Problem: upgrade XP SP2 causes CPU to sit at 100%

I'm having a real pain in the butt problem I'm hoping someone can help figure out. I've got a computer I'm trying to get going, I install Windows XP Pro on a fresh HD. Then go to windows update and download and install all updates (short of SP2). Also updated the motherboard bios and all hardware drivers. So far so good, system runs great. Create restore point, now install SP2 (also have gone straight to SP3 and same thing happens). Once it installs the computer runs incredibly slow. When I look at task manager the system idle process is at 99% but the CPU usage is pegged at 100% (before SP2 the system idle process is at 99% and the CPU usage is 0%). If I start in safe mode it's fine and when I roll back to the restore point and SP1 it is fine. This is a fresh install so I haven't installed a bunch programs and it hasn't been on the net except to get the windows updates.

Hardware:
Asus A8N-SLI MB
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 CPU
2GB Kingston DDR 3200 RAM (4 - 512)
EVGA GeForce 8600 GT 512MB
200GB SATA HD
Liteon DVDRW SATA
Creative CD-Rom IDE

To start here is the Hijackthis log:

Thanks for any help, if any additional info is needed let me know.

 

Thanks for the response.

I know, weird that the machine says it is 99% idle yet the CPU is 100% busy...frustrating!

First, no marks in device manager.

Second, yes, if I boot in safe mode all is OK.

Third, only have installed drivers/hardware support type things and hijackthis and process explorer.

Last, I ran Process Explorer, system idle process bounces between 0 and 5%, Interrupts between 0 and 5% and Deferred Procedure Calls between 90 and 100% and that's all that is going on when I'm not touching anything.

Process PID CPU Description Company Name
System Idle Process 0 3.90
Interrupts n/a 1.30 Hardware Interrupts
DPCs n/a 94.81 Deferred Procedure Calls
System 4
smss.exe 504 Windows NT Session Manager Microsoft Corporation
csrss.exe 744 Client Server Runtime Process Microsoft Corporation
winlogon.exe 768 Windows NT Logon Application Microsoft Corporation
services.exe 816 Services and Controller app Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe 988 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe 1056 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe 1168 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation
wscntfy.exe 2024 Windows Security Center Notification App Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe 1308 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe 1340 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation
spoolsv.exe 1556 Spooler SubSystem App Microsoft Corporation
nvsvc32.exe 1964 NVIDIA Driver Helper Service, Version 181.20 NVIDIA Corporation
wdfmgr.exe 256 Windows User Mode Driver Manager Microsoft Corporation
MsPMSPSv.exe 312 WMDM PMSP Service Microsoft Corporation
alg.exe 972 Application Layer Gateway Service Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe 4056 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation
lsass.exe 828 LSA Shell (Export Version) Microsoft Corporation
explorer.exe 1924 Windows Explorer Microsoft Corporation
rundll32.exe 652 Run a DLL as an App Microsoft Corporation
SOUNDMAN.EXE 660 Realtek Sound Manager Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
SetPoint.exe 700 Logitech SetPoint Event Manager (UNICODE) Logitech, Inc.
KHALMNPR.exe 1700 Logitech KHAL Main Process Logitech, Inc.
iexplore.exe 2224 Internet Explorer Microsoft Corporation
procexp.exe 2328 Sysinternals Process Explorer Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

Process: System Idle Process Pid: 0

Type Name