periodic 100% CPU usage

[eugene9]

Hi there

I have been having this problem for so long like one or two years
already.
It seems to start after i updated the XP service pack 2.
Basically the CPU usage will stay to 100% for 5 seconds and then back
to zero for
15 or 20 seconds, periodically.

I am 100% sure there is no spyware and no virus. There is also no
problem with
the registry as i have all the softwares to clean up and check
periodically.
The 100% usage does not come from any particular program. If i m
running Internet
Explorer, sometimes it is IE. If I am running Microsoft Word, sometimes
it is Word.
If I don't run any program, sometimes it is the Explorer, or even
sometimes it
is the Windows Task Manager using 100% CPU.

thanks

Eugene

 

[JTW]

Try downloading and using something like SysInternal's Process Explorer
(http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html). You can
then get a better idea of what is running. Monitor your system for you
spikes and see if you can determine what process is causing it.