CPU usage spikes every 60 seconds

Hello

I've been having an issue where exactly every 60 seconds, my CPU usage would spike to 20-40% usage then go back to the 5% or whatever idle it was sitting at originally. For the most part I can't even tell it does this when web surfing, watching videos, etc., but I will get a huge fps drop for that split second it happens when playing games. It also interferes with Photoshop for that second it spikes as well and it locks up.

Games could be running at say 160 fps, then the spike would happen, and it would drop to 15 fps, and go back to 160 fps with no hiccups until it spikes again.

When I check what processes seems to be causing the issue it seems to be 'system and compressed memory' I've tried searching for anyone who has had similar problems on the internet but can't seem to find any. Most people's issues seem to be that its constantly taking up a large amount of cpu usage or that its using too much ram. When I am monitoring Processes, it sits around 0.1% and just jumps up to 5.3%~ usage then goes back down. Memory usage seems to stay at 0.1 MB

I'm wondering if I could get solutions to this issue since its quite disruptive for gaming and working.
 
In your shoes I would try to isolate cause. Start with 'clean boot' and see if issue is gone (it should be - if not use System File Checker). Then divide non-OS services and test until you isolate the cause.

https://windowsinstructed.com/clean-boot-windows-windows/
Hello

I tried a clean boot but the problem persisted and with system file checker it did not find any integrity violations.
I did try to boot in safe mode to see if it happened and it didn't.
 
I tried a clean boot but the problem persisted and with system file checker it did not find any integrity violations.
I did try to boot in safe mode to see if it happened and it didn't.

Based on the 'gap' between safe mode and clean boot, something in the Windows system software is not right.
Safe Mode - minimal Windows - no 3rd party - result: no problem in operation
Clean Boot - full Windows - no 3rd party - result: problem happens

So if SFC can't find it, can a repair disk? or, is it a bug in Windows or the system (motherboard) chipset drivers?

I don't know, but we have isolated to some degree.


From https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ean-boot/cfd27f3d-37af-4385-81de-23cb5923df9b

"Safe mode shuts down just about everything that isn't absolutely necessary to get Windows to launch. What is left running, is running with the most stable drivers available and any accelerators or “tweaks” are turned off too. Like video and other hardware acceleration.

This is designed to be as close as can be to a stable environment.

It is slow and clunky, but it shouldn't crash.

It also disables 3 party addons.

While there are a variety of issues you can use this for Safe Mode is mostly for hardware issues or issues where a software package left regular Windows inaccessible.


Clean Boot does not care about the windows environment. It assumes that Windows is not the problem and that it works fine.

It removes 3 party vendor addons that are loaded on start up.

While there are a variety of issues you can use this for the purpose of Clean Boot is mainly to troubleshoot software compatibility issues. "
 
This is an old thread byt to anyone who's having the same issue: if you have a slideshow as your wallpaper check if CPU spikes and wallpaper change happen at the same time. If that's it then you need to disable the slideshow or set it to change less often
 
Chris Pie - your solution fixed my problem! Not only was the setting:
"Desktop Background > Pictures > Slideshow > Change every 1 mins"
causing a lag every 60 secs, at the top of the minute, in everything (videos, typing, switching apps), but when I fixed it (changed Win10 desktop background to static color), a ton of apps that had been slow (e.g. Wordpad saving files!) became fast again!

Thanks so much. I keep reading that this is a common (but unsolved) Win10 issue, and I haven't seen your solution anywhere else, so far.

How did you find it?

Thx again Chris Pie
 
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