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100% cpu usage

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godreborn

godreborn

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hello. I'm having a weird issue where my laptop shows 100% cpu usage. I had it replaced with another pc, and it's doing the same thing. it's random, and it happens while idle. I've tried a couple methods to determine cpu usage. weird thing is that when it shows 100% cpu usage, all processes don't seem to add up to that. this is especially prevalent when using firefox. I've had some issues with the internet especially when it's at 100% cpu usage. when it's that high, the internet runs at dial up speeds. my new pc seems to run the internet pretty well, but it still shows 100% cpu usage at random times. could an old router's signal, even if not connected to it, cause this problem? I mean the wifi signal. thanks!
 
First, list your specs. That will give us an idea of what your CPU is capable of and if 100% is normal.

Second, go into Resource Monitor and under the CPU tab, you’ll see which processes are taking up all the resources (usually they’ll be system tasks).

If it is system tasks, you’ll be able to find out specifically which services they are using Process Viewer.

Also, make sure to update all drivers and maybe BIOS, since I’ve seen that fix a lot of 100% CPU issues with work laptops.
 
godreborn said:
hello. I'm having a weird issue where my laptop shows 100% cpu usage. I had it replaced with another pc, and it's doing the same thing. it's random, and it happens while idle. I've tried a couple methods to determine cpu usage. weird thing is that when it shows 100% cpu usage, all processes don't seem to add up to that. this is especially prevalent when using firefox. I've had some issues with the internet especially when it's at 100% cpu usage. when it's that high, the internet runs at dial up speeds. my new pc seems to run the internet pretty well, but it still shows 100% cpu usage at random times. could an old router's signal, even if not connected to it, cause this problem? I mean the wifi signal. thanks!
Click to expand...

If the same thing is happening on both the laptop and PC, then the same thing between the 2 is yourself. Therefore I would deduct that it is either a software package you're installing on both that isn't compatible with the hardware or a piece of hardware you're connecting that is malfunctioning. When you're not using Firefox, what is the CPU usage like? Is it an add-on which is chewing up CPU usage? Is Firefox bare bones? i.e. are you testing CPU usage off the base install? Are there any warnings in Device Manager against any listed component? If you load the PC / Laptop into safe mode which disables all drivers, what is the CPU usage like? We need more to go on really.
 
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I haven't checked safe mode, but the cpu usage was at 100% the moment I booted the system up for the first time. there's also nothing plugged into it. this is before I connected to my router too which is why I was wondering if a signal from a router could cause a computer to behave in this manner. there are no warnings in device manager either. the cpu usage jumped to 100% before I installed firefox, but it increases while using it. I haven't seen it jump to 100% except before I installed firefox. that's actually the only thing I have installed on the newer pc.

edit: is it possible that the system is misreading the cpu usage (i.e. like a bug with windows 10)? and, some cpu's reach 100% by default?
 
Last edited by godreborn,
godreborn said:
I haven't checked safe mode, but the cpu usage was at 100% the moment I booted the system up for the first time. there's also nothing plugged into it. this is before I connected to my router too which is why I was wondering if a signal from a router could cause a computer to behave in this manner. there are no warnings in device manager either. the cpu usage jumped to 100% before I installed firefox, but it increases while using it. I haven't seen it jump to 100% except before I installed firefox. that's actually the only thing I have installed on the newer pc.

edit: is it possible that the system is misreading the cpu usage (i.e. like a bug with windows 10)? and, some cpu's reach 100% by default?
Click to expand...

The answer to your question is no, or at least that's something I've never experienced. And again no, the signal from the router cannot do this either. What is the processor? How much ram are you using? Are you connecting the same hard drive between the 2 machines? In IT, when you have a problem that carries across 2 machines, it is very rare that it is just a coincidence. More often than not (and I'd swear my life on it in this case), there is a common denominator. Is the version of Windows you've installed legit? Or trusted? Could it be modified and running something in the background you're unaware of? i.e. your computer being used for a DOS attack etc.

If I were you, I'd start with safe mode without networking and see what the CPU usage is. Then safemode with networking, see what the CPU usage is i.e. connect it to your network and compare.
 
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try to pause the antivirus, and if that does nothing try to disable superfetch service (on both cases reboot to see if something has changed, and if the cpu still at 100% re-enable it)
you could also try to run malwarebytes scan.
anyway the specs (including the windows version) would help
 
on the better computer; AMD FX-9900P RADEON R7, 2.70GHz
AMD RADEON R8 M445DX
16GBs ram
 
This is almost always a heat issue. Are you getting temp fluctuations? If not that, I have seen chipset/gpu drivers, and aps like Mozilla suck a system dry of processing power. If an application is causing it, usually it will cap out memory usage before CPU.
 
Last edited by GreatCrippler,
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it's odd. I just checked the cpu usage, and it was fluctuating between 1 and 3% with nothing running, at least nothing I've initiated. I'm wondering if it's the virus scan that came bundled with the system. it's McAfee. I originally checked the cpu usage after the system was booted up for the first time. maybe booting up caused the spike?
 
godreborn said:
it's odd. I just checked the cpu usage, and it was fluctuating between 1 and 3% with nothing running, at least nothing I've initiated. I'm wondering if it's the virus scan that came bundled with the system. it's McAfee. I originally checked the cpu usage after the system was booted up for the first time. maybe booting up caused the spike?
Click to expand...

McAfee is a system hog. And not a great anti-virus. I'd get rid of it either way.
 
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well with windows 10 it is not uncommon but usually it is the hdd that is at 100% xD

windows 10 installs lots of shitty software on your system in the background and if you try to delete/uninstall it it eill just reinstall :/ (at least if you do while it is still installing stuff)

when I was new to windows 10 that stupid thing installed skype and some other stuff over and over and over ..... again till I let it do everything in the background first
 
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Are you using by chance Windows 10?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Also what brand of hardware are you using?
 
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yes, windows 10. I have malwarebytes installed on my older laptop. the computer was replaced by Dell since it's still under warranty. I just haven't shipped it back yet (have 10 business days since last Sunday, so I have a bit of time). the tech at Dell said something about older malwarebytes versions being system hogs and to update it. however, malwarebytes isn't installed on this new laptop. the cpu was fluctuating at between 1 and 3 percent earlier today. when I originally checked the pc, the hdd was also at 100%, but I haven't seen that since initial boot up. there doesn't seem to be any connection between both laptops.
 
Then it could be the Windows Update service. However the only way to know would be to know what services are running at 100% at the time (as in my first post) or when the last updates were installed.

I agree that removing McAfee should be a priority. It makes me cringe when I see some of my customers using it when there are so many better options in the market.

Anyway, since the CPU usage has normalised now... nothing to worry about I guess.
 
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as I understand it, windows defender does a pretty good job on its own?

I'll come back here if the cpu usage spikes again. I'm wondering if it's normal for the cpu usage to spike from just booting up the computer only to drop after a few moments.
 
godreborn said:
as I understand it, windows defender does a pretty good job on its own?

I'll come back here if the cpu usage spikes again. I'm wondering if it's normal for the cpu usage to spike from just booting up the computer only to drop after a few moments.
Click to expand...
yes, that is completly normal. I for one thought you were reporting a continuated cpu 100% usage. finishing booting!=idle
 
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