CPU usage runs at 100% on windows startup

[zomby]

This happen to my pc a few days ago, only a week after my windows xp pro was install. Everytime I boot my cpu uses 100% making things slow when I work, by opening the task manager the cpu drops down to 0% right away and Im good to go, I can play games no problem. But opening the task manager each time I boot just to bring my pc to normal is really annoying! what could possible be causing this?

I already did all the neccessary things:

Windows XP Pro SP1a and all updates are done
Norton Anti Virus 2004 installed
Zone Alarm Pro 4 Firewall + router, well secured.
Search & destroy for spyware has already been done
Trojan removers, guards
Adware scanner
webattack cleanup
System Mechanic 4.0 registries fixed, and cleanup done.


Everything has been done and I cannot seem to find this problem. I wish I new whats causing the CPU run at 100% cause when the task manager opens I dont have time to check it has it drops back down to 0% in a second.

 

[kestrel1]

Open the task manager & see how many programs are running & what programs are running.
Have you tried Stinger to see if you have the MSblast or Nachi virus's?

 

[zomby]

I have try many tools and softwares to scan for viruses,threats,trojans,attacks and such, it found nothing.

and the task manager, most of whats running looks like important stuff, but I cannot tell whats good to run or not?!

 

[zomby]

Theres no way to post screenshots in here? I can then post a screenshot for you guys to see it! Im still getting this problem. I always have to open the task manager to stop the cpu from being busy! weird. Thats all I do, is open it, not even end task nothing!!! is Tweak XP 3 have anything to do with it?

 

[Xemus]

Check your startup list. Start -> All Programs -> startup
Also check msconfig start ->run ->msconfig ->startup tab
Post the results and we can give you more information.

 

[FatesWebb]

i would use process of elimination to uninstall or exclude anything but windows, and then if it is still doing it, it must be windows, which it seems like windows, or a virus that is smart enough to chill when you hit task manager. I wonder if you can set perfmon to log this????


wait i can look


brb reboting and testing sample perfmon logs.....

FatesWebb

if you do what I suggested it is not my fault...

 

[FatesWebb]

well my test is inconclusive, but i think you might could use perfmon as a tool to help you.....

FatesWebb

if you do what I suggested it is not my fault...

 

[zomby]

You know it could be the Memory.....when I load windows, the start menu is extremely slow, when I open and browse programs its fast, only when ever it uses memory its slow, and the only solution to kill it to make it fast is by opening the task manager.

Also before opening the task manager, If I just play a video, my start menu is super fast. Once I closed the video, the start menu becomes very very slow. By opening the task manager, the menu stays fast for always until I boot my windows, its very weird....I cant seem to figured out whats causing this.

 

[BionicJohn]

To include an image in your post:

= (sample only)

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, Zomby,

(Previous post an error)

> Theres no way to post screenshots in here? I can then post a screenshot for you guys to see it

Click "Preview Post" to see how to include an image in your post.

Iechyd da! John
22:33 06/11/2003 GMT

 

[dentarthurdent]

A couple of things occur to me.
First, check what Xemus says about what is set to run at startup.
Second, how do you know the CPU is using 100% constant before you open task manager? You only get a CPU level indicator after you open task manager.
Third, my guess is that something is set to run at startup if nothing else takes priority. Norton can be set to run a full system scan at boot which would grind performance to a standstill. Although not necessarily Norton - other programs can have similar startup parameters.
Fourth, XP is designed to allow you to begin working before the full startup process is finished. However this means that at windows startup even though the PC appears fully booted, it may not be finished processing startup scripts.
Just my two cents worth.
Will.

 

[SYAR2003]

Running "bootvis" will show needed information
for prosessor usage and time after a boot.

Microsoft has removed this for downlaod
Here is a site :

http://www.aaltonen.us/archives/000116.html

SYAR

 

[SYAR2003]

Additional note!
When i open taskmanager , the taskmanager itself take 80-100% CPU a second during it's startup.

SYAR

 

[zomby]

I just made a test and its not the cpu usage.....

When windows loads, the Start menu, its like it runs at 900ms when its already set at 0 and the default is 400ms. Its extremely slow, I simply open the task manager and the start runs back at 0.....? whats causing this slowdown..

 

[SYAR2003]

You have to wait for all windows related startup of programs and services is finished to load .
Just because you see the login screen and logs in to xp don,t mean it has finished to load all your software/drivers ,just what needed for presenting the desktop and the graphical user interface .

A simple test would be :
-Turn on the computer .
-Let it boot into the login screen/welcome screen.
-Leave XP at rest .Make yourself a cup of coffee.
Come back to the computer and logon.
Make another cup of coffee.

Now test the start-menu ,and look for activity is taskmgr.

 

[zomby]

Thats what I mean buddy! my computer can be running for hours and it still running super slow until the task manager is open and things starts to run fast. I have a 2.53Ghz system, everything is loaded before I start doing something, but in this case that has nothing to do with it. Something is controlling the memory, I dunno, but why is opening the task manager and not even doing nothing to it makes my system work normal again?

 

[JhayAnn]

Well, don't shut down anything using MSCONFIG. That's just a temporary fix & it doesn't explain anything to you anyway, so you could be shutting something down that kills your computer altogether. Use this instead:
Start menu > Run > services.msc

This shows a list of processes. There's an option on the left (in that window) to start or stop each item, but the important thing to do other than that is to also right-click on each item and select "properties", then change alot of your "automatic" running programs to "manual" or "disable".

Which ones to disable or set to manual without crashing your system? Here's a link that describes/explains practically ALL of the processes & whether you need them or not, depending on if you have XP home or pro, if you use your computer for heavy gaming, internet gateway, etc.

http://blkviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

And just in case you need this too, here's the Microsoft "windows how-to" guides...

XP Pro:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/longlist.asp

XP Home:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/longlist.asp

Good luck!

 

[zomby]

Thanks for your help but I finaly found out the problem...

I had a virus, a .exe file in the windows system32 folder that kept causing that problem, its weird cause I kept scanning for virus and never found anything, but this is a new threats cause norton has just add this to their virus definition updates thats when I found out about it and deleted the file right away, I had to boot into safe mode to delete it, cause windows was using the file....I dont remember the name of the file its name something like...
SV??4IP.EXE

 

[thunderthor]

Hello,

I am a newbie and I am posting on this thread as I dont know if I should open a new thread for a similar problem.

I have a Dell Dimension L866r with a Pentium III 866 MHz CPU and 256 MB RAM. It has Windows 2000 Professional installed with Service Pack 4 and all the updates from the windowsupdate site. I have installed McAfee Antivirus,Zone Alarm Pro and Ad-Aware SE(all with the latest updates). I use a D-Link AirPlus Wireless PCI Network Card to connect to the Internet Router.

My CPU Usage is very very erratic and very often reaches 100% and stalls the system, even when it has just booted up and even 1 program like the Windows Media Player or DivX Player running. I have found that it is SERVICES.EXE which jumps up to 90% and over CPU Usage ever so often.

I had reinstalled the operating system just a week back thinking that this problem might be because of some spyware or virus which my existant tools (Ad-Aware,McAfee,Zone Alarm) could not detect.

It is very frustrating that in between my work I am totally stuck for a couple of minutes every now and then with this situation even when all I have open is just 'Windows Explorer' and 'Microsoft Excel'.

Thank you very much for any reply.

Best regards,
Sudhir

 

[kestrel1]

It may have been best to start a new thread.
Do you have an AGP graphics card or are your graphics onboard?
Onboard graphics use up memory & may be reducing what is available for the OS.
256mb is a bit low, although Windows 2000 should run with much less.
What size is your hard drive?
If you haven't got enough space left on that the paging file size will be reduced & could be affecting performance.