Poor CPU performance

[Eric Tague]

I've done a clean installation (new partition and all) of
Windows XP Pro with SP1 and all critical updates and when I
pull up the performance monitor it shows CPU activity at a
constant ~45% activity with no applications running. All
applications later installed perform poorly. Never had
this happen before on this computer, only recently. I've
installed Norton AV 2002 and Ad-aware to check and remove
any viruses or spy/ad-ware. Both come up empty and the
activity level still remains constant. No applications are
running and I even systematically shut down processes to
see if one of them where the culprit. Is this an
indication of a hardware problem or is there something out
there that can tell me what's causing the high activity?

 

[S.Heenan]

I've done a clean installation (new partition and all) of
Windows XP Pro with SP1 and all critical updates and when I
pull up the performance monitor it shows CPU activity at a
constant ~45% activity with no applications running. All
applications later installed perform poorly. Never had
this happen before on this computer, only recently. I've
installed Norton AV 2002 and Ad-aware to check and remove
any viruses or spy/ad-ware. Both come up empty and the
activity level still remains constant. No applications are
running and I even systematically shut down processes to
see if one of them where the culprit. Is this an
indication of a hardware problem or is there something out
there that can tell me what's causing the high activity?

Open the Task Manager, Processes tab. See which process(es) are using the
most CPU cycles.

 

[Darnko]

-----Original Message-----
I've done a clean installation (new partition and all) of
Windows XP Pro with SP1 and all critical updates and when I
pull up the performance monitor it shows CPU activity at a
constant ~45% activity with no applications running. All
applications later installed perform poorly. Never had
this happen before on this computer, only recently. I've
installed Norton AV 2002 and Ad-aware to check and remove
any viruses or spy/ad-ware. Both come up empty and the
activity level still remains constant. No applications are
running and I even systematically shut down processes to
see if one of them where the culprit. Is this an
indication of a hardware problem or is there something out
there that can tell me what's causing the high activity?
.
That is how I usually find the problem with the task

manager. Do you have the CPU Column there when you view
your processes because the high one is the suspect and
you said you where shutting them down. Just in case
select 'View'on task bar "Select Columns' and check in
CPU Usage. If you can't find anything in Task Manager, it
will probably be explorer anyhow. You can type MSConfig
in the "Run" and start a long but effective troubleshoot.

A Device or Driver conflict will certainly cause this
behavior. First I would try and see If I could spot what
it is or when it is that I just did or am doing when CPU
goes to 99%. I.E - Starting Media player, that type a
thing, Or for a fast check if you have an Antivirus
Program, turn it off and see if the CPU goes high like it
usually does or not. Of course you don't want to run a
long time like this but while you are troubleshooting ok.
Select the Start up Tab on the Utility and 'Disable
all'.Reboot.Play around abit making note of the CPU's
behavior. Enable 'one start item' back on, Reboot. Make
note of CPU, use Computer for abit as long as you
normally do when it goes high. If it's OK,Enable one more
on "Startup" Tab, Reboot . You must reboot after each one
you Enabled. Note the CPU behavior at each step, do a few
things you are usually doing when it goes to 99%. If it
does not go up high, good check on another reboot you get
the idea.It does take awhile to do but the rewards can
make it well worth the time.