CPU usage 100%

I have two machines running on Windows XP SP2. On one machine, while only on the desktop screen, and I click on Windows Task Manager, it shows my CPU usage, bouncing around, of somewhere between 5% and 8%. When I do the same thing on my other machine, it shows a CPU usage of 100% and it just seems to be stuck there. Is there something I can do to check on what is causing this. This machine still works, but is very sluggish.

 

Look through the list of processes and see which one(s) might be responsible. Each process in the list will have some numbers next to them; one of these number is the percentage of CPU power it's using. If you McAfee software installed, I'd bet it's one of their processes hogging your resources.... I've attached a screen shot below, click the Processes tab (blue arrow) and look in the CPU column (red box).

 

To expand on dlb's answer:-

Click on Windows Task Manager, then click on Processes tab, then click once or twice on CPU tab. This will sort CPU to Maximum usage down to Minimum usage or vice versa (It's up to your preference). You will soon see what processes are hogging your CP usage. :cry

Report back as we are always interested in what programs/processes hog CPU usage.

See thumbnail for example, at "idle"

Bazza

 

yeh, it could be almost anything you just have to narrow it down. my laptop started messing up about 1-3 mos or so after i bought it. something kept spiking the cpu usage (between 15-80% or so), sometimes when i clicked on stuff to open, it would do it right away, and sometimes it would delay. i wound up reinstalling the os, as well as everything that was bundled with it, and i had the same problem. so, i started removing items from add/remove programs, and it turned out to be symantec/norton all in 1 bundle that was spiking my cpu. needless to say, the only symantec software i have on my comp is norton ghost.

fyi, the way i went about troubleshooting the problem might not have been the best way to go about it, but it worked. it probably would have been easier to disable startup items. i'd check out dlb's suggestion though. g/l, sos

 

Hope I didn't mess up. There were two items, each using 50%. One was Google Earth, and I am not looking at anything now so I shut it down and the other was something called, I believe, TPSSERVS. I was going to write it down and try to look it up -- but I apparently shut it down too, so now I am not sure what it was. Now this computer has CPU usage around 4 to 5% and runs like a scalded duck -- compared to what it was doing. So far, I can't see any problems. But, if I did need that TP-whatever, I may be headin' for a train wreck.

 

If it really is needed, it will come back up the next time you boot your computer. Believe it or not, I can't really find anything on google. the only mention of TPSSERVS is linking to your post. There's a TPSERVS that I found, although there isn't much help there either

 

I believe it was TCPSERV which is part of Google Earth (I think). So no worries. Besides, as mentioned above, if you really need it, it will probably be there the next time you boot up. However, you should remove Google Earth from running everytime you start up your PC. Click Start > Run and type msconfig and press Enter. Click the Start Up tab and go thru the list and uncheck Google Earth. You can probably uncheck just about everything in the list to be honest. When you restart the next time, you'll have a 'System Configuration Utility' box open. Check the little box and click OK. If in doubt, post a list (or screen shot) of the stuff in the msconfig startup list, and we can make some recommendations as to what you can disable... like I said, you can probably uncheck just about everything.

 

Glad you solved your problem and your PC is back to 4-5% CPU usage at idle.
Windows Task Manager is great for pinpointing CPU, or RAM, hogs on any PC.

I also use Process Explorer (latest version is 11.11) from http://www.majorgeeks.com/Process_Explorer_d4566.html that is a bit more useful for me. It has an almost perfect Rating: 4.93 (145 votes) out of 5, by MG members.

Bazza
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Thanks to all for your help. It was TCPSERV. I just know I dumped it before I had a chance to write it down and was trying to call up what it was from memory. . .which you will find, as you get later into life, can get to be a real problem. I am going to check my start up list now. Thanks again.

 

Old Timers disease, eh. Suffer from that, myself. Bazza

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