How can I find What is cuasing 50% cpu

Windows XP Home. How can I find what is causing my CPU to have a 50% usage when Idle. Windows task manager, processes System Idle 99 cpu, all the rest show zero, no applications, performance 50% to 60%.

 

look at what corresponding .exe file matches up with the cpu usage 50%. It's in the Image Name column, under the Processes tab

 

When I click on the image name, a blue highlighted line goes to svchost.exe. I'm not to sure what that is. I think it is tied up with XP being a system file. In the cpu column it shows zero usage

 

This should help http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/svchost/

 

yeah.. svchost.exe is nothing out of the ordinary.

Try this:

Do ctrl+alt+del to get to Windows Task Manager
Then Click on the Processes tab
Then click on the User Name column
Look for the User Name that corresponds to your computer name. e.g. MAIN or Robert
They should all be in order now..
Check to see if one of those processes (.exe) matches up with a high value in the CPU Column.
Then report back here.

Better yet, you can take a screenshot (Press the prt scr/sysrq key on the keyboard while Windows Task Manager is open. Then PASTE (Ctrl+V into MS Paint) of your Windows Task Manager and someone here will be able to analyze it.

 

Hi Thisisu, I have the task manager open at Processes, I Click in the screen press print screen on my keyboard, I have tried to Ctrl V here on this page, I'n don't know how to get the screen shot into this reply

 

I have the screenshot save in my pictures from Paint. I still can't get it into this reply.

 

Hi!
Start your post
Go down below to 'Manage Attachments'



Click 'Browse'
Upload the pic from your computer and click 'Upload'

 

Hi Tony,
When you say start post do you mean reply as in this case or start another thread? I went to manage attachments and browse to the picture and upload, I got a message,uploading files please wait , the file then went from upload file from your computer. I tried Cntrl V on this page but I'm now at a loss.

 

Isn't that impossible? System Idle Process is the percentage of CPU power that is NOT used, which would mean your CPU is being used for about 1%.
What exactly do you mean by 'performance', as there are other parts than the CPU that can perform (like RAM)?