100% CPU Usage in XP SP2

[Guest]

Hi,
I have an IBM R50p I recently bought. SP2 was installed, as I see it in my
add/remove section in the control panel. Lately I've been suffering 100% CPU
usage to no let down.
When I google it, there are companies that pop up that hint maybe the
registry needs to be cleaned. To be sure when I run the trial hundreds of
errors pop up.
Is this the solution? Or what's the way to troubleshoot this nuisance?

 

[Malke]

Hi,
I have an IBM R50p I recently bought. SP2 was installed, as I see it in my
add/remove section in the control panel. Lately I've been suffering 100% CPU
usage to no let down.
When I google it, there are companies that pop up that hint maybe the
registry needs to be cleaned. To be sure when I run the trial hundreds of
errors pop up.
Is this the solution? Or what's the way to troubleshoot this nuisance?

Those "registry cleaners" are malware. Since you installed a trial, your
computer is infected. It may have been infected before you added more
malware too it or it might have been clean and experiencing the "100%
CPU" error connected with Windows Update earlier this year, or simply
had too many legitimate programs/processes running in the background and
perhaps too little physical RAM installed. I'm sorry, but at this point
with the little information we have, there is no way for us to give you
a definitive answer. The original problem may have been caused by a
legitimate program/process, but the waters have definitely been muddied now.

I would start by answering the classic and vital Two Questions:

The First Question Of Troubleshooting: what changed between the time
things worked and the time they didn't?

The Second Question of Windows Troubleshooting: what is the
malware/virus status of the machine? If you think it is clean, what
programs (and versions) did you use to determine this?

Be sure the computer is clean:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

To go along with the Second Question, look up the name of the "cleaner"
you installed at this link and go through removal steps:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum55.html

Standard caveat: If the procedures look too complex - and there is no
shame in admitting this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a
professional computer repair shop (not your local version of
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). Please be aware that not all local shops
are skilled at removing malware and even if they are, your computer may
be so infested that Windows will need to be clean-installed. Have all
your data backed up before you take the machine into a shop.


Malke

 

[Guest]

Don't know to be honest if it wasn't always @ 100% CPU usage or not. It's
that I noticed it recently. Having said that, I had installed VMWare and
Linux Ubuntu. This could very well having the culprit, but can't say it with
100% confidence. However, even after I got rid of those programs there is
still 100% CPU usage. I have gone into safe mode, just before I left home
and used Search & Destroy with all the latest and the greatest definitions.
CLEAN! Just before I left, I initiated AVIRA
http://www.avira.com/en/pages/index.php to commence a complete virus check,
so we'll see.
You didn't respond as to whether I should use a Registry Mechanic type of
tool to clean up the registry as the trial tool I used pulled up hundreds of
bad files?

 

[Gerry]

Stay away from an automated Registry Cleaners!

What process is generating 100% CPU. This will be obvious from Task
Manager but it can often be svchost.exe.

Process Explorer provides more information than Task Manager.

Download Process Explorer.

For further information about Process Explorer see here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/SystemInformation/ProcessExplorer.mspx

To ascertain which service is causing the problem select the svchost
producing the high CPU usage, right click, select Properties,
Services. Note there are the full names and some explanation of what
each service does.

You will find further information on Services here:
http://majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=12

To trace the particular Service involved you need to turn off each
service in turn and then restore it noting what effect it has on CPU
usage. However, you need to take care and watch what other Services
are dependent on that service. When you click on the Dependencies
tab allow it a little time to display the information.

It would be helpful if you could post the Command Line of the svchost
process generating the excessive CPU usage. In Process Explorer place
cursor on Process and select Properties, Image.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Guest]

Hi,
It sounds like I may get to the bottom of the problem through this tool you
suggested. Unfortunately I will not be able to do so until tonight as I am
working now. I am in NY and I see you're in the UK so by tomorrow I'll have
some answers to your questions.
Yeah I figured the registry cleaners are bad news. Thanks for now!

 

[Gerry]

Registry Cleaners lack what some humans have! Common sense. They can
create big problems where only a small performance slow down exists.

I look forward to hearing from you tomorrow. However, please do not
expect miracles as getting to what is using a particular process is not
always easy.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Malke]

Don't know to be honest if it wasn't always @ 100% CPU usage or not. It's
that I noticed it recently. Having said that, I had installed VMWare and
Linux Ubuntu. This could very well having the culprit, but can't say it with
100% confidence. However, even after I got rid of those programs there is
still 100% CPU usage. I have gone into safe mode, just before I left home
and used Search & Destroy with all the latest and the greatest definitions.
CLEAN! Just before I left, I initiated AVIRA
http://www.avira.com/en/pages/index.php to commence a complete virus check,
so we'll see.
You didn't respond as to whether I should use a Registry Mechanic type of
tool to clean up the registry as the trial tool I used pulled up hundreds of
bad files?

Still can't help you because you haven't provided enough information.
VMWare is excellent, but the host system needs a fair amount of RAM and
VMWare adds services. It doesn't matter what operating system you
created as a virtual machine. The fact that you have a vm of Ubuntu is
irrelevant - the important part is VMWare.

Go to this link and please read the information. It will tell you what
you need to include in your next post so we can help you.

http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

I'm sorry, I thought I had made myself clear - registry cleaners in
themselves are not good to use. The trial tool you downloaded - and you
still left out its name - was most probably malware and you have now
infected your computer. While I don't recommend Registry Mechanic, it is
a legitimate program. Is that what you installed? If not, using Registry
Mechanic will not remove malware.

If you installed a legitimate program and you really feel the machine is
virus/malware-free, then do clean-boot troubleshooting to find out what
is using your CPU cycles.

Clean boot in Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353
Clean-boot advanced troubleshooting in Windows XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434
How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310560

Again, if you want more help then please include the missing information
per the "good post" link I gave you. Do not just respond to the items
I've raised without giving more information about your system, etc.


Malke

 

[PA Bear]

The machine's already infected. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware,
including posting your hijackthis log to an appropriate forum.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

When all else fails, HijackThis v2.0.2
(http://aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.exe) is the preferred tool to use.
It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware with
assistance from an expert. **Post your log to
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22,
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html,
http://forums.subratam.org/index.php?showforum=7,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30, or other appropriate forums for expert
analysis, not here.**

If the procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting this
isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi,
I have an IBM R50p I recently bought. SP2 was installed, as I see it in my
add/remove section in the control panel. Lately I've been suffering 100% CPU
usage to no let down.
When I google it, there are companies that pop up that hint maybe the
registry needs to be cleaned. To be sure when I run the trial hundreds of
errors pop up.
Is this the solution? Or what's the way to troubleshoot this nuisance?

Easy to identify the culprit.

Start Windows Task Manager and go to the Process tab, not the
Performance tab.

Click twice on the CPU column header. That will sort the list into
descending order based on CPU usage and will show exactly which
processes are using the CPU time.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2008)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Guest]

Guys, the machine was not infected. The Process Explorer is a great tool. I
found out who the villain was. The thinkpad system update service was hogging
the hell out of my machine. Don't know why. But I uninstalled the crap and
all's well again in the kingdom.
Another thing I want to bring to the attention here is the adobe activex
flash 9. That's another piece of crap. I was able to go to the adobe website
and get an uninstall patch and got rid of it.
Don't know how these idiots write these programs without working out the
kinks.............anyway I have a favorite oxymoron of mine that goes like
this: Technology at work HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA