CPU usage being ghey

[Fitty]

Running windows xp home (2.4gb p4, 512 DDRAM)

I recently reformatted, and have taken great pains not to install much shit on the pc, however some is inevitable. But the problem I'm having is that stuff is being waaaaay too slow, and the cpu is constantly running at 100%, which means I can't use programs such as word...

I don't know enough to know which processes should be running and which should not be, but one that seems to take up a lot of the cpu usage is svchost.exe . Also, firefox seems to be taking up more than it should.

I use Kazaa Lite, simply because I download lots of music, and I don't know of any better program to use. If you guys reckon this is the problem, I'd be happy to get rid of it, but what to change to?

Anyway, any help would be appreciated.

[and3w]

Try and download sisoft Sandra (Free from http://fosisoft.home.ro/ )...It will tell you what everything is doning on your puter. Or get the uncracked version fromtheir website.

(Fukin spacebar sticking!)

[Reprobate]

I don't know enough to know which processes should be running and which should not be, but one that seems to take up a lot of the cpu usage is svchost.exe . Also, firefox seems to be taking up more than it should.

i had this problem with my work PC. and i can't quite remember what i did to fix it.

i don't have KaZaA do that isn't the problem.

i think i ran AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy. and i might have uninstalled and reinstalled Nortons.

i think it was chewing up the system resources. it was scanning everything. if you open up a folder with a LOT of images in it, see how long it takes for the images to thumbnail (when your folder is set to thumbnails that is).

i think that was part of the problem.

[Fitty]

Thanks man, really helpful

[and3w]

Oh yeah, try
start
run
config.sys
to see what exactly is running?

[Fitty]

i had this problem with my work PC. and i can't quite remember what i did to fix it.

i don't have KaZaA do that isn't the problem.

i think i ran AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy. and i might have uninstalled and reinstalled Nortons.

i think it was chewing up the system resources. it was scanning everything. if you open up a folder with a LOT of images in it, see how long it takes for the images to thumbnail (when your folder is set to thumbnails that is).

i think that was part of the problem.

I have both adaware and spybot and use them regularly, might reinstall nortons. Thanks.

[minorproblem]

Definatly kill kazza lite mega evil. Try using DC++ or BT++ you can google both of these, and also see whats running in your startup folder. also download spybot its a keeper (also hackthis works good for spyware too but might just confuss you) also if you format again might work :p also check your drivers are up 2 date but that should be causing the system slowdowns but windows might have problems with some old drivers and also update your windows/dx etc

[and3w]

Is kazaalite on continuously? If so it may be others d/l that is causing the problem?
As stated, Spybot S&D, Adaware and possibly a less cpu hogging antivirus than Norton?
(I use Kaspersky & AVG and it still uses less resources than Norton!)

PS: Try Ares ( http://www.aresgalaxy.org/ares/ ) for a great alternative to Kazaalite. (or Kazaa resurrection is OK too)

[urban_gorilla]

hit ctrl+shift+escape (shortcut for windows task manager)
hit the "processes" tab, and sort the column by cpu usage, you should be able to see whats hogging the processor.
this might help as well regarding svchost.exe
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314056
oh yeah, and get rid of xp home and install pro if you can.

[MisterBishi]

Ok guys, here's the drill with svchost.exe.

Right Click My Computer and go to Manage. From there you want Services and Applications, then Services.

Here you have a big list of all the services on your PC, and their status i.e. stopped/started, automatic, etc.

SVCHOST.EXE is the program that runs these services, which is why it's not uncommon to see it running 2 or 3 times. If the SVCHOST process it taking a lot of CPU time, then it's one of the services being a piece of shit, not SVCHOST itself.

Here (http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/windowsxpservices.php) is a good guide as to which services it's safe to kill. Normally if you google the name of a running process you'll find some info on it, there are a lot of paranoid people who think every process is a trojan so there are pages for most of them.

Just don't kill the SVCHOST process else you'll find yourself rebooting.

[DOGG]

1st thing you should do after install is update. install SP2. Go to the windowsupdate site.

Run adaware SE, spybot.

[kré]

nortons.

problem identified.

[Fitty]

Oh yeah, try
start
run
config.sys
to see what exactly is running?

"Windows cannot find config.sys"

[MisterBishi]

Ignore config.sys, it's essentially been redundant since Win98. Start, run, msconfig allows you to see what's running at startup.

[Fitty]

problem identified.

What's wrong with Norton?

[DOGG]

You should also run services.msc. It'll show you what kind of useless services are running and automatically started, such as the very useful service which identifies individual MP3 players by their serial #. Just go to their properties, click STOP and select the startup to manual or disabled. It will free up system resources being used by totally useless things.

[and3w]

Ignore config.sys, it's essentially been redundant since Win98. Start, run, msconfig allows you to see what's running at startup.


Sorry,my brain was running in Dr Who mode last night :(

What's wrong with Norton?

IMHO it uses an inordinate amount of resources compared to other anti-virus's (viri ???). If you are using the whole Norton suite it hogs and hogs your computer to the detriment ofanything else.
Thats why I no longer use it! If you want a free copy of Kaspersky (google for it, consistently near the top of AV lists) PM me.

[MisterBishi]

How you getting on with this Fitty?

[beowulf437]

Try this:

Right click on the my computer icon
Click on the advanced tab
Go to performance settings
Under visual effects choose adjust for best performance
Under advanced choose adjust for best performance of programs.

Run msconfig and go to the startup tab check to see what programs are starting on startup. Unnecessary programs like quicktime, realplayer, and MS messenger can be turned off.

[Fitty]

How you getting on with this Fitty?

Yeah, checked out that site saying what's safe to turn off and what's not with regards to svchost, and that's worked pretty well. Must have been it, cos lately it's been running at about 8%. Also installed sandra's sisoft pro, which seems to have been good - it runs some kind of system check, fixes stuff up.

[Fitty]

Well, it was going fine for a bit, but now, for some unknown reason, my cpu usage has decided to be at 100% all the time again...

[dozer]

you may want to post a hijackthis log

[and3w]

Well, it was going fine for a bit, but now, for some unknown reason, my cpu usage has decided to be at 100% all the time again...

Try running either Belarc advisor http://www.belarc.com/ba5.html?B
or http://www.iarsn.com/download.html Iarsn Task Advisor (which will DEFINITLY show you what is hogging your resources. It is shareware and I can't remember what the free version does but I have a cracked version which I can let you have if needed.)
Andy

PS: A Hijackthis log is a good idea too

[Fitty]

Thanks