RunAway CPU Utilization!

[technomann]

WIndows 7 64-bit, ASUS i7 8 GB memory. Runaway CPU after 5 minutes of boot up. Task Manager useless- freezes before showing which process is responsible. SysInternals Process Manager freezes too. No indication of which process is responsible. Don't know if it is hardware, software, malware or what cause. Looking for answers on best way to diagnose this problem. Difficult to fun diagnostics, reg cleaner, etc when machine freezes after 5 minutes. Desperate for solution-- HELP!

 

[DavidE]

I would start trying to narrow it down by using a clean startup.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

And what Anti Virus do you use?

 

[technomann]

And what Anti Virus do you use?

I use Norton Internet Security. Now that I think about it. Seems like these problems started after the latest upgrade to NIS...

 

[Cliff789]

WIndows 7 64-bit, ASUS i7 8 GB memory. Runaway CPU after 5 minutes of boot up. Task Manager useless- freezes before showing which process is responsible. SysInternals Process Manager freezes too. No indication of which process is responsible. Don't know if it is hardware, software, malware or what cause. Looking for answers on best way to diagnose this problem. Difficult to fun diagnostics, reg cleaner, etc when machine freezes after 5 minutes. Desperate for solution-- HELP!

I'm having something like this on my HP pavillion laptop
I created a fresh user account and the boot went flawlessly.
I suspect it's one of the programs I have loaded as it does it in all other user accounts where I have other software installed.

My post is here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/288437-super-slow-user-account-profile-boot.html

 

[technomann]

I would start trying to narrow it down by using a clean startup.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

OK I did a "clean" startup, as you suggested. It seems to be a bit better, BUT the machine still seems to be "running hot", if that makes any sense. The HD's seem to be revving faster than normal and the machine in noisier than usual. Any other ideas? Do any of those "diagnose and fix" programs really work?

 

[windude99]

I would start trying to narrow it down by using a clean startup.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

OK I did a "clean" startup, as you suggested. It seems to be a bit better, BUT the machine still seems to be "running hot", if that makes any sense. The HD's seem to be revving faster than normal and the machine in noisier than usual. Any other ideas? Do any of those "diagnose and fix" programs really work?

Try uninstalling Norton Internet Security and using Microsoft Security Essentials: Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

 

[Cliff789]

Do any of those "diagnose and fix" programs really work?

Wouldn't that be nice? Pay like $30 and get a technical service guy in a box.
PCmatic.com At least the flower girl Kelly Gaita is cute.

 

[DavidE]

In addition to the suggestion from windude99...

The problem starts ~5 minutes AFTER Windows starts, right?

Can you open Process Explorer and Task Manager BEFORE the slowdown/freezing starts ?
If they are open before the issue, do they show what suddenly starts using CPU and/or Disk Activity?
Task Manager > Resource Moniter > Disk tab should show what is causing Disk usage.

If you think it is running Hot (temperature) you should use a program such as HWMonitor to check temps.
HWMonitor - CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

If by "diagnose and fix" programs you mean Registry Cleaners , they cause more problems than they solve.
The only program I use is Ccleaner - File cleanup.
Some people here say the Ccleaner registry cleaner is safe, but I've never used it.

 

[technomann]

In addition to the suggestion from windude99...

The problem starts ~5 minutes AFTER Windows starts, right?

Can you open Process Explorer and Task Manager BEFORE the slowdown/freezing starts ?
If they are open before the issue, do they show what suddenly starts using CPU and/or Disk Activity?
Task Manager > Resource Moniter > Disk tab should show what is causing Disk usage.

That's the very first thing I tried. I opened Task Manager and Process Explorer as soon as I booted up. The strange thing is that they don't identify any runaway process before the machine locks up...

 

[Cliff789]

That's the very first thing I tried. I opened Task Manager and Process Explorer as soon as I booted up. The strange thing is that they don't identify any runaway process before the machine locks up...

Make that part of the start up routine instead of you trying to invoke it manually.
Go to your folder where the executable for process explorer is and make a shortcut of the executable.
Then cut and paste that short cut to your startup folder.

Find the Startup folder by navigating to the Globe Start button
select All Programs
Scroll down to the Startup folder.
Right Click it
Select Open
Paste the short cut there.
Reboot
The program should open as a part of the start up routine.

This didn't do me much good because whatever was locking my system up was also making everything else non responsive.

 

[technomann]

This didn't do me much good because whatever was locking my system up was also making everything else non responsive.

Yeah, which makes it impossible to run any virus or malware scans. It's starting to look like I might be infected. I tried running Norton Bootable Rescue Tool from a USB flash drive, but even that stopped scanning. SO I pulled the HDD out of the machine and hooked it up to another computer via USB and ran a Norton scan. Found a few viruses/trojans, yet when I re-installed thew drive it didn't seem to fix the problem....

 

[Cliff789]

It's starting to look like I might be infected. [...] hooked it up to another computer via USB and ran a Norton scan. Found a few viruses/trojans, yet when I re-installed thew drive it didn't seem to fix the problem....

What antivirus internet security were you running?

If you like to play where things are dangerous,:devil: either run something like this:Sandboxie - Sandbox software for application isolation and secure Web browsing
or build yourself a dedicated trash box that you don't care about and are willing to format and F-disk any time.
I run one for just that sort of thing. It's no fun coming home with fleas.
Another solution is to do it all using a KNOIPPIX disk which you can get free.


About the possible virus issue: On a good box load a good antivirus like Kaspersky internet security. The whole suite. Then plug that HD in to that and see what you get as a result. Those free scanners are only so good and I'm afraid they are pretty limited.

 

[technomann]

If you like to play where things are dangerous,:devil: either run something like this:Sandboxie - Sandbox software for application isolation and secure Web browsing
or build yourself a dedicated trash box that you don't care about and are willing to format and F-disk any time.
I run one for just that sort of thing. It's no fun coming home with fleas.

I think the problems started when I tried to update Google Chrome. I heard there was a new update, but I couldn't figure out how to update it from the Chrome browser. So I googled "update chrome" in Firefox. I went to a page in the results and clicked on that. But instead of updating Chrome the file I clicked on installed a bunch of bogus toolbars on Firefox and IE. I got fooled! :shock:

Sandboxie looks great-- I'll try that...