Shift Key Increases csrss.exe CPU Usage

[Guest]

I am running a 2.8 GHz P4 laptop with Windows XP with SP2. I am up-to-date
on all Windows updates. For the past few months I have noticed an
intermittent problem where csrss.exe starts consuming 15% to 20% of the CPU.
Once it starts, it won't "let go" unitl the machine is shut down.

I recently started monitoring Task Manager closely as I was working, and
finally discovered that this was happening any time I used the Shift key to
extend a highlight (e.g., Shift-Home, Shift-End, Ctrl-Shift-End, etc.) I
typically use these keystrokes in the various Microsoft Office applications.
(I am running Office Small Business Edition, and am up-to-date on all Office
updates.)

I have not found this issue addressed anywhere on the Microsoft site, nor
have I been able to find anything via a Google search.

Can anyone help identify the cause and solution? Thanks!

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

How about the accessibility settings, which are activated by holding down
the shift key?

 

[Guest]

Mark --

Thanks very much for your reply. After searching for a solution for several
months, I finally decided to post my question here. Then (wouldn't you know
it?) about two days later the source of the problem was presented to me,
quite by accident. Here is the story:

I set up a second user account on my computer for my wife. When logging on
to that account, I got the error message "Can not activate OSD." (New, but
minor problem!) It took me a while to figure out what that means, but I
finally discovered that OSD (On Screen Display) provides a little pop-up icon
when using the function keys to control volume, screen brightness, etc. No
big loss. Then I discovered that my wife's accound didn't have the shift
key/csrss.exe problem.

Aha! I switched back to the main account, used Task Manager to stop
OSD.EXE, and the shift key/csrss.exe problem went away!

Now if I can just figure out how to tell Windows to stop running OSD.EXE
automatically, I'll be in fine shape.

By the way, other uses of the shift key did not cause this problem. Based
on the OSD correlation, I _assume_ that it is somehow tied to display issues
only. The problem occurs in other applications besides Office, but always
related to selecting text.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Go to Start/Run, and type MSCONFIG then look at the STARTUP TAB, to uncheck
unwanted, checked items

 

[Guest]

Mark --

Wow, thanks! I really do need to get to the book store and pick up a good
book on Windows XP.

Thanks again, very much!