System Consumes 99% CPU

[David Witt]

Can anyone help me figure out what is causing my system
to run so slow? When I look at the Task Manager, I see
that the System process (not the System Idle process) is
consuming about 99% of the CPU. How do I figure out who
is the real culprit? I am running XP Professional with 1
Gig of memory and all the latest updates.

Thanks in advance!!!!!

Dave

 

[Nicholas]

1. Your computer may contain a virus.....

Perform a free virus scan: http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp?j=1&langid=us&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=FHGUCVGZBZTVOGXFSTZ


2. Your computer may contain some spyware.....

Download Ad-Aware and run it: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/


3. Your system may have incorrect or unsigned drivers.....

Go to Start > Run and type: SIGVERIF , and hit enter.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308514



You may wish to perform a "tune-up" that may help:

1. Perform a DISK CLEANUP:
(Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup)

2. Go to Start > Run and type: CMD , and hit enter. In the Command
Prompt window type: CHKDSK /F , and hit enter, answer "yes" and
reboot your computer.

3. Afterward, perform a DEFRAG of your hard drive.


--
Nicholas

---------------------------------------------------------------------------


|
| Can anyone help me figure out what is causing my system
| to run so slow? When I look at the Task Manager, I see
| that the System process (not the System Idle process) is
| consuming about 99% of the CPU. How do I figure out who
| is the real culprit? I am running XP Professional with 1
| Gig of memory and all the latest updates.
|
| Thanks in advance!!!!!
|
| Dave

 

[Norm]

Dave, as a comparison my System process is using 0%. I would look at what
applications are running. I run Seti all the time and it consumes 99% cpu
but I expect that.

 

[Cherry Qian]

Hi Dave,

Thank you for the posting. As you indicated your system runs slow. From
the Task Manager, you see that the System process (not the System Idle
process) is
consuming about 99% of the CPU.

To improve the system performance, we are providing you with the following
suggestions:

Disable the Web View:
---------------------------------

1. Click Start, click Run, type "desk.cpl" (without the quotation marks) in
the Open box, and click OK.

2. On the Display Properties dialog box, click the Desktop tab, and click
Customize Desktop.

3. On the Desktop Items dialog box, click the Web tab, deselect the check
box next to the "Lock desktop items" option; click to clear all the check
boxes in the Web pages box. Click OK.

4. Click OK.


Disable the Wallpaper and use Classic Themes:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Click Start, click Run, type "desk.cpl" (without the quotation marks) in
the Open box, and click OK.

2. On the Desktop tab, select (None) in the Background box.

3. On the Themes tab, drop down the Theme box, and select Windows Classic.

4. Click OK.


Adjust for best performance:

--------------------------------------------

1. Click Start, click My Computer, click the Advanced tab, and click the
Settings button in the Performance tab.

2. On the Visual Effects tab, select the Adjust for best performance
option, and click OK.

3. Click OK.


Clean Boot
------------------

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the open box.

2. Click Startup tab.

3. Clear all the checks in the Startup list.

4. Click System Services tab.

5. Click to check Hide All Microsoft Services.

6. Clear all the remaining non-Microsoft services in the list.

7. Click OK to restart your computer.

Test to see if the system performance is better. Generally speaking, it
will be faster.

If the issue still persists, please install the patch described in this
knowledge base article:

317751 Explorer.exe Process Uses Many CPU Cycles When Windows Is Idle
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=317751

Hope the above information and suggestion helps and answers your question.
If anything is unclear, please let me know.


Sincerely,

Cherry Qian
MCSE2000, MCSA2000, MCDBA2000
Microsoft Partner Online Support


Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

====================================================
When responding to posts, please Reply to Group via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
====================================================
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[David Witt]

Cherry,

Thanks for the reply, but I am still having problems. I
have checked for viruses, I have checked for spyware, I
have checked for unsigned drivers, I have cleaned up my
disk, I have disabled the web view on my desktop (it was
not set anyway), I have made sure all the latest patches
have been applied from Microsoft and still the System
process (not the System idle process) is consuming 99% of
the CPU. There are no applications running (as per the
task manager).

How can I find out what is causing the System process to
consume 99% of the CPU. Every once in awhile it will
drop to 85% or so, but immediately jumps back up to 99%.
Is there a way to trace or debug what is going on?

Thanks in advance!

Dave

 

[Cherry Qian]

Hi Dave,

Thank you for the posting again. As you indicated you would like to find
out what is causing the System process to consume 99% of the CPU.

To isolate and narrow down this issue, you can perform Selective Startup
troubleshooting steps and test the CPU usage in each condition.

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the open box.
2. Select "Selective Startup" and remove the checks from each item below
the Selective Startup option.
3. Click OK to restart your computer.
4. Test the issue in this condition and write down the CPU usage in this
condition.

If the computer runs correctly and the CPU usage is normal in this
condition, repeat the process, but add one check back each time to the list
of files listed under the "Selective Startup" menu, Apply, reboot each time
so that the change can take effect. Test the issue in each condition.
Please record the following result:

Clear all checks:
Process System.ini:
Process Win.ini:
Load System services:
Load Startup Items:

When the issue reappears you will then know what is interfering with the
normal operation of your computer. Please report the findings to me so that
we can determine the best course of action (if any) to take.

Hope the above information and suggestion helps and answers your question.
If anything is unclear, please let me know.


Sincerely,

Cherry Qian
MCSE2000, MCSA2000, MCDBA2000
Microsoft Partner Online Support


Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

====================================================
When responding to posts, please Reply to Group via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
====================================================
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[David Witt]

I have tried all the suggestions offered in the
sugsequent threads and I still have unexplained activity
on the System (not System Idle) process. Even doing a
clean boot only reduces the activity level to between 50-
60% of the cpu.

To recap, on an idle system (even a clean boot via
msconfig changes), the task manager shows that the System
(not System Idle)process consumes at least 50% (on a
clean boot) and up to 99% of the CPU (on my normal
system).

How can I track down what is causing the System process
to be so busy?

 

[Ian Barr]

I have tried all the suggestions offered in the sugsequent threads and I
still have unexplained activity on the System (not System Idle) process.
Even doing a clean boot only reduces the activity level to between 50-
60% of the cpu.

To recap, on an idle system (even a clean boot via msconfig changes), the
task manager shows that the System (not System Idle)process consumes at
least 50% (on a clean boot) and up to 99% of the CPU (on my normal
system).

How can I track down what is causing the System process to be so busy?

I had this problem some time ago IIRC the problem was with the web
synchronisation program which was called mssync.exe I think.Try ending this
process and disabling the synchro manager.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have tried all the suggestions offered in the
sugsequent threads and I still have unexplained activity
on the System (not System Idle) process. Even doing a
clean boot only reduces the activity level to between 50-
60% of the cpu.

THat process is the system twiddling its thumbs while waiting for
something to do. It is used to fill up idle time when there is
*nothing* going on. A high value means that you are not doing anything.

 

[Duncan McNutt .[FTSE]]

System Idle process is chewing up my system!! HELP!!

OMG Maybe I should set it to LOW priority!

Its even doing it on a 2 CPU rig, omg its taking over!

Maybe I should get some work done

--

Duncan McNutt
Microsoft Product Deactivation Team
--

I have tried all the suggestions offered in the
sugsequent threads and I still have unexplained activity
on the System (not System Idle) process. Even doing a
clean boot only reduces the activity level to between 50-
60% of the cpu.

THat process is the system twiddling its thumbs while waiting for
something to do. It is used to fill up idle time when there is
*nothing* going on. A high value means that you are not doing anything.

 

[Cherry Qian]

Hi Duncan,

Thank you for the the posting.

Regarding this issue, please obtain the following hot fix:

317751 Explorer.exe Process Uses Many CPU Cycles When Windows Is Idle
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=317751

Or you can take the following actions:

Method 1: Turn Off the "Fade or Slide Menus into View" Visual Effect
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Click "Start", and then click "Control Panel".
2. Click "Performance and Maintenance", and then click "System" (or
double-click the "System" icon).
3. On the "Advanced" tab, click "Settings" under "Performance".
4. On the "Visual Effects" tab, click to clear the "Fade or slide menus
into view" check box.
5. Click "OK".


Method 2: Use Classic Windows Folders
-------------------------------------
1. Click "Start", and then click "Control Panel".
2. Click "Appearance and Themes", and then click "Folder Options" (or
double-click the "Folder Options" icon).
3. On the "General" tab, click "Use Windows classic folders".
4. Click "OK".

Hope this helps and answers your question. If anything is unclear, please
let me know.

Sincerely,

Cherry Qian
MCSE2000, MCSA2000, MCDBA2000
Microsoft Partner Online Support


Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

====================================================
When responding to posts, please Reply to Group via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
====================================================
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.