Slow Computer

[Guest]

When my computer did an automatic update a few days ago, something went
wrong. Now it's running extremely slow, and uses 100% of the CPU while in
idle. I've tried duing a system restore to before the update, but that
failed. I've run virus scans, spyware scan, and malware scan. All came back
negative. I've done a defrag and disk cleanup. Any ideas on what to do
next? It's like this on both my laptop and desktop computers.

 

[JS]

You need to find the specific process or application that's taking all
the CPU resources and slowing down your PC.

To do this try Process Explorer:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/SystemInformation/ProcessExplorer.mspx

Once you have Process Explorer installed and running:
In the taskbar select View and check 'Show Process Tree' and 'Show Lower
Pane' options.
(This will provide the detailed info you need)
Next click on the CPU column to sort processes by %CPU usage.
Then click on the process that's using most or all the CPU %,
once it's 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 Explorer and svchost may need to be expanded to show
the detail,
(sub processes), in this case click on the + located to the left on the
entry.

Still another tool is What's Running
http://www.whatsrunning.net/whatsrunning/main.aspx

JS

 

[Rock]

When my computer did an automatic update a few days ago, something went
wrong. Now it's running extremely slow, and uses 100% of the CPU while in
idle. I've tried duing a system restore to before the update, but that
failed. I've run virus scans, spyware scan, and malware scan. All came
back
negative. I've done a defrag and disk cleanup. Any ideas on what to do
next? It's like this on both my laptop and desktop computers.

What happened during the update? What updates where installed? Did you try
uninstalling them through Add/Remove programs? Where there driver updates
or just MS patches?

What process in task manager is taking up 100% of the CPU? When you say you
tried a system restore, first programs or updates should be uninstalled from
Add/Remove programs then the system restore done. What do you mean that SR
failed? It wouldn't restore or it restored but no change?