CPU 100% when SEARCHING pc.i have to kill Explorer process

[Guest]

CPU 100% when SEARCHING pc.i have to kill Explorer process
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Hello. As the title of this post suggests, I have have a problem with my cpu
running at 100%, which over time i am corncerned will kill my

processor.

I have narrowed it down to EXPLORER.EXE demanding all of my pc's resources
when I search my local machine.
I have taken the time to read through most of the posts which seem to relate
to 100% and taken the most obvious steps including but not

limited to:

Comprehensive Virus scans by AVG, Trend PC Housecall & Norton Anti-virus.
All Definitions were updated before any scan.(except pc

housecall as this is webbased) and NONE found any viri at all. Thankfully.

Anti-Spyware and Malware by Windows Defender, Lavasoft Adaware, Spybot
Search and Destroy. Other than a few tracking cookies my

machine is clean. (updated definition files before scan)

Windows Update.

SFC /SCANNOW (this also uses 100% cpu, but as it doesn't get used very much
i am not as concerned about this).

Updated Drivers for all my hardware: Graphics card, motherboard, 1394
firewire card, webcam, scanner and printer.

Any other suggestions are welcome as search crashes explorer and i dont
fancy a burnt out cpu after only a few months use.
Here are the specs :
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Athlon 64 3500+
1024 GB Single Channel Ram
Asus A8N5X (nvidia NForce 4 Chipset)
Gigabyte licensed Nvidia GeForce 6600GT 128mb DDR3 SLi Ready PCI Express
Samsung hard drives 165GB & 120GB in Master Slave Config (ide)
Lite-On Dual Layer DVD recorder SHW1635s
Ricoh MP5240 DVD recorder

 

[David Parkes]

I would suggest going to start run and typing msconfig

Click on the startup tab and remove all the ticks next to everything.
Restart the system and then try and do a search. If that works ok, go back
to the start up tab and add a couple in at a time and do another search.
Once it goes back to how it was then something in your startup is causing
this problem. Isolate it and leave it unticked. Or you could let me know
what it was and see if it is a known problematic program. You should be able
to narrow it down using this method.

If it doesn't make a difference then flatten it.

 

[Guest]

Thanks dave. i will give it a go. i know it's going to take many reboots but
i will get back with results

thanks again for taking the time

Robbie

 

[David Parkes]

Yup just a few reboots but if you have run all the spyware scans then it
usually is a problem with a startup program

 

[Guest]

no noticable difference i am afraid to report. i killed all startup progs so
a nice clean start, rebooted, but the search failed again. the cpu usuage
steadily increments up to 100% and then the the search window locks up, then
the rest of the pc bar TASK MANAGER and mouse. I click stop on SEARCH but i
immediately get the familiar "Not Responding" message. I click "end now" and
it takes explorer and any open folders with it.

Do you think windows xp home (32bit) doesn't cope with 64bit processors very
well? i cant afford an upgrade to 64 bit and when i tried the trial most of
my software wouldnt run in 64bit enviroment.

i tried the avi suggestion on tweak xp, which tells to delete a registry
entry for the avi handler. that made no difference either... This is REALLY
annoying. it is impossible keep track of over 200gb dat without a search
facility.
I have looked on AMD site as well as nvidia. nothing i try reseolves the
situation

Please help ms. maybe a ms mvp could help? i wanted to try here before
emailing ms, as i was hoping it was something simple which i overlooked. all
my software and hardware is ligitimate and paid for, so i wouldnt mind if my
operating system was up to the job it is supplied for... HELP!

Rob