90-100% CPU time by Hardware Interrupt

Hi...

I repost this because maybe this way is cleaner..

My HDD is too slow. 2.5 MB/sec
I got Process Explorer anf find that Hardware Interrupt is taking 90-100% CPU time any time there is a HDD activity.

Environment:

Asus A8V-VM mothrboard,
AMD athlon 64 4000
1 GB mem
WD 320 GB hdd

Particion 0: Windows XP - hungarian
Particion 1: Windows XP - english

and for testing:
(Particion 2: Windows XP - Spare)
(Particion 3: Windows XP - Linux SUSE)

Using Roadkil's Disk Speed for testing the HDD speed.

Story so far:

I had happily my new system with two partition (hungarian and english XP)
Once it crashed while copied a DVD vith NERO 6

Since then the HDD slown down and CPU usage went up.

To find out what happend I made the followings:

- Uninstalled NERO
- Restarted in Safe Mode
- Stopped all stoppable services, programs with Task Manager/Process Explorer
- Disabled the USB in the BIOS
Made no difference.

- Took out the HDD and connected via USB to an other machine: 15 MB/s !!!
- Put back the HDD, innstalled Linux on it : Normal speed !!! (just copiing a 300 MB file, took 5 sec)
- Installing an other XP (Spare) Normal speed 15 MB/sec...

It looks that:

The HDD is OK
The IDE is OK

I guess there is something in the older XP installation create some extreme IRQ requests while access the HDD.

But... What ?

The question is not really just reinstaling XP....
Because it can happening again, so I would like your help to, find the rout of the problem.

Thank you in advance !!!

 

For everyone's info, the other thread is here:

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=116796

Attila, did you try the system file check or repair install as I last suggested? It does appear to me a native XP system file has become corrupted & requires replacement.

 

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

Yes, i have tryed to repare the XP, but was no success.

I had two concern:

1.) Maybe I am not up to it, but the XP repair only could see 1 installation, instead of 3... I do not remember what it was, but I aborted the repair.
I already lost the Linux multiboot option, because of that, and I did not wanted to loose any of the XP-s or getting into more boot problems.

2.) I do not have yet important info on that PC, but I am trying to set it up for a heavy duty workhorse. So what is important is to KNOW what is a problem, so when it comes back, I can deal with it, preferably without reinstalling XP if possible.

I would like carry on to narrow down the problem, and understand it.

By researching on the web, on other forums, i have already seen 10-15 similar problems, by searching "100% cpu time" and Process explorer.
Suggestions were tryed from turning off Windows auto update to disable USB in BIOS .... Many in laptops, others blaming antivirus SW....

I guess it is an unfortunate XP conflict with something...

I hope I can count on your further help

Thanks again.