Computer has become really slow (CPU usage 100%)

[Guest]

My other computer (2,0GHz; 512 RAM; 80Gb; Windows XP Home edition) has become
really slow. It takes 10 seconds to open Internet explorer and when I try to
open some programs it crashes, it says that it "does not respond".

It happened all of a sudden, I don't remember exactly, but it could have
been right after I installed a patch for a game. I have uninstalled the game,
but I think it has nothing to do with it. When I check the CPU usage it says
100%, I have no idea how I can fix this. I don't see any unusual programs
running in the background that can take soo much memory. I have tried to
check for viruses, although I have a good protection, but the computer is so
slow it can't do it.

Any suggestions on how to fix this?

Thankful for any replies
/Peter Forsberg

 

[JS]

You need to find the specific process in that application that's taking all
the CPU resources and slowing down your PC.

To do this try Process Explorer:
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html

Once you have Process Explorer installed and running:
In the taskbar select View and check 'Show Process Tree' and 'Show Lower
Pane' option.
(This will provide the detailed info you need)
Next click on the CPU column to sort processes by %CPU usage.
Then click on the process that's using most or all the CPU %,
once it's highlighted, right click and from the options listed select:
google
This should display what out there on the web about that process.

Note: some entries like Explorer and svchost may need to be expanded to show
the detail,
(sub processes), in this case click on the + located to the left on the
entry.

JS

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Peter

What are your anti-spyware arrangements?


--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Guest]

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/DiagnoseXP.html
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm
Look over the above links for more info..
Cheers..
j;-j

 

[nesredep egrob]

My other computer (2,0GHz; 512 RAM; 80Gb; Windows XP Home edition) has become
really slow. It takes 10 seconds to open Internet explorer and when I try to
open some programs it crashes, it says that it "does not respond".

It happened all of a sudden, I don't remember exactly, but it could have
been right after I installed a patch for a game. I have uninstalled the game,
but I think it has nothing to do with it. When I check the CPU usage it says
100%, I have no idea how I can fix this. I don't see any unusual programs
running in the background that can take soo much memory. I have tried to
check for viruses, although I have a good protection, but the computer is so
slow it can't do it.

Any suggestions on how to fix this?

Thankful for any replies
/Peter Forsberg

Simple things first - Go to Device Manager and look out for anything marked with
Yellow - correct that before doing anything else. I have had that on both 2000
and XP

Borge in sunny Perth, Australia

 

[Guest]

I installed Process Explorer, even though it took a while... And I saw a
process taking up to 98% of the CPU usage. It was some sort of programme from
my firewall/antivirus, F-secure. I then "killed" the process, and suddenly
the computer was it's own self again. The firewall was working properly after
that I believe. How can a file from a firewall slow down the computer like
that? It must have been after an update on the programme right?

Anyway, I want to thank you guys for all the help despite my bad english.

I'm really thankful!

/Peter Forsberg

 

[JS]

Did you select that program and then do a Google on it. I would not disable
any part of AV software until I have been able to determine if will leave me
open to a virus attack.

That said a rough guess is that it may be a part of F-Secure that does
active scanning and or background scanning of your PC.

JS