XP 100% CPU on HP Pavilion Laptop

  • Thread starter Thread starter rnmalhotra
  • Start date Start date
R

rnmalhotra

XP Xperts,

I have an HP Pavilion ze4100 laptop running Windows XP with 640 MB
memory, and plenty of disk space. When the machine comes up, the CPU
arbitrarily jumps up to 100% usage, and the mouse pointer disappears.
After some time, the CPU usage comes down, and back again to 100%. This
continues, making the machine un-usable.

I have checked the machine thoroughly for viruses, found none. It
had thoroughly been cleaned for Adware or Spyware, with several
different programs, and is clean. I re-installed Windows XP SP2 without
any problems - after re-formatting the hard drive. The problem still
persists.

The crazy thing is, task manager reports the top most window's
process to be consuming 100% of the CPU. That is, if I have windows
explorer as the window with focus, task manager will report it having
100% of the CPU, if IE is the top most window, it will have 100% of the
CPU. If no windows are open, just the task manager, the task manager
process has 100% of the CPU.

I have looked all over, but have no clues. Any and all help
appreciated at this time.

Best,

Raj.
 
How are you determining 100% CPU usage ... Task Manager | Processes tab and
sorted on CPU column?
 
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.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html

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.

JS
 
That is correct. I determined the CPU usage just as you describe. I
also downloaded ProcessExplorer, and when run, it shows that
ProcessExplorer is now taking up 100% of the CPU (nothing else is
running on the machine).

Raj.
 
JS,

I already have ProcessExplorer. When run, it shows ProcessExplores
as taking up 100% of the CPU (nothing else is running).

Best,

Raj.
 
XP Xperts,

I have an HP Pavilion ze4100 laptop running Windows XP with 640 MB
memory, and plenty of disk space. When the machine comes up, the CPU
arbitrarily jumps up to 100% usage, and the mouse pointer disappears.
After some time, the CPU usage comes down, and back again to 100%. This
continues, making the machine un-usable.

I have checked the machine thoroughly for viruses, found none. It
had thoroughly been cleaned for Adware or Spyware, with several
different programs, and is clean. I re-installed Windows XP SP2 without
any problems - after re-formatting the hard drive. The problem still
persists.

The crazy thing is, task manager reports the top most window's
process to be consuming 100% of the CPU. That is, if I have windows
explorer as the window with focus, task manager will report it having
100% of the CPU, if IE is the top most window, it will have 100% of the
CPU. If no windows are open, just the task manager, the task manager
process has 100% of the CPU.

I have looked all over, but have no clues. Any and all help
appreciated at this time.

Best,

Raj.
Click to expand...

This is a tough one! Here is what I would do. I would take a look at how
it works in safe mode. If everything is good, then we know that it is a
non-essential windows program/driver/hardware.... If you have the same
problem in safe mode then I would look at updates for the chipset and/or
hardware firmware.

If it works in safe mode, I would dissable all non-essential processes and
programs. Although I suspect that you know how to do this, click
"Start/Run, type in msconfig/Enter, click on the "Startup" tab. Uncheck
everything and reboot. If the problem is solved, you can go back into the
configuration panel and re-enable items till the problem comes back.

If it still is misbehaving, after you disable all processes, then I would
look to "Services". Let's cross that bridge when we get to it.

Dave H.
 
Dave,

Thank you for an informative response. I will try out the things
you mention, and will post my findings. Now atleast I have some way to
TRY and solve the problem, because I was at a complete dead end.

Rgds,

Raj.
 
Dave,

I tried what you suggested, and I have excatly the same problem in
Safe Mode. XP comes up fine and takes p 100% (or close to it) CPU. The
process on top - procexp.exe (Process Explorer) is taking up most of
the CPU. Looks like I need a chip set /Hardware or firmware upgrade?
Any ideas on where I could get those, and how do I go installing them?

Any and all help appreciated.

Regards,

Raj.
 
Just wanted to thank everyone that responded. I finally solved the
problem. It turns out that the video driver was not installed properly.
Re-installing the video driver seems to have solved the 100% cpu
problem.

Sort of an anti-climax, but am happy fot it nevertheless.

Thx again,

Rgds,

Raj.
 
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