High CPU Usage Normal or Not?

[feetand nches]

Hey guys, having this issue with a little pc that I fixed to sell and keep from going to the recycle bin. I put about as much money into it that I'll get from it. It's a low powered Windows 7 machine and a bit slow. So I want to make sure there is no garbage programs phoning home and taking up precious resources. I think all is normal but this is an OEM Install with all the junk on it.

It's seems to be doing something with the CPU up and down as you can see in the attachment. I think it is okay because it all seems to stop when I start using the laptop, but not sure. And my desktop don't do this? I meant to boot another laptop before this post to see if it was similar but forgot.

Here are a few things I've done, though just now realized that my notes are on the pc in question. This is a Clean install with SP1 and all the updates done. I'll include a MiniToolBox output I ran today.

HP Pavilion dv6-3010us

1. I removed HP Support assistant.

2. Removed unnecessary Startups.

3. Removed some junk programs that shouldn't be phoning home anyhow but were old and useless as I researched them.

4. Looked in Applications and Processes but don't see anything to much there?

Would someone please tell me what they think, thanks Nasty7

 

[file3456]

You have all kinds of errors which leads me to believe you have a bad HDD or it's a corrupt Windows install.

You can try the following programs:

HDTune. HD Tune website

HDD Sentinel Hard Disk Sentinel - HDD health and temperature monitoring

H2testw Download H2testw 1.4


Or it's bad RAM. Memtest 86 + will help you with that.

To see what crap is auto starting try Autoruns. Autoruns for Windows - Windows Sysinternals | Microsoft Docs

Check out PCdecrapifier. The PC Decrapifier

I can't vouch for it since I go through my computer's manually and get rid of stuff.

If you look at Task Manager, and press the CPU tab to organize processes from highest CPU load to lowest, what processes are constantly being used? Processhacker is also a great tool to use. Overview - Process Hacker

 

[feetand nches]

That was an excellent post F22 Simpilot!!!

All HP OEM Onboard tests have been done, so for now will look at removing some of that junk. I just looked at those errors that you pointed out and was able to see that they are major junk Programs, and some could even be a security risk. I'll get rid of them and see how it looks then.

I almost downloaded PCdecrapifier the other day, but didn't really have the need at the time. I give that a try, looks good and is downloadable by other reputable sites!

I may have forgot to reseat the RAM, which I like to do on older computers, I'll do that also.

CPU Processes look normal to me, mostly Chrome at the top. I'll look at process hacker and post a pic of the Task Manager!

I do have an old Windows 7 Retail Image that I was thinking to install, but not sure what the best way is? Keep the OEM with the Recovery Partition, or the Retail way. The Recover Partition is a real pain as it doesn't have SP1. Ahh, maybe I'll just work on what I have now to learn a little with your above instructions!

Thanks for the help!

 

[feetand nches]

I now see what you were saying about the HDD maybe being an issue.
"Description: The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Harddisk1\DR1."

Don't know where to go from here, and not even sure if what I'm seeing is normal for this little laptop? There is so much HP Junkware on this thing it is dizzying LOL.

I tried Autoruns and disabled a few things after researching them but still these spikes in the CPU Usage. I looked on my other laptop of similar type and it isn't doing all this, though there is some usage most of it is lower.

Now not sure if I should do a Clean Install with a Retail iso or not? I'm afraid I'll run into the same thing and waste even more time?

I have done so much don't want to post all the data here, but there are still a few things that were producing Errors that I cannot trace down.

I guess I'll just Install with the Retail Image I have and see if there is any difference?

 

[Megahertz07]

Try to remove Chrome and set Win update to never check.
Chrome loads on win start and spy everything you do.
Win update can be with one of may issues.

Best way to install windows on old laptop is with a M$ disk.
Doesn't the laptop has a COA sticker with a Key? Look under or inside the battery case.

 

[feetand nches]

I guess I'll just Install with the Retail Image I have and see if there is any difference?

[MENTION=497334]Megahertz07[/MENTION], Thanks...but this is what I'm going to do I think. I don't know how to track down what is causing those spikes, and don't even know if they are Abnormal or not. I have ideas but don't know how much more time I want to spend looking for that little gremlin. So now that I've spent so much time trying to disable and Uninstall so many things, it may be time to move on. I love Chrome, though it does run lot's of processes and uses lots of energy I'll keep it on there.

I should have mentioned that I did Turn Off Updates. There were so many things I did that it would have been hard to post them all. I guess the most important question was if those Spikes were normal or not. Considering the weak processor, perhaps that is normal, and on a better CPU there would be less of a spike?

I uninstalled "HP Solution Center", but I think there is some remanence of that causing one of those errors, at least that's what my research leads me to believe. "HP Update" and other unnecessary software were uninstalled also.

And don't know if this is a bogus Error or not ("Description: The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Harddisk1\DR1."
), as I already tested the HDD with the built in Tools, maybe that was a mistake, should try one of the tools F22 Simpilot suggested. I already spent some money fixing this machine because it looks good and shows little wear, but if I have to buy a HDD it's just not worth it at this point.

At least once I get a Clean Retail Image Install done I will know for sure if this is normal behavior. This as you know is an old Windows 7 machine, with a Clean OEM Install that needed SP1 Installed after. So maybe partly, this is all due to all that old OEM Junk on there.

Thanks guys!

 

[Megahertz07]

There are many services running on the background that can cause the spikes. Chrome is one, defrag is another. Hard to tell.

 

[Barman58]

Being as you are prepping this laptop for resale, I would not worry about the system performance, and would not in any way use a good Retail copy to improve it, you could sell the laptop and the good Retail licence separately and may well get more for the retail copy of the OS than for the Laptop

I would just use the recovery partition to completely reset the laptop to factory and then sell it as a "cheap Laptop, Refurbished Windows 7, to factory condition, Ideal for Web surfing and basic tasks" In a a sale it's more important how the buyer sees the product than how the seller does

 

[Paul Black]

Hi Nasty7,

I would just use the recovery partition to completely reset the laptop to factory and then sell it as a "cheap Laptop, Refurbished Windows 7, to factory condition, Ideal for Web surfing and basic tasks" In a sale it's more important how the buyer sees the product than how the seller does.

I totally agree with Barman58.

IMPORTANT: Make sure that you backup ALL your essential files before you do the factory reset. This is because during the factory reset process, ALL your Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos and Data Files will be erased and become irretrievable.

I hope this helps!

 

[feetand nches]

Guys, it was already recovered from factory condition. And, you can use a Retail Image with the same Product Key on the pc, you don't need a seperate one.

This is a Clean install with SP1 and all the updates done.

 

[feetand nches]

There are many services running on the background that can cause the spikes. Chrome is one, defrag is another. Hard to tell.

Yep, I think it is normal, but have not seen it look quite like that before. I think I'm good at this point and may or may not reinstall just to see if there is any difference. I really like the Retail Image with nothing installed but what needs to be.

The only thing I'm a little concerned about is the Hard Drive Errors, I'll look into that today.

 

[Megahertz07]

Almost every disk manufacture has a software to do a disk diagnose.
To start, you can use Crystal disk info to see the SMART Downloading File /69917/CrystalDiskInfo7_7_0.zip - CrystalDiskInfo - OSDN

 

[feetand nches]

On this one I used the built in HP Diagnostics as I was under the impression this was very similar software. DST Short and Long both Passed. Is there a reason to run a different Tool? I always look at S.M.A.R.T. in something like Crystal Disk Info...yes...done.

Of course I'm mostly curious, and as stated before, just want to make sure this is not something to do with all that HP Junk, I detest that stuff LOL. And need to learn how to read MiniToolBox stuff. Even with those Errors the pc seems to run fine, so don't know how much those Errors mean?

I have a Retail sysprep Image I may drop on there just to see if I get those same exact 80% CPU Spikes. Then Run MiniToolBox again. And maybe it would be worth running the OEM HDD Tool also.

Thanks guys for all the advice.

 

[file3456]

In my first post I gave you links to test the HDD. Use them.

If the HDD is bad then you have no choice but to get a new HDD. No amount of junkware removal, etc will fix this.

Worst case the motherboard controller or HDD port is shot.