CPU always running at 100 percent, what to do?

Question

Hello guys, my CPU is always at 100% after logon. My RAM is 1GB, but only around 500 MB of it is used on average. So, I don't think it's a RAM problem. But CPU always remains at 100%.

I think this started when I ran the Mount&Blade game and it closed automatically, telling me Data Execution Prevention (DEP) closed it... (This had never happened when I'd run it many times earlier.)

I've observed the Task Manager for sometime, and found a few processes always taking up high CPU--

1. svchost.exe (SYSTEM) around 50%
2. System (SYSTEM) around 10%
3. Apart from these, from the time I logon, any one process (eg. GrooveMonitor.exe) goes to around 45% from 0%. When I end this process, (it's USER RUN process, so no harm to PC if I end it), another process (eg. sspdfagentd.exe) previously at 0% goes up to 45%, when I close it, another goes up and it continues until I close every process except explorer.exe, csrss.exe, and winlogon.exe remain. Still 100% remains. wuaudlt.exe (Windows Update) reopens everytime I close it...

Now even Microsof Office 2007, Adobe PDF Reader 9.0 (due to DEP), have stopped working!! I'm thinking of formatting my PC when I get time.

But that'll have to wait as I've got exams coming up. So could any1 suggest what to do in the meantime??? Can someone help me??? Thanks in advance!!

Answer 1

You don't tell us what version of windows you're running. Is it XP? Vista? 7?



You also don't tell us about the processor, how fast is it?



GrooveMonitor is okay to kill, it's part of the office software that links your computer to the Microsoft servers to upload/share/backup documents and the like. Not mission critical stuff.



sspdfagentd.exe is the Smart Soft PDF Printer Demo software. There are many people that recommend removing this, but it seems to me like this software is harmless. You should just be able to Add/Remove Programs -> Uninstall it.



csrss.exe, svchost.exe, explorer.exe, wuaudlt.exe, and winlogon.exe, are all system executables that should run. The svchost.exe program is used to run dynamic libraries (.dll files) as programs. It wasn't too long ago that Windows started packing programs into DLLs instead of full fledged EXEs.



System Restore doesn't do anything for computers. Every time I do a system restore, nothing gets fixed. I just started turning off system restore all together because it's a waste of hard drive space. System Recovery will wipe your hard drive and install the OS the way it was when you got the computer - might be faster than a full fledged reinstall, just backup your data.



Anyway, it does sound like you have some things running that you don't want to run. First, uninstall ALL PROGRAMS that you do not need, use, or recognize. Reboot, then do a virus scan with ESET's virus scanning tool. It's the best antivirus out there.



http://www.eset.com/home/compare-eset-to-competition



http://www.eset.com/online-scanner



The online scanner is free, but not as comprehensive or accurate. You might consider buying it if the online scanner finds something. If you want a free antivirus go for Avast! Antivirus.



Use Lavasoft Adaware to scan for adware:

http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Free-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5



And use Spybot Search & Destroy to scan for spyware:

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html



Good luck.

Answer 2

you are infected with an virus . re installing the windows will solve the problem.

you cannot allow to see the process it will be use to busy your processor to do nuthing ????!!!





re-install the windows then do this



open my computer and go to Folder Options and and remove check from hide files and also from hide system files . then make a right click on your each drive( do not make left click) it will run the autorun.info in the drive . make a right click and choose Explore then have a look at the unknown hidden system files and .info files delete then all . ( no need to any hidden system or info files in the drive other than windows installed) sure to remove all files from all drives then restart the computer.



after restart you should re-check the drives and sure there are not any files is in the drive. then reset the folder settings.



install some good antivirus for viruses before browsing on internet.

Answer 3

You don't say what happens when you reboot the computer.

That's a whole lot easier than reformatting!

Answer 4

Run Ccleaner http://www.ccleaner.com

Run Malwarebytes http://malwarebytes.org



Do a System Restore to before the problem started - before you ran mount&blade

Answer 5

Reinstall XP again. Did it run well before?

Answer 6

You can either reformat your computer or delete all the extraneous softwares that you do not need