High CPU usage

[Ferdy]

My machine is showing high CPU usage from the PC Pitstop full test (around
50%). I have not been able to figure out the culprit by opening task
manager and observing the processes tab. All show near 0% cpu usage, but
the cpu cooling fan is spun up, and the only fix is a reboot. A check of
the Performance tab, though, definitely shows around 50% usage.

How can I determine what is causing the cpu usage to stay at 50%?

 

[JS]

You need to find the specific process or application that's taking all
the CPU resources.

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

Once you have Process Explorer installed and running:
Click on the CPU column to sort processes by %CPU usage.
Then click on the process that using most or all the CPU %, once it
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 svchost may need to be expanded to show the detail,
in this case click on the + located to the left on the entry.


JS

 

[Ron Martell]

My machine is showing high CPU usage from the PC Pitstop full test (around
50%). I have not been able to figure out the culprit by opening task
manager and observing the processes tab. All show near 0% cpu usage, but
the cpu cooling fan is spun up, and the only fix is a reboot. A check of
the Performance tab, though, definitely shows around 50% usage.

How can I determine what is causing the cpu usage to stay at 50%?

Open Windows Task Manager.
Go to the Performance tab and confirm that the CPU usage is at 50% or
so.
Next go to the Processes tab and click twice on the CPU column header
to sort the list into descending order with the highest items at the
top. That should show you which items are using the most CPU time.

Note: Disregard the "System Idle Process" on the Processes list. That
is just a placeholder to account for the time that the CPU is doing
nothing. It is not included in the CPU usage total reported on the
Performance tab.

Post the list of high CPU processes back here if you need assistance
with identifying these.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

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

 

[Guest]

Most new -loosely stated- "Issues" like worms or trojans are Kernal oriented
and not found in windows taskman as they are tricky rascals.

Programs found on the site JS pointed to are the best source or try
StarupList 2.01 from http://www.merijn.org/downloads.html ,
download here; http://castlecops.com/zx/Merijn/startuplist.zip

Drag the EXE to your desktop and double click to run. It will list all
processes running and even show what all the svchost.exe's are running. You
can drag this application into your 'startup' folder (located under menu >
all programs > startup) to see what launches when windows kicks up.

Its a large list to go through but if you have some idea of what you are
looking for it will help you identify unknown processes if you have trouble
identifing it with taskman.
Good Luck.