Processor constantly running at 100%

[WMIKED]

My Dell Inspiron 8000 has taken to running at 100% utilisation according to the System Monitor software. (The fan is also on constantly).

I have tried using Alt+Ctrl+Del to display the tasks and then cancel them one at a time in an attempt to ID the cause - No luck.

How do I find and fix the cause?

[mjc]

Some specs are in order...what all is in it, how much memory, speed of cpu and what do you have running in the background?

Have you done a virus scan recently (with up to date signature files)?

Added or removed any software/hardware?

Does it do this from bootup or after you have started something?



------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[WMIKED]

MJC, info follows
System Information report written at: 04/10/2001 17:09:01

OS Name Microsoft Windows
Version 4.90.3000 Build 3000
System Manufacturer Dell Computer Corporation
System Model Inspiron 8000
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Pentium(r) III processor GenuineIntel ~848 Mhz
BIOS Version Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A02
Total Physical Memory 255.42 MB
Available Physical Memory 6.45 MB
Total Virtual Memory 1,005.42 MB
Available Virtual Memory 570.37 MB
Page File Space 750.00 MB
Page File C:\WIN386.SWP

In the background is Norton Anti-Virus (last full scan yesterday).
Hardware bay monitor
Creative Disk Detector and the assortment of Win Me tasks.

I uninstalled software yesterday to free up disk space. (A number of softwares had been loaded by Dell which I never use.)

It occurs from startup.

[mjc]

WOW...with 256MB of RAM you only have about 6.5 left...I'd say that there are a lot of things running in the background, try <ctrl><alt><del> after a fresh boo and see what all is running at startup. Here (http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Window_memory.htm) is a list of things that run at start up and if they could be shut off. Also since you are using ME I would suspect that the system restore feature and its built in updater are also contributing to the processor useage, especially since it happens from startup.

Which fan is constantly running?

Also check all the drives for any disks.

------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[WMIKED]

Thanks for the info MJC, I am about to got through the startup list using MSCONFIG.

The problem has disappeared! The machine was still running flat out when I closed it down to leave the office. Later in the evening I started it up again and it continued running flat out for the next 15-20 minutes and then the CPU util dropped to 24% and stayed there unless I was doing something. Occasionally it would run at 100% thereafter for very short periods and this seemed to be linked to writing data.

This leads me to believe that in un-installing the raft of software I have caused ME to re-build various indices. Is this Likely? (I am told that FastFind does this regularly, are ther others?)

The fan that runs, I assume is linked to the CPU.

[mjc]

Yes it does and a background virus can do it if there are several other things running.

------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[mjc]

The line should read "background virus scan", not "background virus can"...didn't want to get you worried that you had a virus, and it was too late for me to edit out my mistake.

------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.