Ridiculous performance problem Windows 7 Pro RTM x64

[Firestrider]

At work I have a Dell Optiplex 760 machine with a Core 2 Duo E8600, 4 GB of RAM, Radeon HD 3450 graphics card, 320 GB hard drive, etc. for reference.

I formatted the drive completely (OEM partition, and Dell's XP Pro image) and setup the drive for Windows 7 Pro RTM x64 (an ISO I got off TechNet). When the setup finished and I get to the desktop I notice that the CPU utilization is sitting at 40% idle from an unknown process (meaning I can't see it even when showing all processes) and the graphics are running really slow (just by moving windows). First thing I do is look at device manager and make sure all the drivers are installed and it turns out only a PCI device and PCI communications device are not installed. I then updated the graphics driver from Windows Update (dated 5/16/2009), and the problem is still not fixed. After I went to AMD's site and got the latest Catalyst display driver for Windows 7 x64 and in the middle of the installation I got a blue screen...

Anyone know what could be causing this? What does the problem lie?

 

[Dorfdad]

Try this I think it has something to do with your video drivers honestly. Ive had this before try uninstalling all drivers you have installed for your video card.

Reboot into safe mode and look at your CPU utilization. What is it? If its a drive conflict either video or otherwise it should not show up in safemode and your speed should be faster.

If its all good reboot into regular windows. Download the newest DRIVER only for your video card from the manufacture and install it manually.

Reboot and see if it fixes it. If it does and you want to install the ATI catalyst software go ahead now and install it. It should work. Let me know what happens.

Secondly I would recommend that you download all the newest WIn7 or Vista 64 drivers for your hardware and install them over the default windows installations for chipset etc..

 

[soulesschild]

I would never install graphic drivers from Windows Update. Always get them from ATI.

 

[Firestrider]

Yep I keep getting blue screens when trying catalyst 9.7..

 

[TGSoldier]

Uninstall your drivers

Use Driver Sweeper in safe mode

Reinstall the latest driver from your manufacture.

 

[Dorfdad]

Ok when you were in safe mode what was your CPU at? 40% still? DId you install just the drivers and not catalyst drivers? If so did it work for graphics only without the manager?

 

[Firestrider]

Yeah there was no problem with CPU utilization in safe mode (caused by hardware interrupts). I actually don't think it's caused by the graphics driver anymore as it might be Intel's Active Management Technology driver.

EDIT It seems Intel is at fault not AMD: I had to run the Intel AMT driver from Dell's website as Administrator in Vista compatibility mode. Problem is fixed now.

Found info here: http://khason.net/itpro/windows-7-dry-run-or-why-intel-does-not-like-microsoft/

 

[Dorfdad]

Great glad it worked out for you!