CPU usage issue...

[cphilip]

Why would a laptops CPU usage jump randomly from like 4-8% all the sudden up to 100% and lag for no real apparent reason? No real processing going on to speak of or actions done by the user? Causing things to lag and freeze for minutes while its up to 100%. And then almost immediately go back to low percentage. Pretty good size CPU as well. Pentium III around 1.12 Ghz with a half a Gig of ram.

[Potatoboy]

i assume since you are looking at processor usage you are using an NT based version of Windows.

What process is taking up all the CPU cycles?

[cphilip]

i assume since you are looking at processor usage you are using an NT based version of Windows.

What process is taking up all the CPU cycles?

Well sort of. XP one. I think some of that was NT based.

Cannot really see much of any particular one but a long list of actions only some of them fluctuating. Not really that much going on at all! I see the percentage go like from 4-8 suddenly to 100 then stay there a few minutes and drop off. Back to normal. One thing I should mention is I do suspect a processor heat problem with this laptop. But thats just a hunch.

[Potatoboy]

If you leave the task manager window open, you can actually click on the usage amount and it will sort the list by usage.

at some point you should see a process jump to 99.

[Dryden]

Lots of things. Since it's a laptop, I have to ask if it has a SpeedStep processor? The chip will actually run slower to conserve power when idle, so once it's 'stepped' down and you go to run a task, it'll have to play catch up, as will the hard drive, which also 'spins down' to conserve battery life.

Plus, with XP, there are a whole host of other possibilities. I'd try right clicking on the desktop, go to the display properties, and under the screen saver tab turn off all the advanced power management functions. Disable screen blank and drive spin down, etc.

Also, open system properties (either right click my computer or use the key combination of the windows logo key + break ... ironic huh? break + windows for system info? heh heh). Open system properties and turn off automatic updates and remote services (if available, depending on XP home or pro).

Next, open My Computer or Windows Explorer and right click on the main drive (C) and select properties. For every hard drive or partition, turn off automatic indexing (checkbox at the bottom of the window).

Does the hiccup only occur on battery power of does it do this on A/C?

EDIT: Also, are you running realtime anti-virus or have Office installed? Office's fast find crap will choke the fastest CPUs. Check http://www.blackviper.com/ and look for his Windows XP services page (left margin, scroll down). He's written a pretty decent tutorial for disabling all the useless services in XP to get better performance.

[cphilip]

If you leave the task manager window open, you can actually click on the usage amount and it will sort the list by usage.

at some point you should see a process jump to 99.

I have not caught sight of one jumping that high. But then again what process WOULD demand that kind of usage? I can't think of any... so if it is then its errant. Or futzed or something.

[Potatoboy]

you're correct.

Could be some software that shouldn't be there.

Could be the System process, that would mean something's not right (usually disk access)

As the first step of resolution, I would do the following things:

Antivirus scan- full (I use F-Prot)
Spyware seach- full (I use AdAware)
Disk Cleanup- remove anything not needed (Start|Programs|Accessories|System Tools)
Disk Defragment- (I use Diskkeeper)

[cphilip]

I think its probably spyware most likely. I am not always the only user of this thing so not certain what might be affected with. But it is a client machine behind a firewall so I am fairly certain its not been breached by another access point. However spyware makes some sense. I have University license to pro versions of Antivirus stuff. Just have to log in and download it all when I need it. But I do think I had to uninstall it on this machine recently to fix a Home Network problem and have not reinstalled it. So that is an issue.

I think I will do this.... I got a new laptop coming. When that arrives I think I will just completely reformat this machine. Reinstall all Antivirus first thing after that and restore all programs it needs clean new install. And that should eliminate the likely scources I should think.

[Dryden]

If it is spyware, rather than running antivirus, you should try Spybot Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/) and AdAware Personal (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/).

Run Spybot S&D first. Reboot. Then run AdAware. Reboot again.

[punkncat]

Sounds like a virus to me.
A buddy had a similar problem with his PC.It started out only doing it sporadically like you describe.Then it kept doing it more often until eventually , total lockup.
Turned out it was making new copies of itself and spreading through all the files in the computer and attempting to ship them out along the net.
He ended up having to get a new harddrive because it made it into the boot sector.
Can't remember what the name of it was, but it ate his Norton for lunch.

[SeeK]

If it is spyware, rather than running antivirus, you should try Spybot Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/) and AdAware Personal (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/).

Run Spybot S&D first. Reboot. Then run AdAware. Reboot again.

Remember to check for updates before running.

It could also be a bad driver. Check if there are updated modem drivers or programs that check for updates.

Run winmsd.exe in the c:\windows\system32 directory.
Drill down into the Software Environment branch, Running Tasks. Select all the items by holding down the Shift key and selecting with the mouse. Press Ctrl-c to copy and Ctrl-v to paste into a message.