Why is my CPU usage running from 85-100% all the time ? ? ?

[DorkBoy]

I just upgraded my parts and reinstalled XP Pro. (1 week)
The first few days everything was great but now my puter is slow and really can't multi-task.

My CPU usage running from 85-100% all the time, 85% when I'm looking at the desktop only. 100% as soon as I open anything.
My PF Usage is around 300MB But I have no clue what this is.
I have no programs running, I did reinstall DC ++ and downloaded some "things", but I can't say that is when my problem started.

Is something installed on my computer running in the background. I have 23 processes running but I see nothing weird.
Any suggestions or clues? Thanks


Intel Intel P4 3.0 Ghz Prescott 3000MHz
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-8IK1100
Memory: 1024 MB of Micron PC3200
Video Card: ATI 128MB (RADEON 9800 Pro)
Hard Drive: Maxtor ATA133 80.0 GB @ 7200 RPMS
Additional Hard Drives: WD 160GB 7200RPM(Storage)
Sound Card: SB Live 5.1 Audigy X-Gamer
Internet Connection: BellSouth xDSL
Operating System: WinXP Pro

 

[AsianriceX]

Can you be more specific as to what process is taking up so much cpu time?

 

[MichaelZ]

probably sasser, it does that...

 

[DorkBoy]

Originally posted by: AsianriceX
Can you be more specific as to what process is taking up so much cpu time?

explorer.exe is 50% CPU and 150-275,000 K Mem
IEXPLORER.EXE is 0% CPU and 26,000 K Mem
System is 30-35% CPU and 216 K Mem
System Idle Process is 20% CPU and 20 K Mem

 

[Redviffer]

hard drive light on also?

 

[DorkBoy]

Originally posted by: Redviffer
hard drive light on also?

yep

 

[Apologiliac]

Perhaps a virus? Why dont you post a screenshot of your task manager processes

 

[Abhi]

Check for spyware too...

Download and run Spybot + Adaware....

 

[MichaelZ]

it's definatly not hardware related, that's something you don't need to worry about. i had something similair a while back and here's a quick link

 

[dakels]

Originally posted by: DorkBoy

Originally posted by: AsianriceX
Can you be more specific as to what process is taking up so much cpu time?

explorer.exe is 50% CPU and 150-275,000 K Mem
IEXPLORER.EXE is 0% CPU and 26,000 K Mem
System is 30-35% CPU and 216 K Mem
System Idle Process is 20% CPU and 20 K Mem

something stinks. Your high end system shouldnt show steady numbers anywhere near that, especially if you are idle it should be 0-2%. I'd do what the others said and check for virses and spyware. I like antivirus.com and ravantivirus.com and for spyware, adaware and spybot.

 

[DorkBoy]

Friend gave me Norton 2003 Antivirus Pro - it found nothing.

I've always used Adaware I thought it was sufficient. Guess not

I installed and ran sbybot, it found a list of things and it removed them, everything is back to normal for now CPU usage is 0-2% as dakels says.

Thanks, for the replies

 

[Vernor]

Task Manager -> Processes. capture the entire list.


The culprit almost always shows up there.

 

[Gurck]

Yeah, Adaware and Spybot each find around 60% of all known spyware - and these two are the best programs. At a bare minimum you should update & run both once a month... Actually if you managed to get all that on your hdd within a week of installing windows, maybe it'd be better to use mozilla instead and run a few other anti-spyware programs as well, and maybe 2-3 virus scanners

 

[Pauli]

I just noticed similar behavior on my 1 week-old install of XP. The task list was showing the process "system.exe" as being very active for about an hour when the system was idle. I rebooted and it didn't seem to be active after that. I scanned the C: drive with McAfee but it found nothing. When I get home from work, I'll have to scan my other drives, also maybe run Spybot and Adaware.

 

[Vernor]

system.exe is a trojan.

 

[Cerb]

Get Ad-aware, Spybot and do a real virus scan.
Now that you're done with that, use them regularly, use a firewall.
On a 3.0C, you should idle at 0%. Period.

 

[Schadenfroh]

see my sig

 

[Bucksnort]

another file sharer huhh?

 

[DorkBoy]

My problem is DSO exploit

It keeps reinstalling, spybot finds it and removes it but as soon as I surf it's back.

 

[Regs]

Wow, thats some really nasty spyware.