When my Computer is Idle the CPU usage jumps back and forth between 0 and 25 about every second. I have checked the Processes and they show that the system is using the 25. I have searched for an answer with no luck can anyone help.

What process in particular is using it (name)?

Under the "Image Name" Column it just says "System". User Name is "SYSTEM". This is the only process using the CPU.

System does that. Sometimes Windows indexes files while the computer is not in use.

This seems pretty normal to me.

ok. I was just checking because I actual am trying to fix a different problem i was having. I thought that this might have been the cause. The problem i'm trying to fix is when i play any type of video whether it be Streaming, File on my computer, or video game there is a slight pause in the display about every few seconds or so. I have been working on this for some time and about out of ideas. can you help me.

Hmm, that actually might be the problem then.

Have you installed anything new?

do you have integrated video? What are the specs of the machine? If they are kind of low, you might want to disable indexing, this might fix the problem.

I have the problem even if i do a clean install of windows XP. I currently have the indexing disabled and the problem is still there.
Here are my specs.

Windows XP
Athlon XP 2500+
Shuttle AK39N Motherboard
512 PC2700
NVidia FX 5200

When you play the files watch you harddrive light, is the hard drive being accessed when the pause occurs ?
Before playing any video's check what background programs are running.

The hard drive is being accessed. The light is vary faint but still there. The only programs running in the background is my antivirus. I've tried turning this off but it didn't help.

I have gotten my computer so that the hard drive light no longer comes on in idle but the problem still exists. I have done some testing and found out that if I start the system in safe mode the problem goes away. I really don't have any experience using the safe mode, which is the reason i just now tried it. So any help about how i can trouble shoot this using safe mode and regular mode would be helpful

well posted this question on another forum and finally figured out the problem. The problem was with an external zip drive. The drive works perfectly but for some reason windows doesn't like it and tries to access it every second causing the jump in CPU. I disconnect the drive...No problem. It was suggested to check usb connections for the problem so I tried that then figured out it was my zip drive which was connected through parallel port.

n1 glad you sorted your problem and btw what was the other forum coz i have posted a problem on here and only one person has replied want somewhere else i can post it

The forum that i got the fix from was....
http://www.tech-forums.net