How to Fix the High CPU Usage of Mysqld.exe?

CPU time is very crucial in computer tasking, programs are built by considering to have high CPU utilization to perform tasks more simultaneously. High CPU utilization is pretty much normal while performing heavy tasks like gaming. But what if lightweight programs also start consuming too much CPU? This would become a serious concern.

In this article, we will discuss different methods to fix the high CPU usage of mysqld.exe in detail. Before exploring why mysqld.exe consumes too much CPU and methods to resolve it, let us understand what it is and how it works.

What is Mysqld.exe?

Mysqld.exe is the main executable file for the MYSQL database server. It is a single multithreaded program that does most of the work for MySql. The mysqld.exe process is responsible for :

• Running the mysql server.
• Handling all the database requests
• Managing the data stored in the MySQL databases.
• Listening for network connections from the client programs.
• Managing access to the MySQL data directory.
• Installation of MySQL in new systems

Now from the above points, it is clear that the mysqld.exe is responsible for so many tasks related to mysql. Now let us understand why it consumes too much CPU which makes the user’s system choppy sometimes.

Why is Mysqld.exe using too much CPU?

Mysqld.exe can use a huge amount of CPU for several factors. Consider the following factors.

• Heavy Query Loads: If your MySQL server is processing queries of high volume or complex queries that deal with a large dataset then it can lead to high CPU usage in few cases. Poorly optimized queries can be the main cause for this issue which will force the CPU to consume all of its resources. The Database administrator must ensure to optimize the queries before executing them directly.

• Lack of Indexes: If the tables present in your database are not properly indexed then MySQL will have to perform full table scans to extract the required data which will take a lot of time and your CPU will be overused. So while creating your database you must ensure that your database is properly indexed so that data can be accessed faster.

• Insufficient Hardware Resources: If your server does not have enough CPU power to handle the incoming query load, you may experience high CPU usage. Upgrading to a more powerful CPU or adding additional CPU cores can help alleviate this issue. You can try to upgrade to a CPU having multiple cores like octacore or hexacore which provides a better throughput for the complex operations.

• Long-running Transactions: Transactions that are not committed or aborted can lead to high CPU usage. Make sure to commit any transaction once it’s completed. If not done then the uncommitted transactions will consume a lot of your CPU which will eventually make your system slower.

Different Methods to Fix the High CPU Usage of Mysqld.exe?

Below we are going to see some methods through which we can fix the high CPU usage of Mysqld.exe. These methods are tried and tested and will help you fix the high CPU usage of Mysqld.exe. Let’s check out all methods one by one.

Method 1: Use MySQL command line client to fix the high CPU usage

Step 1: Go to start and search for MySQL access command line client.

Step 2: To access the performance schema tables type the following command in the terminal and press enter.

SELECT * FROM performance_schema.events_statements_summary_by_digest ORDER BY `SUM_TIMER_WAIT` DESC;

Step 3: After running this command you will be able to check the queries that are taking too much time to get executed and consuming too much CPU. Using this you can find the issue and terminate the query to fix this error.

Method 2: Adjust the MySQL default configurations to fix the high CPU usage

We can adjust the default configurations of the MySQL my.ini file to improve the performance of our system. Follow the below steps to configure the file as per your needs:

Step 1: Navigate to the following file directory using the file explorer.

Step 2: Right-click on the my.ini file and click on open with notepad.

Step 3: Search for the parameter max_connections and reduce its value to a lower value like 100 or 80.

Step 4: Search for the parameter innodb_buffer_pool_size and reduce its value to an appropriate amount of memory according to your server like 100M for 100 MB of memory.

Step 5: After applying the required changes press ctrl +s to save the configuration file.

Step 6: Restart the MySQL server to apply the new changes to the configuration.

Method 3: Upgrade your system’s hardware to fix the high CPU usage

If you’ve tried all the previously mentioned methods to fix the high CPU usage in MySQL, it means that the issue is hardware-related. Your SQL server is operating on hardware that falls below the minimum system requirements for MySQL to operate properly.

To resolve the high CPU usage issue, you can improve your server’s performance by upgrading hardware. This means adding more resources to make your system powerful like a more powerful CPU having better processing rate, primary memory (RAM), or storage. When the server doesn’t have enough resources, it can’t handle the workload properly, and that causes high CPU usage. After upgrading your system’s resources the MYSQL will function smoothly.

We hope that the methods and solutions suggested in this article will prove helpful in resolving your issue related to the high CPU usage by Mysqld.exe.