CPU usage = 100% when idle

[POIDOG]

I've read many of the articles on this site about CPU
usage being 100% but none of them seem to fit my
symptoms. For the last 10 hours, my CPU usage has been
spiking to 100% then flatlining to 0% or the low single-
digit %, even when idle. I have 47-50 processes running
and I don't know why all of a sudden the usage is spiking.

This slows down everything quite considerably and that's
when I thought I had contracted Sasser but my firewall and
virus software is all uptodate.

I don't have Sasser or any virus after doing checks of my
system.

Thanks,
Poidog

 

[POIDOG]

I also notice in Task Manager > Processes that
SYMPROXYSVC.EXE is the process that almost always runs 98
or 99% (when CPU usage spikes to 100%).

Everytime I try to visit any Web site it spikes to 100%.

HELP!

 

[Matt]

You should be able to see which process is the culprit by
monitoring TaskManager window (processes tab). You just
need your eyes and a little patience.

Matt

 

[Rob Schneider]

To get a better handle on what's happening, sort the process list by the
CPU and CPU Time fields (click on column header) to find out what
proceses are hogging the cpu. Based on that, take action.

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

 

[POIDOG]

I guess I already answered Rob's and Matt's replies before
I saw them. However, I do not know how to reduce the CPU
usage for this culprit (SYMPROXYSVC.EXE). When I try to
end it, it gives me a warning that I could mess up my
system.

Thanks,
POIDOG

 

[Rob Schneider]

Google search on SYMPROXYSVC.EXE suggests this a computer virus.

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

 

[POIDOG]

Okay, even when the CPU usage is low, the Processes tab
still lists SYMPROXYSVC.EXE as "System Idle Process" at
98. Weird. But this doesn't seem to be a problem because
then I can do things. But when it turns into
SYMPROXYSVC.EXE, that's when I can't do anything.

Poidog

 

[POIDOG]

Hmmm, I just updated my virus software yesterday and when
I ran it today, my computer was clean. Could this be a
virus that Norton doesn't know about???

I will check Google to see if there are any ways to get
rid of this process. If anyone else knows, please let me
know here!

Thanks!
Poidog

 

[POIDOG]

Okay, after doing some browsing on Google, this is not a
virus. Rather, several viruses out there try to DELETE
this file, which makes me assume it's an important file to
have. I also deduce that this file is related to Norton,
which I have.

So it's off to send a message to Norton (Symantec) to see
what this is all about.

If anyone has answers or suggestions already, please post
them here.

Thanks!
Poidog

 

[Rob Schneider]

I looked at Symantec's site. They give other info related to this and
using Norton firewall. You using that?

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...88256ae7006798e9?OpenDocument&src=bar_sch_nam

The pages from the Google service talks about other virus affecting this
process. Maybe it's not in itself virus infected, or maybe. ....

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

 

[Rob Schneider]

agreed. see my other note. sorry to have misled you.

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

 

[Matt]

Yes. SYMPROXYSVC.EXE is not a virus but a process related
with proxies. Do u use them? I found at Google that there
are trojans resident in memory tryin to kill this process
as well. A deep virus scan with updated AV and run
AdAware & Spybot is also recommended. XP's SystemRestore
might be helpful as a last resort.

Matt

 

[Plato]

I also notice in Task Manager > Processes that
SYMPROXYSVC.EXE is the process that almost always runs 98

That is not a standard *.exe filename. It must be a nasty.

 

[POIDOG]

Rob! This is EXACTLY what I am looking for. Ironically, I
can't run Live Update because I can't connect to the
Internet because my CPU usage is too high!!! Isn't that
hilarious???

What the heck do I do NOW???

P.S. I did run Live Update yesterday and this happened
after I did. So I'm wondering if that messed me up.

 

[POIDOG]

I did a deep virus scan, ran Spyware Killer, and a System
Restore but the problem still exists.

In the other thread, Rob found a solution on Symantec's
site but the ironic thing is that I cannot connect to the
Internet to fix it because my CPU usage is too high!
Sheesh!

Poidog

 

[Matt]

End process now, ignore warning message and connect with
Symantec site.

Matt

 

[Matt]

AdAware or Spybot are better ones that SpywareKiller.
System Restore should work

Matt

 

[Rob Schneider]

Well... not really sure ... System Restore from day before yesterday?
Remove and re-install Norton? Is it the firewall product you have?
Disable it to remove affect of this bug (?) and rely on XP's firewall?

rms

 

[Malke]

I guess I already answered Rob's and Matt's replies before
I saw them. However, I do not know how to reduce the CPU
usage for this culprit (SYMPROXYSVC.EXE). When I try to
end it, it gives me a warning that I could mess up my
system.

Thanks,
POIDOG

Hi, Poidog - very interesting thread. Try downloading the latest
lusetup.exe from a different computer - maybe a friend will help - and
save it to a cd-r or floppy (I don't remember the size offhand).
Install it on your computer - try to do this in Safe Mode. If that
doesn't fix the problem, uninstall the Norton firewall. I must say that
while I've always found their av to be good, I don't like their
firewall as much as the free ZoneAlarm or Sygate. I use the free Sygate
firewall on the Windows boxen here.

Good luck,

Malke

 

[Mick]

I think this is a genuine problem with NIS.

See "Subject: Re: Slow browsing since IS Update on Saturday" thread
in Newsgroups: symantec.support.win95.nortonantivirus.general".

http://www.google.co.uk/groups?dq=&...ymantec.support.win95.nortonantivirus.general