XP is "skipping"/CPU usage unexplainably high

[Allen]

Hi,

I have a Sony Vaio digital desktop with XP Home & SP1.
Occasionally the computer begins "skipping" - meaning as
you move the mouse around or play a song, etc. there is a
slight staggering in movement or skipping in the sound,
etc. When I check Task Manager/Processes, I see that CPU
column shows System Idle Process taking up 99%, but the
CPU usage total at the BOTTOM of the frame is at 19%.
Something is running somewhere down low. If i try to run
anything else (even as simple as My Computer, it gets hung
and CPU usage spikes to 100%)

I have run Ad Aware, Spybot, my antivirus scans, etc. -
this seems to be something else. Sony just tells me to
reinstall XP each time (clearly, they have no clue) -
waste of time that has not done any good.

While, rebooting solves it, i want to make sure this is
not a ticking timebomb. Someone please help!

Many thanks!

 

[James Martin]

Check the rest of the info in the Task Manager/Processes. Specifically,
your available memory and your pagefile usage. If Available memory is
extremely low (They say 4MB or less is critical, but I'd say less than 10MB)
, then your system is expending a lot of effort paging memory to your hard
drive. If that's what's happening you should also notice your hard drive
performing a lot of activity.

System Idle Process is like you. Even if your doing nothing, your body has
to do something or else you'll die. It keeps the CPU "alive" and will always
be the inverse of the CPU usage.

 

[Guest]

I have the same problem with my Vaio / XP Home.
After unsuccessfully terminating virtually all background
processes, the skipping continues. Consequently, I'm
beginning to think there is an inherent driver problem
with the Vaio. Rebooting always solves it.

 

[Allen]

Thanks guys! Will check it out...

-----Original Message-----
Check the rest of the info in the Task

Manager/Processes. Specifically,