CPU usage at 100%

martuff70 · #1 May 3, 2004, 08:19 PM

My computer recently started to be very slow. I have a 800 mghz pentium. I'm running XP. I did a complete virus scan with Norton and found nothing. When I look at the processes, I can see the CPU is running at 100% most of the time. There's no specific file that is using all the power. Why is this happening?

Here's the log from HijackThis.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 11:11:19 PM, on 03/05/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\NavNT\defwatch.exe
C:\Program Files\NavNT\rtvscan.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Write DVD!\saimon.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Share-to-Web\hpgs2wnd.exe
C:\Program Files\Adaptec\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\NavNT\vptray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Distillr\AcroTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\bin\hpobnz08.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Share-to-Web\hpgs2wnf.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsgSys.EXE
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\bin\hpoevm08.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\Bin\hpoSTS08.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Mario.MARIO-Y6PAEI5IU\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for hijackthis.zip\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.ca/
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=C:\WINDOWS\System32\Userinit.exe
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {CA8A9780-280D-11CF-A24D-444553540000} - C:\PROGRA~1\Adobe\ACROBA~1.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\pdf.o cx
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Write DVD-R!] C:\Program Files\Write DVD!\saimon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Share-to-Web Namespace Daemon] C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Share-to-Web\hpgs2wnd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdaptecDirectCD] "C:\Program Files\Adaptec\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\PROGRA~1\NavNT\vptray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [SsUninst] C:\DOCUME~1\MARIO~2.MAR\LOCALS~1\Temp\SS_UNI~1.EXE -d C:\PROGRA~1\ACCELE~1\StopSign\
O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [ws_uninst] C:\DOCUME~1\MARIO~2.MAR\LOCALS~1\Temp\ws_uninst.ex e -s
O4 - Global Startup: Acrobat Assistant.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Distillr\AcroTray.exe
O4 - Global Startup: hp psc 2000 Series.lnk = C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Digital Imaging\bin\hpobnz08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: AOL Instant Messenger (TM) (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Related (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links (HKLM)
O12 - Plugin for .pdf: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\nppdf32.dll
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O16 - DPF: {2119776A-F1AD-4FCD-9548-F1E1C615350C} - http://www.stop-sign.com/pub/download/stop-sign_stp.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...730.7355902778
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/s...sh/swflash.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{BE9CB39E-D186-4587-B961-1A2A562D7B79}: NameServer = 165.154.140.31 165.154.140.32

psi42 · May 3, 2004, 09:31 PM

Anything using more than 25% or so CPU in the ctrl+alt+del process display?

Try running the command msconfig and see if anything suspicious seems to be being loaded.

~psi42

RT · May 8, 2004, 07:31 AM

I had the same problem once and it turned out to be my firewall.
I didn't see it on your list of running processes but in my case it was vsmon.exewhich was pulling all my resources. That file is part of the ZoneAlarm firewall. I uninstalled ZoneAlarm then reinstalled it and the problem was resolved.

Hope this helps you.

rimsey · Jan 11, 2005, 01:51 PM

You may also need to go into your list of serivces and disable services that are not needed

Nez · Jan 12, 2005, 10:43 AM

My pc started to slow down before xmas,and after getting rid of old and no more used programs,it still behaved sluggish,even though I had 512mb DDR Ram Memory,and a 100GB hard drive!! After defragmenting in safe mode,I had a brain wave and removed Microsoft Office Professional 2004.All 247mb of it.My pc now runs like Michael Schumaker,and everything works like new.I now have another good,low key office app.which only uses 20mb of hard drive space.I'm not suggesting you remove Microsoft Office,but for me,my solution worked.

psi42 · Jan 12, 2005, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nez

My pc started to slow down before xmas,and after getting rid of old and no more used programs,it still behaved sluggish,even though I had 512mb DDR Ram Memory,and a 100GB hard drive!! After defragmenting in safe mode,I had a brain wave and removed Microsoft Office Professional 2004.All 247mb of it.My pc now runs like Michael Schumaker,and everything works like new.I now have another good,low key office app.which only uses 20mb of hard drive space.I'm not suggesting you remove Microsoft Office,but for me,my solution worked.

When you install MS Office, it places a "quicklauncher" in your Start-Up menu. This little quicklauncher loads large parts of MS Office on bootup, greatly increasing startup time after you log in to the point where you can actually accomplish something. While this does speed up the startup of office applications, it slows down login time and uses resources.

By the way, I use OpenOffice.org.

jcopeland · Jan 13, 2005, 11:25 AM

remove these lines using hijack this

O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [SsUninst] C:\DOCUME~1\MARIO~2.MAR\LOCALS~1\Temp\SS_UNI~1.EXE -d C:\PROGRA~1\ACCELE~1\StopSign\
O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [ws_uninst] C:\DOCUME~1\MARIO~2.MAR\LOCALS~1\Temp\ws_uninst.ex e -s
O4 - Global Startup: Acrobat Assistant.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Distillr\AcroTray.exe

acrotray does not need to load on boot. also stopsign does not need to be on your system. goto www.download.com and get a piece called webroot spysweeper and run it on your system. Also 100% CPU can also have to do with explorer.exe taking up to many cpu threads. you can see if this is the case by doing these steps

1. Ctrl + Alt + Del
2. end task on explorer.exe
3. relaunch it by clicking on file>new task>type in explorer.exe and it should bring it all back. Let me know if this helps.

Nez · Jan 15, 2005, 11:07 AM

This refers to users of Windows 2000.According to Microsoft,when your PC is running on battery power,it may experiance a period of high processor utilization.Processor usage may reach 100%.This is because Windows 2000 is polling the BIOS for the power status,but is not getting the data that it expects.This puts the PC in a high-processor-utilization state.
Microsoft reckons the solution is to obtain the latest Windows 2000 service pack.The original article outlining this was Q257278.
Obviously the above statement is not relevant to everyone,as 100% CPU usage may vary from PC to PC,including hardware,software,personal configeration,and operating systems.I just hope it's helped in the equation.
cheers,
Nez

clarky1062 · Jan 25, 2005, 12:36 PM

Right so I have a problem with Acrobat. a while back i was using a particularly large file, right as I was opening it, i put my laptop down on a desk and hit the corner of the desk. Acrobat froze and the processor went to as nearly 100% as my computer would let it go. Now i have an IBM T42 which is supposed to have a shock system that locks the hard drive when it detects the computer moving. I figure hey i was moving too slowly and it didnt register, so i scratched my drive. I run a hard disk check, comes up clean. I bring it to my help desk at my university that has a much more thorough hard disk checker, also says no scratches. So i figure it messed up something with acrobat. I uninstalled and reinstalled several time, no go. I went to OldVersion.com and got some old versions of acrobat, no dice on them either. I figure hey maybe there is a bad sector the scan isnt picking up, and everytime i reinstall acrobat, its looking for a gap in memory thats XX in size and is finding the same hole i just made in uninstallation. So i defragmented my hard drive, then reinstalled. I still got nothing.
Someone told me there was a new 7.0 out, so i went and got that. Here is the thing, I can open up 1 pdf document (farther than I have gotten on any of my prior attempts) however after i close it, the acrord32.exe stays in my processes list (which i think it is supposed to) and exponentially increases my cpu usage untill it maxes out, and also takes up my PF mem usage till that maxes out and I cannot save anything or click on anything. Of course i end the process in the task manager to prevent this, however i cannot reopen acrobat after that, all that happens is the bad part with the process usage and PF usage and it doesnt even open the pdf. then i have to uninstall and reinstall 7.0 only to see another one, once. If any of you have any ideas, please in the name of god help me. All my campus's help desk could say was i should save whats important and reformat my drive. Of course that is their solution to everything. Please let me know what you can do.

Ryan

"I make it my business to know a little bit about everything" Donald Sutherland - Hollow Point

JackdawFool · Mar 17, 2005, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Here is the thing, I can open up 1 pdf document (farther than I have gotten on any of my prior attempts) however after i close it, the acrord32.exe stays in my processes list (which i think it is supposed to) and exponentially increases my cpu usage untill it maxes out, and also takes up my PF mem usage till that maxes out and I cannot save anything or click on anything. Of course i end the process in the task manager to prevent this, however i cannot reopen acrobat after that, all that happens is the bad part with the process usage and PF usage and it doesnt even open the pdf.

I have the exact same problem. You described it very well. The only thing I would add is that a reboot brings the machine back to the state where 1 pdf can be opened.

I'm running a clean install of windowsXP professional SP2 with all updates.



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