100% CPU usage

melbury

Just lately my computer is constantly showing 100% CPU usage and whirring away like it is going to blow up.

I googled this and one person suggests going into the msconfig/startup and deleting programs from there. Trouble is I don't know what any of them are and I don't want to get rid of something that it vital.

What would happen if I clicked "disable all" in the startup? Would my computer then not start up at all?

This problem is driving me mad, the computer just crawls around the internet.

BTW I have Kaspersky 2010 antivirus, which I think has slowed it down a lot, doesn't seem as the 2009 version.

Any advice greatly appreciated, but please bear in mind I am not very computer literate - a techno dinosaur.

The_Grandmaster

I'm not the best person here to help but I would want to rule out malware.

Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46 - FileHippo.com
Download and Install. Update tab, CHECK FOR UPDATES, Run a quick scan. Remove everything it finds and post the log here.
Will it run?

melbury

The_Grandmaster wrote: »

I'm not the best person here to help but I would want to rule out malware.

Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46 - FileHippo.com
Download and Install. Update tab, CHECK FOR UPDATES, Run a quick scan. Remove everything it finds and post the log here.
Will it run?

Thanks, is this free or do you have to pay for it?

The_Grandmaster

It is free and good.

If I can contradict the person above. Hold out on the avast for now as you have kaspersky and I don't want a clash with the antivirus.

JJ_Egan

Kaspersky 2011 is out now and can replace your 2010 version until licence expires .
Slower since 2009 most definitely .
Ranked in roughly the same position as its always been on my AV ratings at number 2 > Eset Nod 32 still number 1 Avast free is way down my rankings .
Rankings based on two years AV Comparatives data Advanced + ratings with a weighting for the more recent tests .

jje

GeoffX

If you:
- Press Ctrl and Alt and Delete at the same time
- Then select Start Task Manager
- Look at the CPU column of the Processes tab in Task Manager and you should be able to find out which programme is using the CPU. Usually 'System Idle Process' will be in the high 90s.

Ximian

When the computer is at 100% CPU usage again try and troubleshoot the process that is causing the high utilisation. If you view the task manager (by pressing ctrl+alt+del then select task manager) then select the processes tab and then click on "cpu" you should see the process that is causing the problem. Make a note of the name of the process, highlight and then select "end process".
Does the CPU utilisation come down after a few seconds?
Are you able to end the process causing the high utilisation?
What's the name of the process that is/was causing high utilisation?

closed

make model? post a hijackthis log and find out which process in task manager

melbury

GeoffX wrote: »

If you:
- Press Ctrl and Alt and Delete at the same time
- Then select Start Task Manager
- Look at the CPU column of the Processes tab in Task Manager and you should be able to find out which programme is using the CPU. Usually 'System Idle Process' will be in the high 90s.

Have done this and system idle process is 99. If any other ones come up with high numbers, should I delete them?

melbury

closed wrote: »

make model? post a hijackthis log and find out which process in task manager

How do I do this please?

hamcaster

melbury wrote: »

I googled this and one person suggests going into the msconfig/startup and deleting programs from there. Trouble is I don't know what any of them are and I don't want to get rid of something that it vital.

What would happen if I clicked "disable all" in the startup? Would my computer then not start up at all?

In MSConfig/Startup, you don't have the option to actually delete any programs, you're just preventing them from automatically starting up when Windows loads.

All of the programs in MSconfig/Startup are optional - disabling all of them will not stop your computer running. All programs which Windows needs to run will run, you don't have the option to stop these via MSconfig.

So, yes, click "Disable All" - most of the time, you don't need programs to start up automatically. The only things you might need to leave ticked in there are security programs such as your Firewall and Antivirus. But you could disable all via msconfig, and try restarting, to see what the results are.