Task Manager Issues

My Task Manager is displaying 100% of CPU usage, but since has slightly improved this just started abruptly. I thought it was a virus at first. As a result my machine is very, very sluggish. I have posted all week long in the Malware section, and i have a clean bill of health by them.

My Task Manager uses a lot of CPU, but it shouldn't. Adding memory won't help me in this case. My system doesn't even use 1/2 of the available physical memory.

I have process explorer but i really don't know how to use it, so i don't have to re-install, can somebody please help me?


Specs

O/S: Windows XP Professional 32-bit SP3
Processor: 3.20 gigahertz Intel Celeron
Mother Board: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-7104 20A
RAM 1024 MB DDR

 

How about in safe mode? Same or okay? TM, at idle, nothing scanning or open, should be at or near zero under the performance tab.

By the way, only ONE antivirus s/b running. What are you using for antivir?
Other security? Any updates recently? Other recent downloads?

 

Safe mode works like a dream...Not sure what TM is...nothing open but IE

No antivirus running. I have malware and spyware programs that were placed in the READ&RUN MR FIRST section of malware section of this forum, but none of them are running all disabled. Just updated Chipset and BIOS. The only other huge download was Nero 9 Reloaded, but that was 10 days prior to sluggish activity.

 

If you went through the Malware removal process, then you must have cCleaner, (sorry, TM is for Task Manager).
In Normal mode, go to the tools section of cC, click startup, note the processes that are running, should be less than 7.
If more, do the same in safe mode with networking. These, plus an antivirus you will need, are all you need to run. Many, many times this list gets so populated that the computer becomes very sluggish. The fact it works well in safe mode indicates this as a possibility.
Then from MG, download and install Startupcpl, don't use cC as a startup manager.
Run startupcpl, and uncheck or delete the extra programs. Definitely get rid of all tool bars, adobe readers, and anything else not related to security. Except if you see Teatimer, turn that off as well.
Anything you turnoff/delete will still run just fine when you call for it. All you are doing with this is taking them out of autoruns.

Startupcpl; http://majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=619&file=15&evp=31c01d0f79867b21b844cd676262c9ba

Another possibility and a good exercise, on the bottom of the page of Top Freeware Pics, you will see tools for final removal of Norton and Mcaffee, run both.
How's it work now?
You will need an antivirus program. Recommend either AVG or Avast, both free from MG.:cool

 

The only thing there in CCleaner and could be the culprit is C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

Again nothing there except C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

Never has Nortons or Mcaffee installed to remove.

Did not make any changes so it's still the same. I promise you i have nothing really running on this machine i control my start-ups for performance. Kestrel13 was extremely thorough in making sure i was clean, and warned me about an Anti-Virus which i will install real soon, in the meantime i run Anti Virus online scanners. I just want to find out what is wrong with this machine.

 

You mention Ctfmon at least twice! Have you looked at task manager to see what program is consuming your CPU resources?
Ctfmon has been known to break into a memory leak that will do what you say. Google Ctfmon for more info.


VERY SIMPLE BOTTOM LINE SOLUTION!!!!
GO into your TASK Manager and find WHAT TASK IS CONSUMING your RESOURCES!!!!! THEN POST THE NAME OF THAT TASK HERE!
Task Manager itself is not your problem as it is NOT RUNNING WHEN YOU CLOSE IT!

 

Right now as i write this taskmgr.exe 25% and iexplore.exe 70%

 

ctf.mon is related to M$ Word. It can be disabled and maybe it is causing your problems, I haven't seen this but here are the directions.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326526

And if that is all that is showing, and you disable it, and your computer is still not right, it's time to look at other possible causes. (And by the way, regarding Norton and Mcaffee, if you have owned the machine since day one, then okay, probably not there. If you got the machine from someone else, from my experience, >90% chance it has remnants of one or both).
Many times the cleaning process causes some system problems. Set a restore point and try this, I've had some real good luck with it, never personally had to restore to point prior to but just to be safe. Dialafix;
http://majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=4899&file=15&evp=7d21ae5c611baf9a52b1750805534dda
Check all boxes and run.
Any yellow flags in your device manager? Harware drivers would be another place to look, esp. printer. You can disable the printer port or driver, reboot.
Bottom line is to figure out what is running differently b/n safe and normal.
This may help, also from M$;
http://majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=4566&file=1&evp=2d8ccb4010b0bd84d9e639fac74be54f
Run in both modes and note the differences and focus on those.

 

iexplore.exe is Internet Explorer (IE). If you close it, do you notice improvement? What version of IE are you using? Experiment with viewing different websites. I know that, if I go to http://www.barnesandnoble.com/, the Flash content on their home page causes CPU usage for my browser (either IE or Firefox) to go from near 0 to 25% or higher.

 

Now can you offer some help to the OP yourself, or just policing?

 

I deleted it, but it loks like when i reboot it comes back, so for now i just keep deleting it.

I have had this custom built machine since day one.

It found a few IE dll files, (not registered or corrupt) It did not hurt the machine or improve it but thanks.

No yellow flags in device manager, i do have a safely remove hardware icon that keeps poping up,directed at my DVD drive, but the drive is in tact and working.

System seems to be improving in safe mode nothing running just looking at desktop CPU is at 1% In normal mode nothing running just looking at desktop 8% CPU. In normal mode with MG page loaded CPU 12% to 36%.

Yes a little improvement when closing. I am using version 8.0.6001.18702 I went to these sites www.barnesandnoble.com 55% TO 68% www.google.com25% to 30% www.majorgeeks.com 24% /www.live365.com/index.live 27% I am going to try Firefox for a bit see how that goes.

 

How much ram do you have on your system, what OS are you using, are you out of freespace on your hard drive?

The system will start dying fast if you run out of ram and space for a swap file.

If it's your IE causing problems you might also have an activex control, toolbar (BHO) or some other thing that's causing issues. I'd run it in safe mode (with nothing loaded) by doing Start -> Run -> iexplore.exe -extoff and see if that's the problem.

If it is the problem, you can go into the Advanced tab of the IE control pannel (Internet Options) and Reset all BHO's with the Reset button on the bottom.

don't worry about ctfmon.exe, it's a windows component.

Run hijackthis and dump the log here so we can see what your system is running.

Also, run the normal slew of anti-malware stuff: Combofix, Spybot S&D, Malwarebytes, and some memory resident scanner like Avast! Free or something.

 

I has to reinstall Windows cause nobody could figure it out thanks all! Big thanks to Kestrel13!

 

Chala,

Not unusual to have to do so after virus removal. Happens to me all the time. But at least you were able to get any data off it b/4 reformat.
Remember to install an anti-virus, Avast or AVG, both free from here.
Best Luck!

 

Will do Brandypeppy can i ask which do you persoanlly prefer out of the two?

 

Most here prefer AVAST because the latest versions of AVG have become somewhat bloated, security suite style. What I do when I install AVG is I select custom installation, you will come eventually to a tree diagram with all options for installation checked. I uncheck all but the first, top option, which is the antivirus. Then it works just fine for me. Allow it to optimize also after install, takes about 10 minutes, makes subsequent scans faster.
I had a few problems once with AVAST so my bias has been towards AVG, but with the slimmed down install.

 

Great thanks again Brandypeppy!