High CPU Usage problems

[subzer0]

Like the topic says, I've been getting from 0-24% cpu usage even while idle. When I move my mouse around, cpu usage spikes to around 20%.When I open up taskmgr and drag it around, I realize the CPU Usage shoots up to 80+% and stays like that until I stop. Also, it seems like it depends on the background.
If I drag taskmgr around on top of notepad, It only spikes to 50% tops. If I do the same thing on top of something like mIRC, it spikes to 99%. Can someone help me here I am so stuck :[ Keep in mind my system specs. 2 GB of ram should not cause this kind of lag

 

[Nodsu]

It would be a good idea to check what exactly uses the CPU. Process Explorer from sysinternals is a good thing.

Since the problem seems to be graphics-related, make sure you have the latest video drivers installed. Disable any fancy eye candy software and effects.

 

[nork]

Isn't this your second post on this?
What you can do is go to task mgr\processes. There you will find a list of processes and under the heading of "cpu" it shows what process is taking up what % of your cpu. You may find the culprit there.
There are many processes that can be terminated and you should go to start\run and type in msconfig, then go to startup. There are a number of items that point to one prog that you dont need checked off. When checked off they are always running and they eat up cpu time.
Things like qqtask, event reminder, forget me not, adobe reader, etc, etc, dont need to be checked off. But some do.
You can either google the info or give us a list of what is checked off there.

 

[subzer0]

I realized the following processes caused the cpu usage increase:
csrss.exe
taskmgr.exe
explorer.exe
firefox.exe

I've already run many virus/adware checks and those are not viruses. I reformatted and I still get the same problems

 

[nork]

You can do without firefox of course, but i am not sure of csrss. You have to keep explorer and task mgr. And csrss looks like a needed file, although i am not sure, you can google it to find out.

Did you get this from start\run\msconfig\startup? If so there are bound to be many other that you CAN get rid of. It looks to me like you got those files from task mgr, right?

Try startup, you will be amazed, give us the list of files in there. In some cases half of them can be unchecked and turned off and your pc will boot faster and run faster and not use up cpu cycles.

 

[custer]

help..plz

im having the same problem as subzer0, my comp has been running very slow..i can't even play warcraft..it became so choppy since few months ago . I tried to reformat my comp , adding ram size , changing new graphic card but there was no improvement at all.. so i bet there must be some problem that needed pros to help out..so suffer can't play games -__- and what's HJT log file?do I need to attach it here?how do I check those file and make it here? my startup programs are SOUNDMAN , RDTASK , VDTASK , IMJPMIG , ImScInst , TINSETP , TINSETP , realsched , jusched , Nvcpl , nwiz , RunDLL32 , avgcc , 9xadiras , 2kadiras , TaskswitchXp , fdm , ctfmon , DSLMON . I've also tried scanning using spyware doctor , Ad-Aware SE personal and AVG Free scanner , cleaning all threats found but the problem still exist. I wonder what's going on with my cpu..please help..thanks

 

[tipstir]

Age of PC
CPU
Type of RAM
HDD - IDE, Ultra ATA, PATA, SATA


There are tools to check out your system for free. In time HDDs do slow down or go bad before they crash! Could be memory problems you don't know about. CPU is it running hot. Is the case been clean from dust? Is your PC ontop of carpet? Do you smoke? If you do are you smoking around the PC? You would be suprise how smoking effects the PC will a build up of dirt so thick it isn't funny to look at.

We have this end user PC at work where he as reported same problem as custer. Boils down to fautly hardware and imaged system with bad HDD.

 

[custer]

PC is 1 year 7 monthes old.Intel(R) p4 2.80GHz 512MB of DDR RAM ,Geforce 6200 DDR,I'm not sure what type off HDD im using.How do i check? im not smoking in my room , my cpu is clean..the case are opened always and im always cleaning the dusts inside. but the motherboard fan is abit loud..i wonder y

 

[nork]

Here's a trick i have learned to use to fight malware as some malware isnt picked up by antivirus and malware programs.
Go to system32. Up at the top you will see headings called:
name, size, type, date modified.

Click on size, then scroll past the folders until you get to the files with 0 KB. There you will likely find malware files.
Here is a list i have made for my own use and for anyone else to use. Bear in mind this is only good to get rid of the files. When you re-boot some will come back. You have to do this quite often. Also, some files wont delete so you need to get a program that will do this for you. These progs will delete the file if you reboot. I use this one:

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/..._and_Repair_Utilities/GiPo_FileUtilities.html
If the gipo program isnt there just google for "gipo".
You install gipo and then right click on the file and you will see "delete file(s) on the next boot" Thats gipo, so just click on it.

BAD FILES - virus or malware

asfiles.txt
faleh32
o
wulogin
comctsvc
commdlg32
dx2s
mcass32
msnmsgs
olisdakr
rasdfgl32
scheds
servic
servicer
tcpip32
winckg32
wininit

NOT BAD FILES BUT ACTUALLY PART OF SYSTEM OR GOOD SOFTWARE SO DONT DELETE

VSCONFIG
KGyGaAVl
TRJ_NTAUTO.TMP TROJAN REMOVER PROG
zllictbl - part of zone alarm pro
h323log
desktop
initdebug
pscript.sep
After using the the "size" method then click on the "date modified". You may need to do this a few times til they line up for you and you usually have to scroll to find todays date. But some malware will be listed under todays date, just delete anything there that is malware.

You have to be careful and only delete what you know to be spyware. If not sure just use google, thats how i made my list above.

If you are running an updated version of zone alarm pro and you have your settings a certain way, when you boot up you get a notice from zone alarm, do you want to allow this prog to access this, yes or no. This is my hint to say no and to head for windows\system32 and have a look. If i dont get a notice from zone alarm on bootup i am likely ok, lol.

Why do i do this? Well, my antivirus, spbot, adaware and other utils dont pick this stuff up and it slows down my pc, thats why.
Also, i have been running the same win xp pro for about 5 yrs now and its way past time for a re-install, so i am just buying time by doing this manual work until i have a whole day, lol, to get my system back up and running with all the progs and hardware i have. Believe me, its more than average, so its a ton of work. Even using "my drivers" its still gonna be a ton of work.

Hope this helps at least one person!

thank you

 

[nork]

Custer, you mentioned about a noisy fan. See this post:
https://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?t=52936&highlight=graphite

 

[nork]

If your system is slow you can delete some items from startup. start\run\msconfig\startup
There you will find many progs, the most notorious being quicktime (qt or qttask), but there are many others you can do without and shouldnt even be there! Just unclick them.

Also you can hold down ctrl\alt\delete keys to get task manager. Then click on processes and then click on cpu a few times until the processes that are currently using your cpu show up. Often you can stop some processes. Sometimes it shows that malware is "calling home". Sometimes the same processes that are showing up in task manager are the very ones that you should stop using startup as listed above.
thanks