"invisible" programs choking cpu

My girlfriends computer is constantly plagued by slow speeds and unresponsive programs. I've downloaded and used Advanced system care from this web-site but that hasn't helped. When I go to 'task manager', then 'performance', the cpu is showing spikes of well over 60% usage even after I shut down all programs. I don't know how to "see" what is running in the background(I've clicked the 'processes' tab and have only noticed the task mngr is running) or how to get rid of it. Need some help. Thanks so much, Steve

 

Hi my friend , Merry Christmas and welcome to MG's :major

You must follow this

http://majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Go to

from the left side you must opt for menu
Summary ( wait 30 seconds until report is generated )
you have to select Report from bar menu
from sub menu Quick Report - Plain Text - opting for Desktop as saving location , follow this

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=86880

even what is the install programmes in your machine ? What is your antivirus ? Also you can download this

http://www.majorgeeks.com/CCleaner_Standard_d5125.html

removing programmes during start up

http://www.winhelp.us/index.php/othe...l#.UOBT8qznBhA :wave

 

Master Sergeant; thanks so much for your response and help, but I must admit my lack of knowledge. After I clicked on the first 'download' link for Everest, I don't understand what you meant by "go to the left--menu", etc. I'm sorry, but could you please go thru it one more time, step-by-step, for a guy who quite frankly, doesn't know what the h$%& he's doin? Thx--Steve

 

Happy New Year
You can follow this :wave

http://www.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/Everest-Home-Edition-Screenshot-16369.html

 

SysInterntals Process Explorer is probably the best out there. You can still get the tool from microsoft.com.

 

The Processes tab should show you what programs/processes are using up the CPU.

Process Explorer, mentioned in the previous post, can probably show you more, but you can get the basics from the Task Manager.

Does it have CCleaner installed? If so, you can check the startup list (Tools | Startup); there may be lots of unneeded items there. Can you post a screenshot, and someone will tell you what items you can safely disable.

 

Or easier, save the contents as a txt file, and attach it to your next post.

 

Problem with Task manager, is that it does not break down the sub processes, unlike Process Explorer.

 

That is quite true, especially if the CPU usage occurs in the svchost processes.