Cpu stuck @ 100%

I have let so many issues build to the point almost to the point where I don’t know where to start, however I will try to limit this query to one of most troublesome of the bunch…

According to several different “gadget” CPU meters, and my accompanying vacant stare, my RAM & CPU usage is off the scale most of the time. The problem ranges from sluggish, to frozen, to complete program failure. Using Process Explorer, I have identified and stopped most of the recognizable process/service memory pigs and extraneous startup programs/services with modest success.

Relatively high demand programs such as MS Outlook Enterprise 7 will ramp its RAM usage up to 500 MB and iexplore.exe can hit 250 MB with ease. Without opening IE8, it is not unusual to have 2-10 “iexplore.exe” processes listed as running with widely ranging demands on processing power. Several other “critical” MS processes are similarly affected. The single biggest collective offender seems to be ‘svchost.exe ‘processes, of which at least 15 are running as I type.
If I create another user (with or without administrative authority), they run perfectly well for a few days or so, and then begin to succumb.

I have tried Sophos, CA and Kaspersky internet security suites with varying results, but never uncovered a smoking gun. Have dabbled with Malewarebytes Anti-Malware, Ad-Aware, Glary’s, Spybot, etc, but they seems to offer only superficial assistance. They lack the heft I seek to snare the White Whale I am certain lies deep. Nice bells and whistles though. I have since returned to MS Security Essentials.
So far, Windows 7 Ultimate has been quite good at fixing itself. At least for a while.
In response, I have either done or refrained from doing some of the following:

1. managed add-ons
2. with just enough knowledge of the registry to hang myself, without specific instructions, it remains generally off-limits
3. limited or killed many optional startups
4. use CCleaner almost obsessively
5. defrag regularly enough to remain at or below 2-3%
6. done the hokey- pokey AND spun myself around
…and several additional well-intended solutions.

In the interest of time and space, I will end this is disjointed request with my plea, which is not so much completed as abandoned….

Thank you very much for any assistance and a Happy Holiday season!

- Robert 1117

SYSTEM OVERVIEW
OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7600 Build 7600
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.66GHz, 2660 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. 2.3.2, 3/30/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7600.16385"
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 3.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.95 GB
Total Virtual Memory 5.93 GB
Available Virtual Memory 4.73 GB
Page File Space 2.93 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

(Oh…I have almost zero experience with forum. If I commit a simple or egregious affront to protocol, bring it to my attention by all means; but please do try to be kind. Also, allow me to apologize in advance for the worst offences. )
---------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks...

I'm trying.

Pardon the delay.

a little better...

Very sorry to waste your time. These are illegible.

If not still up use Ctrl+Shift+Esc to bring the task manager back up and kill the Outlook.exe by right clicking and selecting End Process Tree. I have had to do this in the past for runaway applications and it works very effectively

Thanks for the suggestion. When I'm trying to kick it back down, Outlook is in the 1st group to go. Often the biggest offenders are processess critical to staying logged in. However, I've killed several of those selectively in the past (Windows search index, etc).
The number of "svchost.exe" seems large to me, but I have nothing to base that on. In addition, when using Sysinternals Process Explorer and hover over each one in the process column, the list of services/processes in each one seems more than legitimate.
I can log on and immediately it goes to 100%+. Even after trimming startup to the bone. So odd.
At times after holding pinned at max usage, it will drop to 5-20% without any noticeable change in the process list. It's as if someone was playing a practical joke. Nevermind some of the other oddities like the mouse cursor moving around on its own. Not wildly, but as if going from window to window. I have been dealing with this and other very bizarre events for several months now.
It returns to "normal" just often enough to avoid having to post in a forum or otherwise seek assistance.

Finally, as even this post is beginning to indicate, it becomes a wordy process (without knowing all the 'shorthand' speak) to explain and still remains vaguely unclear.

Although I do incremental backupss daily and complete backup weekly, surely I'm only backing up the problem tself. Attemps at restore points never give an option more that a couple of day back. At this point I am desperate but not very hopeful.

Screenshots now (2 pages) from Process Explorer. Thank you, gentlemen.