High CPU Usage

[p10_sri]

Hi,

I have a windows 7 machine, I have noticed that the CPU usage is generally very high, in the range of 70% to 90% even when no programs are running. On opening Task Manager and after keeping it open for 10-15 secs the CPU usage drops down considerably to 15-20%. I have run antivirus and spybot but no malware was found.

How can I fix that ?

Thanks
p10_sri

[axur-delmeria]

It may be Windows Update running in the background. Try disabling it.

[p10_sri]

Nope, I checked there are no updates running, no JRE, windows, flash nothing . I have kept all updates to only notify no auto updates

[w0qj]

Noted that you are using Windows 7.
~What Thinkpad model are you using?
~Are you using your spinning Hard Drive (HDD)?

1. Press [CTRL]+[SHIFT]+[Esc] at the same time to activate Windows Task Manager.
Goto [Processes_Tab] and see which process/program is using up almost 100% of your CPU.

2. Goto [Control_Panel]>>[Programs_and_Features] and uninstall the misbehaving program (if you do not need it).

[kfzhu1229]

Also the other solution is to upgrade the CPU and ram
also don't run too many antivirus programs, one is enough. For pre core 2 machines, do not run any with autocheck so that it doesn't eat your whole cpu the whole time.

[p10_sri]

Noted that you are using Windows 7.
~What Thinkpad model are you using?
~Are you using your spinning Hard Drive (HDD)?

I am using T410, I think it's HDD only.

[p10_sri]

For pre core 2 machines, do not run any with autocheck so that it doesn't eat your whole cpu the whole time.

Hey,

I am a bit novice, how to know what all programs are running in autocheck mode ? could you elaborate a bit ?

[thinkpadcollection]

Keep in mind all 1st gen i core processors (desktop and notebook processors, regardless of # of cores) are low performance compared to sandy bridge and later. In fact E8600 and Xeon X5470 both are 3.33GHz (based on Core 2), single core is equivalent to 1st gen i core processors in performances even high end types. For this reason I skipped 1st gen desktop and went for ivy bridge desktop. I do have old E8600 desktop and T410, T420 so I know the performance are like using passmark scores based on overall performance of all cores and single core performance.

Just upgrade to 8GB, need a pair, (DDR3 1333 or 1600 will do at 1.5V, 2Rx8 aka 16 chips per module, it will work at DDR3-1066) And pick up i5-580m or i7-640m.

Cheers, thinkpadcollection

[p10_sri]

Right now, I don't want to spend any money on this old box. I would get a new one instead of upgrading, but till then can anything be done for this issue ?

[ZaZ]

On opening Task Manager and after keeping it open for 10-15 secs the CPU usage drops down considerably to 15-20%.

That first 10-15 seconds, what's using the CPU?

[shawross]

Nope, I checked there are no updates running, no JRE, windows, flash nothing . I have kept all updates to only notify no auto updates

Even when you have the Windows Update setting to only notify it can still be running in the background. To make sure it is not Windows Update you have to actually disable updates.

[TankPad]

Can you post a screenshot of the task manager?
How much ram do you have and what type of drive? If you go to the performance monitor, does the memory and disk usage seem high too?