cbc2707a627ae89d
CMSDigestType=2
Page size=4096
CDHash=8850589411172ae27f5eb527ca8c61a9171a64b5
Signature size=4547
Authority=Software Signing
Authority=Apple Code Signing Certification Authority
Authority=Apple Root CA
Info.plist entries=23
TeamIdentifier=not set
Sealed Resources=none
Internal requirements count=1 size=68

Why is this process using so much of my CPU time? It's constantly using 20-80% CPU. I can kill it but it comes back all the time.

2

2 Answers

Eventually I completely disabled the service as even after installing the combo update it was still using lots of CPU at certain times.

sudo mount -rw /
sudo mv /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.routined.plist /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.routined.plist.disabled

And then rebooted the system.

4

Instead of disabling routined, try this:

In your home directory, go look inside ~/Library/Preferences. Is there a "com.apple.routined.plist" file there? Delete this plist file & restart your Mac.

One more thing:

If you are using a firewall like Little Snitch, be sure routined has outgoing network access.

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