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CPU keeps peeking at 100%

quina123

Member
I'm not sure what's going on exactly, but it appears that my CPU is constantly peeking at 100%, causing for slow and non responding programs. I see programs like "trustedInstaller" and svhost.exe and "makecab.exe" ruinnign it all. I tried ending those system process, but the it still peeks at 100%! Damn! Somebody help.
 
I have a single core CPU too. *high five*

First thing I would do is turn Automatic Updates off (red) and never turn them back on again (might have to kill svchost.exe first or it might say "program in use bla bla") then do a full cold shutdown and maybe issue will be gone after restart.
 
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If you've just done updates this is normal for single core CPU's, at least all the ones I've upgraded to win 7 over the last couple of years.

I've had to leave most of them overnight to sort themselves out properly, make sure you turn sleep off temporarily.
 
I have a single core CPU too. *high five*

First thing I would do is turn Automatic Updates off (red) and never turn them back on again (might have to kill svchost.exe first or it might say "program in use bla bla") then do a full cold shutdown and maybe issue will be gone after restart.

Yup. Security is for chumps. Everyone knows that operating systems are designed so that only idiots cause security holes to be exploited. /s

--

@OP

If you have a single-core CPU that is getting max'd out by Windows Update and that's irritating you, I can think of three choices for you:

a) When you power on the computer, leave it for ten minutes after booting / signing in for WU to do its job.

b) Flip WU to disabled then only flip it back on a regular basis that suits you so it can check for and install updates (a compromise in security but there are worse plans)

c) Time to upgrade.

If you have a dual-core or bigger CPU, then something else is also chewing processor time.

Also, I think that makecab.exe is to do with downloading and prepping for the Win10 upgrade. Berryracer has written up one method of stopping your PC from doing this, I've written another:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2449765&highlight=
 
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Yes, could we have some details about the system? What is your cpu, ram, OS? Others are talking about a single core cpu, but I dont see that information.
 
Some of the newer Intel power saving settings can jam your clock in power saving mode (happened to me so I had to disable it)
 
I'm pretty sure the CPU isn't peeking at you 😛

As for the rest, looks like your system is running maintenance or update in the background. You may also need to disable some optional services from running at boot.
 
Its actually a AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual core processor 4400+ 2.30 Ghz with 4GB ram maxed, Windows 7 Pro 64-bit OS, and I don't know if its 1024 vram or 2815 vram for AMD Radeon HD 5450 graphics card. Those are the PC's specs., so I really don't understand why it will be peaking at 100% still with a dual core processor, and I haven't updated anything recently.
 
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Is it peaking at 100%, ONLY after doing Windows Update and / or immediately after rebooting after doing that? Or is it doing it all the time?

If it's doing it all the time, it almost certainly means you have malware on there.

If it's doing it only after doing Windows Update, then it may just be what it is. WU can get a bit piggish these days, especially on Win7. Also, that MakeCAB.exe may indicate that Win10 is being downloaded to your PC. MS is pushing it out to everyone that has Windows Update set to Automatic, whether or not they want it or have it "reserved". (MS being a bully to their customers, as usual.)

You want to know a solution to this Windows crap? Easy, drop Windows completely.

http://www.linuxmint.com/

Download and burn an ISO to a DVD, boot off of it, and try it out. If you like it, or think that you can live with that, then install it to your HDD. But by testing out a LiveDVD ISO, there's no commitment.
 
Is it peaking at 100%, ONLY after doing Windows Update and / or immediately after rebooting after doing that? Or is it doing it all the time?

If it's doing it all the time, it almost certainly means you have malware on there.

If it's doing it only after doing Windows Update, then it may just be what it is. WU can get a bit piggish these days, especially on Win7. Also, that MakeCAB.exe may indicate that Win10 is being downloaded to your PC. MS is pushing it out to everyone that has Windows Update set to Automatic, whether or not they want it or have it "reserved". (MS being a bully to their customers, as usual.)

You want to know a solution to this Windows crap? Easy, drop Windows completely.

http://www.linuxmint.com/

Download and burn an ISO to a DVD, boot off of it, and try it out. If you like it, or think that you can live with that, then install it to your HDD. But by testing out a LiveDVD ISO, there's no commitment.

it only peaks after doing windows updates. showing makecab.exe using the majority of the cpu.

EDIT: currently peaking at 100% now. Just note I did just install an update.

So that's what makecab.exe is, didn't know, I thought windows 10 was at rest. it just shows that icon on the taskbar. didn't know it was running in the background. so I have to turn off automatic updates then. doing so now.

I can't drop windows altogether. for the programs I use is windows only based. so i'm forever stuck with the use of windows. Never will I leave this mortal coil.

But I've learned to manage. :|
 
Is it peaking at 100%, ONLY after doing Windows Update and / or immediately after rebooting after doing that? Or is it doing it all the time?

If it's doing it all the time, it almost certainly means you have malware on there.

If it's doing it only after doing Windows Update, then it may just be what it is. WU can get a bit piggish these days, especially on Win7. Also, that MakeCAB.exe may indicate that Win10 is being downloaded to your PC. MS is pushing it out to everyone that has Windows Update set to Automatic, whether or not they want it or have it "reserved". (MS being a bully to their customers, as usual.)

You want to know a solution to this Windows crap? Easy, drop Windows completely.

http://www.linuxmint.com/

Download and burn an ISO to a DVD, boot off of it, and try it out. If you like it, or think that you can live with that, then install it to your HDD. But by testing out a LiveDVD ISO, there's no commitment.

+1 to Linux!! Screw MicroShaft with there bloatware and there Spying. Plus you'll get a huge Bump in performance using Linux vs. Windows on older hardware like yours. If Linuxmint isn't your thing there is always www.ubuntu.com which can be downloaded and then burn it to a disc. After Burnt, boot from this disc and you can try it out without installing it right from the disc and if you like it install it.Just remember to get the AMD64 bit version.
 
+1 to Linux!! Screw MicroShaft with there bloatware and there Spying. Plus you'll get a huge Bump in performance using Linux vs. Windows on older hardware like yours. If Linuxmint isn't your thing there is always www.ubuntu.com which can be downloaded and then burn it to a disc. After Burnt, boot from this disc and you can try it out without installing it right from the disc and if you like it install it.Just remember to get the AMD64 bit version.

Sounds promising, but I can't. Not unless Linux can run the same programs I use on windows without any compatibility issues. I could switch.
 
Sorry to double post but what windows programs do you use? You can now use many many windows programs in linux with a program called "Wine" and "Playonlinux".I was having the same cpu spike issues as you several months back and posted this same topic in the Operating Systems area and just ended up Moving over to Linux. I was using a i7 and a xeon 6 core and had cpu spiking and the funny thing is you named the very same things that were causing 100% Spikes.. Really glad I switched and I will never look back!!
 
Sorry to double post but what windows programs do you use? You can now use many many windows programs in linux with a program called "Wine" and "Playonlinux".I was having the same cpu spike issues as you several months back and posted this same topic in the Operating Systems area and just ended up Moving over to Linux. I was using a i7 and a xeon 6 core and had cpu spiking and the funny thing is you named the very same things that were causing 100% Spikes.. Really glad I switched and I will never look back!!

The top important programs I use is 3ds max 2016, adobe products, Photoshop etc. Microsoft word, and all important: my level editor and scripter program.
 
Run Windows Update and tell it to check for updates. Install all important updates. Do not listen to those who tell you to turn off Windows Updates. Reboot your computer. After the reboot, tell us what your CPU percentage is at, and what (if anything) is pushing over 50%.
 
Like I said you should at leased give it a try without installing it via Live cd option. Play around with it maybe install Playonlinux virtually via Live cd and look through the program install list in playonlinux. Just from doing a quick search looks like just about every program you named is available via playonlinux.
 
Run Windows Update and tell it to check for updates. Install all important updates. Do not listen to those who tell you to turn off Windows Updates. Reboot your computer. After the reboot, tell us what your CPU percentage is at, and what (if anything) is pushing over 50%.

svhost.exe, trustedinstaller.exe and makecab.exe are the trhrree that peak over 50%

Like I said you should at leased give it a try without installing it via Live cd option. Play around with it maybe install Playonlinux virtually via Live cd and look through the program install list in playonlinux. Just from doing a quick search looks like just about every program you named is available via playonlinux.

I dont have a live cd, or usb drive to boot or make a bootble disk for Linux.

Windows is fine for me. I think windows update being installed automatically may be be culprit. I've selected the option: "check for updates, but let me decide whether to download and install them" selected now. see if that makes a difference
 
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Have you installed a lot of updates recently? If so, it is probably just makecab decreasing the size of old CBS.log files. Try this - leave the computer running overnight, and see if things are back to normal the next morning.
 
Have you installed a lot of updates recently? If so, it is probably just makecab decreasing the size of old CBS.log files. Try this - leave the computer running overnight, and see if things are back to normal the next morning.

no I haven't its was just two updates installed. haven't installed tons of updates in a long while.
 
Do not listen to those who tell you to turn off Windows Updates.
Why not? It's the best way to deal with the bloated WU process, and keep it from slowing down your PC every time you boot, or every day.

Just set the WU options to the last option, "Don't Update", or whatever it's labeled.

Then do WU manually every month. Should be often enough.
 
Why not? It's the best way to deal with the bloated WU process, and keep it from slowing down your PC every time you boot, or every day.

Just set the WU options to the last option, "Don't Update", or whatever it's labeled.

Then do WU manually every month. Should be often enough.

Personally I used to set it to check but ask to download. Unfortunately 10 doesn't allow this.
 
Why not? It's the best way to deal with the bloated WU process, and keep it from slowing down your PC every time you boot, or every day.

Just set the WU options to the last option, "Don't Update", or whatever it's labeled.

Then do WU manually every month. Should be often enough.

Because WU, when current, is virtually unnoticeable. When in gets behind, especially since 10 came out, takes forever, and causes people to start threads about a conspiracy (see what I did there?).
 
People just can't seem to wait for Win10 to finish updating. I've seen this several times. They upgrade to Win10. Win10 needs several large updates that take a while, and they freak out over Win10 being busy for a long time.

Then they want to uninstall Win10 and curse.

They just can't leave the computer alone for awhile until it gets caught up on updates.
 
People just can't seem to wait for Win10 to finish updating. I've seen this several times. They upgrade to Win10. Win10 needs several large updates that take a while, and they freak out over Win10 being busy for a long time.

Then they want to uninstall Win10 and curse.

They just can't leave the computer alone for awhile until it gets caught up on updates.

That's pretty-much exactly what happened to a customer friend of mine, that bought an E1-2500 AIO PC off of me. Got caught up in some longish Win8 updates (I suspect the Win8.1 update, but they denied it), and when the update had to revert, and took too long, they just unplugged the PC and brought it back to me.
 
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