Intel Pentium G3220 - idle total CPU usage averages over 20%?

max789

Member
Mar 29, 2008
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Hi, all

I just built a basic computer for a friend whose needs are modest (web surfing, MS Office, etc) using a Haswell Pentium G3220. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit with 8GB RAM.

Even when idle, according to HWiNFO64, the "Core #0 Usage" averages over 40% whilst "Total CPU Usage" averages over 20%. "Core #1 Usage" stays at 0%.

Under CPU in Resource Monitor, "System Interrupts" (Deferred Procedure Calls and Interrupt Service Routines) accounts for practically all "Average CPU" at over 20.00 (%).

DPC Latency Checker shows that the machine's latency is fine.

Can fellow forum members comment on whether this is normal for the Pentium G3220?

Thanks!
 

ShintaiDK

Lifer
Apr 22, 2012
20,378
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The CPU keeps runnig at 800Mhz right?

Even a sensoring application can cause the CPU usage at 800Mhz to be this high.
 

BSim500

Golden Member
Jun 5, 2013
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Even when idle, according to HWiNFO64, the "Core #0 Usage" averages over 40% whilst "Total CPU Usage" averages over 20%. "Core #1 Usage" stays at 0%.

Can fellow forum members comment on whether this is normal for the Pentium G3220?
That does seem rather high even for a Pentium. What's the idle % usage just in task manager or process explorer (without any background benchmark / Hwinfo running)? Are you sure it's virus free or that you don't have an iffy driver loaded? Even at lowest SpeedStep state, you should be looking at <5% idle. My i5-3570 at lowest 1.6GHz idles at 98% with HWInfo loaded in the background. You've obviously got something there eating up the GHz in the background.
 

max789

Member
Mar 29, 2008
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Thanks for your feedback.

Using Process Explorer in Safe Mode, the System Interrupts hog disappears. However, the high CPU usage returns even after a clean boot.

Without running Hwinfo64, CPU usage still exceeds 20%, as seen in the task manager.

Reading up on the subject and trying to find a way to troubleshoot possible hardware/driver problems without resorting to XPerf...
 

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
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I just built a GP PC using the G3220 and W7 Home... it definitely doesn't do that.

Take a look at msconfig and see what is starting up... after installing all the drivers and programs, I always go in and shut off the unnecessary junk.
 

BSim500

Golden Member
Jun 5, 2013
1,480
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Using Process Explorer in Safe Mode, the System Interrupts hog disappears. However, the high CPU usage returns even after a clean boot.

Without running Hwinfo64, CPU usage still exceeds 20%, as seen in the task manager.
There's obviously something loading during normal bootup that's being skipped over in safe mode. Try this:-

1. Your "startup" folder (C: \Documents and settings\[username]\Start Menu\Programs\Startup may contain something.

2. Start -> Run -> "msconfig" -> Startup. There might be something there.

3. Trend Micro's "Hijack this". Don't "fix" / delete all entries as it will wipe out a lot of valid stuff, but "scan only" and look though to see if there's anything unusual:-
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/trend_micro_hijackthis.html

4. Malwarebytes "StartupLite"
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/startuplite/

There might be some other tools. I've found No 3 ("Hijack this") the most thorough though be careful not to delete anything valid (eg, drivers). It may be a case of trial & error (untick / fixing certain ones then rebooting, etc). Hope this helps!

Edit : Just to add, go into Control Panel -> Admin Tools -> Task Scheduler. Look at what's scheduled for bootup, eg, defragmenter, etc, and disabled those.
 
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piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
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Windows is designed to do background functions when idle. There are all kinds of system files running all the time. Take networking for example, your network and your computer is probably getting pinged all the time by someone or something. Same goes for wireless. Then there is your firewall etc. Then there is also spyware.
 

Ventanni

Golden Member
Jul 25, 2011
1,432
142
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Although it's a difference OS, when I had Vista-32bit loaded on my HTPC machine, it had crazy, crazy high CPU utilization for the first two weeks while it was doing windows updates in the background. Like, I couldn't even watch a YouTube video, and it would show up exactly as you were describing; high CPU utilization I couldn't narrow it to a process. Then, all the updates completed and the CPU usage was fine.

I've never had this issue with Windows 7 (just loaded it on my HTPC this weekend actually), but is this a fresh load? I wonder if Windows is working in the background at all.
 

sm625

Diamond Member
May 6, 2011
8,172
137
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If its doing windows updates you might not see it in task manager unless you really watch it. Because it will start a process ("trustedinstaller", "msiexec", etc) and the process will run and chew up cpu cycles, then the process will finish and disappear and another of the same name will start. And when you're looking at it in task manager you might see one of these processes sitting idle and think its not loading the cpu. So you have to watch closely.
 

max789

Member
Mar 29, 2008
72
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Thanks, everyone, for your helpful feedback, pointers and suggestions.

I uninstalled drivers one by one to troubleshoot and found the culprit to be the Intel HD Graphics driver. I tried the latest version and the problem stayed the same. Finally, I installed an older 9.18.10.3257 and CPU usage at idle is now close to 0%. :)

My friend doesn't use a discrete display card.

I take this opportunity to wish all forum members and the Anandtech team a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.
 

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,292
62
91
I'm running 9.18.10.3186 on the new G3220 build... no problems like that. Intel says that's the most up-to-date driver...
 

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,292
62
91
Out of curiosity, I downloaded and installed the new iGPU driver... sure enough, one core was running at 40% almost constantly... no matter what I shut down. Sneaky... it doesn't allow me to roll the driver back, either.

I'm going to install .3257 and see how that does.
 

GamingDaemon

Senior member
Apr 28, 2006
474
7
76
Thanks, everyone, for your helpful feedback, pointers and suggestions.

I uninstalled drivers one by one to troubleshoot and found the culprit to be the Intel HD Graphics driver. I tried the latest version and the problem stayed the same. Finally, I installed an older 9.18.10.3257 and CPU usage at idle is now close to 0%. :)

My friend doesn't use a discrete display card.

I take this opportunity to wish all forum members and the Anandtech team a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.

I just built my parents a little PC using the G3220 and ran into this exact problem. I found it by uninstalling drivers for my USB 3.0, audio, LAN etc. one-by-one. Got to the Intel HD Graphics driver and boom, went right down to 0%.

Well, thank you folks. Once again, Anandtech's members are right-on. I'm installing the 3257 version as we speak

EDIT: Should we tell Intel? Would that even help? It annoys me when I don't have the latest drivers/apps on my machine (even when it's not my machine)
 
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