CPU Usage: 100%

[Guest]

I am running Windows XP on a Compaq Presario 2700. Often the Task manager
shows CPU usage at 100% for no apparent reason, mostly in the system, and the
machine goes so slow it hardly works or hangs up. Please advise.

 

[Sandor Teglasy]

At moments when you experience such problems, pls refer to the Task Manager
to eventually find out, why your system hangs.

Common reasons are scheduled antivirus scans or increased (unsuccesful)
network activity. Your mail client might also eat up a lot of processor
time.

Sandor Teglasy jun.

 

[Guest]

Thank you very much for your reply and the information. I'm pretty much a
novice so I don't understand a lot of technical jargon. This problem happens
numerous times a day so I don't think it is scheduled antivirus scans. It is
a stand alone computer so I don't think it is network activity. I'm not sure
what a mail client is but the problem happens whether I am using hotmail or
not. Any suggestions?

 

[Ben Foster]

If you could reply stating which program(s) is causing the high useage of
CPU then i'm sure someone here will be able to tell you whats happening.

Also it could be the possibility of a virus? Might want to do a full virus
scan with an up-to-date AV.

Hope This Helps,
Ben Foster

 

[Guest]

Thank you very much for thinking with me about this. It is the system that is
using 95% or more of CPU. I installed McAfee Internet Security Suite but it
did not solve the problem.

 

[Ben Foster]

Sorry but I don't think I can help you with this one. When you said the
system was using it a first i thought you meant the user name, but
afterwards realised there is actually a process named 'system'. On my
computer, it uses a very small amount of memory and barely utilises the CPU.
If you meant System Idle Process, then this does actually use a lot of CPU
as it performs tasks such as indexing files when the PC is idle. The only
thing I can suggest really is to do a scan for adware/spyware using
Ad-aware, spywareblaster and some others.

No doubt someone else more experienced in here will be able to help you. You
could always try searching for it on google?

Hope this helps,
Ben Foster

 

[Guest]

Does anyone else have an idea for this problem? I've been having the same
problem for a few days now and it's driving me crazy... The CPU is constantly
at 100% and the process that takes up the CPU is also "System". Moreover, my
computer won't shut down (I have to do it manually). It's been happening ever
since I uninstalled the demo version of SPSS (very reputable program). I have
no viruses nor spyware. Please help!

 

[Guest]

I too am having this problem. Tho it only happens when I come out of
screensaver, and the cpu usage is between 75-90 and it varies,,,,,,,Has
anyone a solution????

 

[Guest]

interesting..I,m having a very similar problem on a hp 4800 laptop. cpu usage
for system runs at approx 95-99% all the time.
The laptop also does not shut down either.
having tried all the various spyware adaware route.
none found..
I eventually decided upon a drastic course of action. I have formatted the
hard drive and reinstalled a clean copy of xp....
guess what...exactly the same two issues..cpu usage at approx 95-99% and
windows stil not shutting down..
Is this now an issue with the hard ware?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

MSantispyware can run the CPU at a high rate, and create huge error.log files. It's a beta.

 

[Guest]

yes Mark.perhaps it can, but as It is a clean re-install on a formatted hard
drive, and I have not downloaded and installed MSantispyware it won't be that.

so I had this problem before formatting and re-installing and still have it.

Can someone please confirm that this must be a hardware issue?

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,

Download and run Process Explorer. Look for the process that's taking
up all the CPU time. This will help narrow the search.
Sysinternals Freeware - Process Explorer
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml

Another possibility:
4/22/05 Windows XP Service Pack 2 machines with critical patches and
PC-cillin Internet Security 2005 starts to experience high CPU
utilization after updating to Pattern 594
http://kb.trendmicro.com/solutions/search/main/search/solutionDetail.asp?solutionId=24264
Pattern File 2.594.00 may cause high CPU utilization
http://www.trendmicro.com/en/support/pattern594/overview.htm

 

[Guest]

Hi Bert..you do get about..

while searching for help re my problem I found this other site where you had
been helping.
http://forums.wugnet.com/Perform Maintain-High-CPU-usage-program-running-ftopict355962.html

Sounds pretty much like the problem I am having. Using the process explorer
I have found that interrupts and dpc,s are using up most of the cpu %.

I followed your advice but disabling usb and hardware has had no effect on
the %.

Open to any more offers.

Cheers

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Cross,

Follow any of these steps you have not already.
1. Remove any hardware attached to the system, such as printers,
external drives and any USB device and reboot.
2. In Device Manager start disabling each sub under "Universal Serial
Bus Controllers" one at a time, keeping an eye on Process Explorer. If
this has no effect on the CPU usage, reboot and check again.
3. Follow the same process as step 2 but start disabling none
critical hardware in Device Manager, such as the Host Controller,
Sound, Network, Modem, Infrared, ports ect.
4. When the problem device is found try uninstalling it then
reinstall. Also check the manufactures web site for an updated driver.
Virus and spyware infection should also be ruled out as a cause.
Virus and Spyware removal and prevention
http://home.earthlink.net/~mvp_bert/html/spyware.html

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately the laptop is now away back to the shop.. it is being sent away
for a repair.

I tried all of the things that you suggested, and met some resistance at the
returns counter.

One thing that I don't quite understand, is that I formatted the hard drive,
told them this, yet they still insisted that the issues were a spyware
problem..

Well it won't be back for a couple of weeks, so will ley you know the outcome.

cheers

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Cross,

Sorry to hear you had to part with your laptop.

After performing clean install and before installing any software or
hardware the CPU usage goes way up I would suspect it to be a
hardware/driver issue. Was the notebook connected to the internet
before checking CPU usage?

 

[Guest]

Hi again.

Nope. The laptop sat in total isolation.

Clean install of windows to sp1.

Then check to see if issue with cpu usage was still there, which it was.

Then I installed all drivers from supplied drivers disk. No change, still
same two problems. cpu usage 100% and still no close down.

At this point I then connected to internet and upgraded to sp2 and all
critical patches and drivers. Still same-no change.

Interestingly, or not, the other issue with the laptop, which was the
complete inabilitity to shut down continued throughout the whole process of
formatting and the new install. And still goes on. Well it,s back to shop.
They advise will be at least a couple of weeks. Fingers "crossed" that it
will be ok upon return.

cheers again.

cross

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Cross,

Thanks for the info.

I suspect the shut down issue was caused by the high CPU usage.

Two weeks for service is a bit much. What brand laptop is this?