CPU Usage runnning on Idle at between 28 to 31%

[gatothecat]

Ok i am currently running into a strange problem and I am not sure where to look for a solution. I just did motherboard and processor and graphic card overhaul on my machine. My new specs are.

AMD XP 2700 (not over clocked yet)
2 512 Ram Chips and 1 256 ram chip
A7N8X-E Deluxe
AGP- ATI 9600 XT 128
PCI- 3com Network card (need to run my copy of Maya)
PCI- Sound Baster Audigey
Windows XP Pro


Now I have done my install with out a Re install of my OS. Mainly cause to put Maya back on the machine is such a pain. That is the same reason that I am running a 3com Network card. To migrate to Network card on my MOBO is going to cost me a 150 buck migation cost. Pain, but i am off topic.

So Here is my problem. The machine boots fine. and everything runs. But when i go to check System preformance i see that my machine is running between 28 to 31% CPU usage on Idle. All my windows updates are loaded. So i check to see what is running and this is all task manager will tell me. System Idle is running at 99 precent. But every once and a while with regualrity explorer.exe pops up with a 01 rating and than disapears.

So here are the things i did to try and fix it that so far have not worked

1. Disbled all no necessary applications on start up. No Change
2. Disabled Auto protect on my Norton Anit Virus and Firewall. No change
3. Updated my ATI drivers No change.
4. Ran Spybot and Norton Antivirus with Def updated and they found nothing.

So i started to poke around and found that all my devices are running on on IRQ channel. Channel 9. Not sure if that is the cause of the problem. Honesly i am at a loss. Any sugessions would be helpful.

 

[Regs]

Under what task in your manager uses the CPU? Narrowing it down would be a difficult task. It could range from a problem with System restore, drivers, out dated software, adware, etc..

You could also try booting in safe mode, to see if the cpu usage still runs while idel. You could also run a virus check in safe mode. To make sure it's not a nasty warm.

 

[gatothecat]

As it stands the breakdown in task manager is. like this

System Idle Processes 99

and than every once and a while this pops up

explorer.exe 01

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: gatothecat
As it stands the breakdown in task manager is. like this

System Idle Processes 99

and than every once and a while this pops up

explorer.exe 01

Seems normal to me. System Idle process is suppose to be 99 because the CPU has to be on stand by all the time to compute instructions on demand.

Explorer.exe is the graphical user interface of windows. It should tick once in awhile in idle. The process itself should not take up more than a minute of processing time during normal events in a day. That may change during a boot up of a game.

But what I've come to understand is gages change depending on your motherboard. So it could be more or less accurate then your older set up.

 

[gatothecat]

Yeah this is where i am confused. Cause i am trying to isolate where the Usage is coming from. Is it a hardware conflict. Is it a driver issue. I am not sure where to start or what to look at. Cause all i am seeing is that my machine is running normaly. Are there any other tools i can download to figure out what is going on.

 

[KillaKilla]

You might try manually setting the IRQs? Dunno if that BIOS/CMOS allows that.


Also: What is this "maya"?

 

[gatothecat]

It is Alias Wavefront Maya it is a high end 3d application. Great software but pain in the but to install. Hard ware locked to you network card. So to slow down cracks. It is a big pain cause if i remove my Network card i need to get a new hardware lock and they are going to charge me 150 bucks for that. Burns me when i think about how much i had to spend to buy the software alone. Thanks for the help.

 

[Zinn2b]

Heres a good suggestion for YOU its fast easy and painless. Go to PC Pitstop Run there free diagnics test. Takes about 3 min.Here's what I believe your going to find. Your going to get a yellow flag in internet explorer and a red flag in XP. Go do that come back post your results. I will come back and have a look ok

 

[gatothecat]

Cool will do when i get home from work. Thanks.

 

[JBT]

Do you have the Nvida Nic enabhled?? and are you using the 3.13 UDP drivers? If you are change the nic driver back to the 2.45 UDP driver. the 3.13 Driver is VERY bad about CPU utilization, almost always about 20% I relize you are using a 3com but if you still have the nvidia enabled that could be your problem.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: gatothecat
So i started to poke around and found that all my devices are running on on IRQ channel. Channel 9. Not sure if that is the cause of the problem.

Windows XP manages hardware resources using ACPI. It is perfectly normal for all of your devices to appear on IRQ 9. You can read more about IRQ sharing in this KB article.

Out of curiosity, if task manager is reporting System Idle using 99%, where are you getting the 28 - 31 percent measurement? Do you notice sluggish performance at all?

 

[gatothecat]

not so far. Just got the machine running last night. Took some time to work out the component and MOBO to work. Had to RMA one Mobo to get everything to boot.

 

[gatothecat]

not so far. Just got the machine running last night. Took some time to work out the component and MOBO to work. Had to RMA one Mobo to get everything to boot.

 

[tweeve2002]

Have you tried taking out the NIC or swaping in a new one. I had to RMA my Asus P4C800 Deluxe becasue the built in NIC died and made the CPU usage go in to the 60-90% range at all times. Its, just a trought, that you might want to try.

 

[gatothecat]

Yeah i am hoping that is not the case. I already had to RMA one motherboard. Not sure i have the stomach to do it twice.

 

[gatothecat]

JBT it looks like that Nvida Network card is the deal breaker. Disabled it in my BIOS, and i had no problems. So i need to install the older driver version. Where and how should i do this. All those drivers were bundled with the Mobo driver. Anyway i can isolate. Any help would be appreciated.

scott

 

[Matthias99]

If you don't need it, you can simply leave it disabled and work entirely through that 3Com card... otherwise, I'm not sure how to install *just* the network drivers; they're usually put in as part of the "ForceWare" motherboard driver package.

 

[mooojojojo]

I have a similar problem.
The CPU usage on idle would spike every 3 seconds at 20% and then go back to 1-2%. When I disable the internet connection, it doesn't do that. I haven't found a solution so far . Granted it's a cheap Realtek NIC but I think it shouldn't be this hard on the CPU.

 

[gatothecat]

I just want to make sure so this is more a driver issue than a hardware issue. I am only asking cause i want to make sure that i have a stable working platform to work on. I just need sugesstions on what people are thinking. Also i have been reading online that the New drivers also fix some problems that were had with DVD and CD burning. I am just trying to find the best solutions for my problem. Thanks for all the help.

 

[gatothecat]

Ok i am trying to find the older driver for my Motherboard to see if they take care of my CPU usage problem. To get my Motherboard to function properly i need to disable the on board Lan in the BIOS. If i do not disable that port in the bios my machine winds up running at 30% CPU Usage at all times. I am currnetly running the 3.1 drivers good catch JBT. If anyone has any ideas on where i can go to find the older 2.45 Nvidia driver, or any other solutions to the problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance.


AMD XP 2700 (not over clocked yet)
2 512 Ram Chips and 1 256 ram chip
A7N8X-E Deluxe
AGP- ATI 9600 XT 128
PCI- 3com Network card (need to run my copy of Maya)
PCI- Sound Baster Audigey
Windows XP Pro

 

[JBT]

I have the older drives on my computer I can upload them to my website or send them to you when I get home (around 2:30 Eastern)

 

[gatothecat]

Thanks, sorry the disk just came with the new drivers.

 

[JBT]

Actually I just found some drivers online. I 'll host them on my site , just download each individually and put them in a folder and "update drivers" and point it to that folder should fix your problem ASAP =)Ethernet drivers

 

[gatothecat]

Which files am i downloading. Sorry new to all this.

 

[JBT]

You need all the files in that directory. all are needed for the drivers. so download all of those files and use the update drivers feature in device manager and choose install from a specific location and point it to the folder you downloaded all those files to. if for some reason it only shows the .inf files choose XP, point it at that and you should be set.