CPU usage keeps spiking to 100% (A64 3200+)

[mitchafi]

About a month ago, after noticing my computer was performing very sluggishly, I looked in the task manager and realized that the CPU was almost always at 100% usage. There was no specific application or process that was constantly using an exorbitant amount of processing power. Each time I opened the task manager it would be a different application - sometimes uTorrent, sometimes Firefox, sometimes WinRAR. In an attempt to fix the problem I scanned my computer for viruses/malware using Trend Micro's free HouseCall scan and also posted my HiJack This log on the forums, both of which came up clean. Frustrated and unable to fix the issue, I reformatted my harddrive and reinstalled windows, which fortunately solved the problem. Fast forward to now, and the problem is back. I am stumped because I figured that since reinstalling windows fixed the problem the first time, it must have been a software-related issue. Now that it is happening again, I am not so sure. Once again, I have scanned and I am almost certain that this problem is not occurring due to a virus/malware.

Here are some of the specific situations in which CPU usage spikes that I have observed:

1) When I open a folder containing video files and explorer begins to list the duration and dimensions of each video file

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/cheeks/problem1.JPG

2) When I fast forward through a portion of a video file - Before the problem started fast forwarding would be quick and responsive, now it is very slow and takes at least ~2-3 seconds to skip to the desired point in the video.

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/cheeks/problem2.JPG

3) When I compress files using winRAR - compression is also alot slower than it should be and the computer is practically unusable while compressing a file. Decompressing .rar archives still uses a normal amount of processing power

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/cheeks/problem3.JPG

4) When I have just sent a file through trillian and the program is attempting to establish a connection.

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/cheeks/problem4.JPG

CPU usage decreases to normal levels as soon as the connection is established and the file begins to transfer.

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/cheeks/problem5.JPG

5) Randomly when uTorrent is running - I've been unable to replicate this problem so that I can post a screenshot, but I'll get one up the next time it happens

Although these are the only specific instances I have found so far, I have a feeling that there is an overarching issue somewhere that is causing this and I am only seeing it in these problems because they are the ones I use most often.

My system specs:

Asus K8V Basic Socket 754 Motherboard
AMD64 3200+ Clawhammer
BFG 6800 OC (AGP with unlocked pipes)
2 x 512 Mushkin PC3500 DDR RAM
NEC 2500A DVD burner
Lite-On DVD/CD-RW combo
74GB WD Raptor (10K RPM, SATA)
120GB WD HDD (7200 RPM, 8 MB Cache, ATA)
160GB Seagate HDD (7200 RPM, 8 MB Cache, ATA)
Antec TruPower 430 PSU
Audigy 2 ZS PCI soundcard
Hauppage WinTV PVR-150 PCI TV Tuner
Rosewill RC-400 Gigabit ethernet NIC (just added this recently, but I uninstalled it/removed it from PC and the problem didn't go away)
GuitarPort (USB)

Windows XP w/ SP2 and all the latest windows updates
Windows Firewall is on

The poster of this thread that I found via google has a problem that is nearly identical to mine (even some of the same programs) that may help you better understand the nature of the problem.

http://forum.osnn.net/showthread.php?p=749125

Could a system restore work? At this point I am unwilling to reformat and reinstall the OS because there is no reason for me to believe that the problem will not pop up again a month or two down the road just as it did this time. I am determined to get to the bottom of this...Any suggestions or insight would be greatly, greatly appreciated!

edit: A few more points of interest that i've gathered:

1) My system restore is completely broken, so any solution involving system restore is out. I've tried restoring to nearly every restore point and each and every one of them fails and nothing is changed

2) Media Player classic spikes to 100% when trying to fast forward but Windows Media Player doesn't, and is much more responsive...

 

[myocardia]

Your problems stem from the fact that you believe that Microsoft knows what's good for your computer. They don't. "Go back" to the day you installed Windows, then turn off "Windows Update", then don't ever let Windows Media Player update itself. You'll never have the problem again.

 

[mitchafi]

I appreciate the response but I don't think I fully understand your meaning. Windows Update is set to notify me when updates are available and then let me decide if I want to install them...I haven't installed any for at least a month. The problem I am having just started occuring a few days ago, so I don't think it has anything to do with any updates that I have installed. Furthermore, just a minute I go I tried to use system restore to go back to right before I installed the new NIC - somehow the system restore failed and told me that nothing was changed. I went back to a restore point from a month ago and it also failed...the one time system restore might actually come in handy for me it just flat out doesn't work. So as for 'going back' to the day I installed windows, I don't think thats a possibility.

 

[implicit1]

I'd look and see if any of your drives are set to PIO mode.

Go to Device manager and look at everything under IDE/ATA Atapi Controllers. If anything in the "Advanced Settings" tab says "PIO" you need to change it to use UDMA.

 

[mitchafi]

Originally posted by: implicit1
I'd look and see if any of your drives are set to PIO mode.

Go to Device manager and look at everything under IDE/ATA Atapi Controllers. If anything in the "Advanced Settings" tab says "PIO" you need to change it to use UDMA.

Device 1 on my primary IDE channel is running in PIO mode even though it is set to 'DMA if available'. I am not sure whether Device 1 corresponds to the master or slave but both devices on my primary IDE channel are storage harddrives. How can I get the drive to stop running in PIO mode?

 

[implicit1]

Try uninstalling the device from device manager and hopefully when you reboot it will place it into PIO mode. If that doesn't work, you could reinstall your IDE controller drivers.

Sometimes it can be somewhat tricky to get it to change to the correct settings. You may just have to play with it to get it right.

Having a drive in PIO mode will cause performance problems and high cpu usage like you described. This is def the problem...

 

[mitchafi]

Originally posted by: implicit1
Try uninstalling the device from device manager and hopefully when you reboot it will place it into PIO mode. If that doesn't work, you could reinstall your IDE controller drivers.

Having a drive in PIO mode will definitely cause performance problems and high cpu usage. This is def the problem...

That fixed it! Don't know how it got into PIO in the first place but it is now running in UDMA and so far as I can tell the CPU usage problem is gone. Thanks alot for that tip Implicit, you saved me countless hours of troubleshooting.