erratic cpu usage...any help appreciated

[bigpimpatl]

Here's a snapshot

I closed all programs before taking the snap...It keeps spiking up from 0-2% then 4%, then sometimes reaching as high 10-15%. If I switch programs/right click/basically do anything, there's a good 5-7 second pause before it does the command, so it does get frustrating after a while.

I just cleaned my computer case (dust) and updated my video drivers. I also recently fixed up some wireless network problems i've been having. Maybe something to do with that? I'm about to run a virus check. Any ideas what the problem could be?


Here is my setup:

FX-55
MSI K8N NEO2 P
2x512 MB Kingston Hyper X PC3200
6800 GT
36gb Raptor w/ XP SP2

All help is much appreciated!

 

[myocardia]

It's because you removed the dust. You weren't supposed to let the dust out of it, man. Seriously, what's the problem here? My computer uses the processor, whenever I tell it to do something, including moving the mouse, also. As a matter of fact, all of the computers I own do that. Now, you may very well have some spyware or viruses, but the only way to tell for sure is to scan for them. Also, if you don't have Windoze automatic updates turned off, that's going to use a bit of cpu power, if it happens to be downloading files, and either writing them to disk, or installing them.

 

[bigpimpatl]

LOL, the problem is my CPU does something when I'm doing nothing. That snapshot was taken after 5 minutes of idle activity (all programs closed, no mouse movement). It shouldn't spike like that if the computer is idle. Anyways, virus scan was clean. Should I try underclocking the cpu?

 

[bigpimpatl]

Also my cpu temps are low/mid 40 C, is this normal for this processor?

 

[m21s]

Originally posted by: bigpimpatl
Also my cpu temps are low/mid 40 C, is this normal for this processor?

Stock heatsink?

My FX-55 runs at 33-35 C Idle (Thermalright XP-90c on top)

 

[Kromis]

Thats some sweet LimeWire Pro action you got there. Lol

Just kidding

 

[bigpimpatl]

ya stock retail HSF

 

[stevty2889]

Switch over to the processes tab in task manager, and sort it by CPU usage..then sit and watch to see what is causing the spike..it could be any number of normal things, periodic scheduled virus scan, programs set to automaticly check for updates..etc. etc. Another thing to do is check your power settings, might be set to turn off your hard drive after a certain period of inactivity, which would also explain the 5-7 second delay after you try and do something again.

 

[bigpimpatl]

hmmm interesting I downloaded this one program called trojan guarder off of cnet and it told me that nwiz.exe was a virus. But it was saying that it was in the system32 folder of windows, so I thought it would be a virus because of it being in the windows directory. I went ahead and deleted it...is there any way I can verify that my video drivers are causing these problems?

 

[myocardia]

Google is your friend. Link #1: nwiz.exe is not a virus, and link #2: there are viruses that call themselves nwiz.exe.

 

[yyrkoon]

Like one of the above users already said, open task manager, and click the CPU usage tab twice, and the running proccesses will be listed by CPU usage. google the offending executable(s) to check its virus status. Typicaly downloading programs from the random webpage that 'claims' to be a virus tool is a bad idea, but I will go out on a limb here, in saying that probably anything from cnet is safe. Probably the best advice anyone here could give you is remove ALL AV programs, and get/install AVG virus scanner (for free, or payed pro version) and the AVG spyware tool. There are also other tools such as SpyBot Search & Destroy Spyware removal tool, and various other tools made by system internals, HiJackTHis, among others.

That being said it *is* possible to run a virus free envoirnment without running any form of AV software period, but this takes experience, and lots of it. Also, I am willing too bet the minor amount of activity you are seeing there is probably more like Windows indexer service, or something else running in the background, check to see if your HDD light lights up periodically . . .