CPU usage 95% when 'puter is idle, off network, and indexing turned of

>Other than MalwareBytes Anti-malware the only thing that comes to mind is Windows Media Player. That's another one that will scan every file on the system to add media files to the library.

>If it's showing heavy usage on svchost rather than ordinary exe then chances are it's something that Windows installs by default, such as WMP media file indexing.

thanks, miles. this sounds very possible to me. WMP Network Servicing always shows up in the task manager as using a nontrivial amount of RAM (5 megs, at the mo). i've tried shutting it off but it immediately, automatically restarts. is there a way to permanently shut it down?

MBAM quick scan (the recommended) found nothing. SAS found only tracker cookies, of which i deleted all but 3. i will run rootkit and the longer MBAM scan in the morning :).

Zzita, several things are possible. Usually, when you just install Windows, there are several processes that start running with the purpose of "settling in" with the hardware. That includes indexing, .Net optimization and so on. These will occupy the machine for some time, but then everything should be back to normal. now, I am not that familiar with netbooks, it's possible that on a netbook this would take longer, but still 95% CPU is rather unusual.

I would suggest you make a snip of the resource monitor and post it here. To do that, go to Task Manager -> Performance -> Resource Monitor -> CPU. Once there expand the Processes tab and take a snip (Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Snipping Tool). Do the same with Services. Post the results, we'll go from there.

@unifex:

>now, I am not that familiar with netbooks, it's possible that on a netbook this would take longer, but still 95% CPU is rather unusual.

well, it has been a year :).

it is extra-bad for the first hour after booting or waking it up from hibernation, though.

thx for snipping instructions! the cpu sit is not static, though. 10 instances of svchost, for example, are constantly shuffling around, one or more usually at or near top cpu usage. this is while computer is idle. often the top user (svc or WMI) is using 49 cycles.

BTW, 'perfmon' is the resource monitor -- it seems odd to me that it uses so much.

and, just learning this as i type, performance is not any MORE laggy while running these malware scans in the background. am attaching a snip of the res. mon. while scanning -- see how the windows files are using fewer cpu cycles?

>well, it has been a year.

i mean, since i bought the netbook. about a month since the last reinstall.

Have you tried the clean boot process, as suggested earlier? Following this procedure can help you identify problems by process of elimination. If you disable all items (as per the link below) and the system runs properly, you go through a process of restoring half of them to service, if the problem goes away, you know that there is an issue with 'the other half'. You can keep halving the processes until you find the one that is causing the trouble.

If, after disabling all processes (and before re-enabling), you are still having trouble, then your problem will be elsewhere, but this procedure will definitely help you narrow it down. I suggest it as your next step:

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7


James

>Have you tried the clean boot process, as suggested earlier?

i have been planning to do it once scans are completed :).

a question, though -- with windows services shut off, will i still be able to use wifi? i am not sure it will be a proper test, without.

zzita, try disabling the HP Wireless Assistant Service (Start -> Administrative Tools -> Services, find HP Wireless Assistant, right-click and choose Properties, then toggle the "Startup type" to disabled. See if this helps.

wow, unifex, that made a dramatic difference!