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Gobbling up Resources

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by seabird23

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When I start the computer everythings ok, but after a while sometimes minutes sometimes hours the CPU usage goes to 100% and the commit charge say`s all my memory is being used. The only way that I can rectify this is to shut down explorer and restart it from the windows task manager. this removes a lot of the programs sitting in the tray, not that this is a problem. I have tried disabling all the programs in the tray to no avail. this all seemed to start when some Microsoft updates were intalled one of them being an explorer update. I have run System Mechanic 6 and numorous adware and spyware programs and of course antivirus, (Norton). Has anyone any ideas before I reformat. Thank You. Additional Info: Page Faults are rising constantly in Explorer.exe, Iexplore.exe and 1 instance of svchost and I would like to thank everyone for their input, I am trying everything.

23 replies

by curlergirl

Assuming you're using Win2K or WinXP, have you checked in Task Manager while the CPU usage is pegged to see which process is using the biggest chunk? This is the best way to get a handle on what process/program is misbehaving. (If you don't see the CPU Usage column in Task Manager, go to View/Select Columns and click to select CPU Usage so you can see what's going on.)

Also, if you think it is related to an MS update, you could try rolling back the latest updates you ran and see if that helps.

Hope this helps!

by w2ktechman

after reading curlergirl's response, try logging in under a different user profile (create one if needed). Sometimes Windows profile can become corrupt after many install/uninstall of apps.
Also, try unchecking everything not needed in the startup environment.
start -- run -- type msconfig
Reboot and see if any of those processes are running again, then do a web search to see what they are and how to remove them (if needed)

by seabird23

Thanks for your input w2ktechman will check em out. As for issues I have more with my comp than Bush & Blair have with the world.

by stonecastfeather

i have found that msconfig is very usefull but i now run services.msc instead of msconfig to stop or start certain services

remember that m$ windows does not have a brain and therefore it will start all services until you tell not to........... so run services.msc and CAREFULLY choose which services to eliminate
typically i remove... human interface, smart card, smart card help, automatic updates and uninteruptable power supply as i have no need for these

by seabird23

I run task manager after rebooting into Windows domain controllers only and after a while windows explorer went absolutely haywire and every other task listed went mad, it is definitely explorer causing the problem. I tried to go back to May as I think it was the June updates that caused it, but it could not rollback, for some unknown reason. looks like a format job, might be the best idea anyway. Sorry it`s WinXP Pro.

by bagmaster50

Even though task manager provides system information, there is a better program available that'll give more detailed information than task manager. It's called Process Explorer by Sysinternals. It catches in real time and can be run off a flash drive without having to be installed. Download it here, http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html

No tech should be without this tool for troubleshooting system problems.

by zlitocook

In one of the last few updates, it was the WGA or something like that. It sends info to MS about your computer setup and if it is not right by them. You get pop ups saying your O/S is not legal or some thing like that. My system was pegging out at 100% cpu with two programs one was iexplore and the other was from defender.
Do a Google on iexplore uses 100%, I patched explorer and removed defender now I run at 4 to 6% cpu.

by nacromancer

Lately I have been busy dealing with the New Worm and Trojan issue that has attacked users of AIM and Yahoo Messenger. What you desccribe sounds just like what this new attacks are doing to a number of systems. From what we have seen is that these attacks mimic application failures, hardware driver issues, Validation issues, and bury themselves deep inside of long file names and appear as system files. Several of them hide so well no anti virus, firewall, or spyware application has been able to detect them yet. But we are told those companies are working on it. But a friend of mine at Cisco says when they say they are working on something such as robust as this, it means they are giving the cyber cops time to trace the source before they offer a cure. So for those who are using AIM and Yahoo messenger service, a word of warning, "free" doesn't always mean, "free from..." SO far those who use Trinity, MSN Messenger, TrilogyEC, and ICQ have not been effected. But Mutants have been known to grow into and out of these things...

by youngerose

Howdy,
I had the same problem, tho I could not get it to fully load for over 30 minuter. I went to safe mode, cleaned everything I could and un-installed Zone alarm, only because it seemed like that program was not loading and kept hanging up. after rebooting, it ran better.
I reinstalled Zone Alarm later, and lately it is a litle slower, but it is the computer I am using to post this.
Youngerose in NY

by r.avontuur

Had simular problem a while ago after Windows-updates. Via try and error I disconnected hardware part by part. DVD-Rom Plextor PX-116A3 caused engaged system (timing-problem?). Received firmware-update from Plextor (not found on their site), problem resolved. Now I seem to have simular problems, only with DVD-rom-drives, on two same PC's. Will start try and error again some day and may be, buy 2DVD-Rom's of other brand.

by jhumphrey

Ditto to what pc.adventure posted. In my case my Dell unit w/Win XP Pro started to act funky with explorer.exe running at 80-90% Util. After much messing with OS finally actually read the BIOS POST on boot message that listed "BAD FAN 1" and it turned out the case fan was dead.:-< Replaced that and all was well......

by ike_c

If you are running a server version of SQL, it will peg your CPU and Memory usage in a matter of minutes, unless you have configured SQL not to use anymore than "X" resources.

If you are talking about a standalone PC then do what Curlygirl mentioned with the Task Manager and close the culprit.

Also take a look at how many icons you have on the bottome right side of your screen. Close some of them.

by thascek

I have run across a rogue Microsoft Update that plays havoc with everything. It wouldn't hurt to uninstall it. Add/Remove Programs - check on Show Updates - and Uninstall (KB908531)- Yes through the uninstall.

by ezrabm

If you have XP, there is a RESTORE facility- find it in Programs/Accesories/System utilities- and you can go backwards in your computer configuration.
You can choose the dates backwards, of course, up to the limit.
Considering the situation you are in, you should do this in SAFE MODE- anyway a good idea.
Good Luck

by gkiss

Before reformat, I would start by uninstalling the upgrade; then get a registry cleaner to clean the trace of it and see if it works. Live and learn: do not download any Microsoft updates at least until they are 6months old.

by sbh

Post a list of all your executables running and then look at what is taking up the most amounts of memory. You can troubleshoot from there. Also of course be sure to delete all of the %temp% files. Furthermore, run spyware, adware, malware and antivirus scans. I would recommend using F-Prot antivirus and Ewido anti-spyware/malware. (Both of these progs have free trials) Lastly be sure to check that you are using all of the lastest drivers for your hardware. You could also be having some type of issue there.

by jkn1ck

You did not state your OS. If XP you only need to do a system restore in order to go back to what you had before the update.

by rgraham48

I have seen this type of behavior many times over my 20 year IT career. probably 80% of the time it is caused by a virus or spyware. But,I recently installed the Microsoft Defender program on an XP pro machine, and it would peg my cpu at 100%. I had already installed Defender on other XP pro and win 2000 machines with no problems, but it just wouldn't work on this particular pc. I also like to look at all the "run=" statements in the registry and see what is being loaded on startup. I have seen many spywares that will insert their program back into a registry run statement on the next boot. When this happens, there is usually a file in the windows system32 directory that checks the registry for their spyware program, and if it has been removed, it will put it right back. When this occurs, I do a safe mode boot, the look at all the files in system32 that are newer than the date the issue started. I rename any file that looks suspect, then reboot into normal mode and see if it fixed the problem. I have many more tricks to try, but I usually set a limit of about 3 hours trying to repair it, after that amount of time it becomes easier and faster to format and start fresh.

by dave

All who post here are people of high intelligence, and yet we still buy and run the Windows OS. Hard to fathom!

by larrythethird

My father's computer, I am the family IT guy, is acting a bit like that His C:\Windows\system32 folder opens everytime the PC boots. I have not found the reason why. It's not in startup, win.ini or system.ini. The hard drive goes crazy all of the tme. I am thinking along the lines of a MS foobar, also. This PC does not have a "validated" copy of XP and is in nag mode. It does have a real copy of McAfee, which has not reported any virus lately, although it may be that I am just not hearing about them.

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