So I'm having trouble with my CPU usage being stuck at 100%

Hmmm, does this happen on right click on a folder in explorer ? Because that would be a known XP bug. No bugfix yet...

Open task manager and check on what apps are running at the time its maxed

All I would have to do is click on a folder in Windows Explorer for it to happen. Just one day is started doing it...

Weird how I uninstalled Windowblinds 4 and Windows Explorer seems to be acting fine . When I analyze with either optimizer, the same thing occurs.

I would really hate to format again...

Anthony, I did not see your reply when I just posted.

The respected optimizers are what is taking up the CPU usage. Like I said, one day I went to analyze and it started occuring. Have uninstalled both with the same results after reinstalling.


When I start analyzing, the light will show disk activity for about 10-15 seconds, then it will stop and the CPU usage jumps to 100% for about 1-2 minutes, after following what I said above.


No viruses and no trojans, etc.. Just scanned with NAV and Trojan Remover. No spyware either; searched with Adaware and BPS Spyware Remover (while also running Spystopper).

when ever you launch an app or tell your pc to perform a task it is normal to have it peak to 100% however that peak should be fairly short a few seconds upto maybe 10 or so... would depend on the app being launched. I would be more interested to know what the windows task manager reveals for cpu usage. It will reveal more info... on the processes tab it will reveal which app is hogging how much cpu. on the performance tab you will see a graph of activity for however long you leave it open.

I watched the processes tab while analyzing and also sorted the processes by CPU usage.

Like I said, the respected optimizers are takin up the CPU usage. I know it's normal to spike @ 100% and maybe stay there for a little. But the disk activity light stops after 10-15 seconds when analyzing and the CPU usage stays at 100 % for 1-2 minutes. That is not right. Then like I said, after 1-2 minutes, the light will come back on and then stop again, with the CPU usage being stuck at 100%.


Windows Explorer seems fine now after uninstalling WB 4 (have not yet reinstalled it).

A problem I experienced was with Norton once. My CPU usage skyrocketed to 100 for no reason and it turned out to be automatic live update scanning my machine for updates so i disabled automatic live update and the rollercoaster stopped,I also had to discontinue using norton firewall 2003 cause it used more resources than all the apps on my computer combined ,their firewall for 2003 is clearly a program that leaks memory.

windows can sometimes have issues managing the ram or more specifically the cache system. It is called "thrashing" There are two different scenerios that one might see.
1. windows appears to be frozen and there is lots of disk activity. It may sometimes come out of it by its self and other times it will continue until you give it the 3 finger salute.
2. once again windows appears to be frozen without disk activity basically the same results as the first. In both of these cases your CPU can sky rocket.

Lets also keep in mind that in your case your actually performing a task.

so whats going on while your pc is thrashing? The CPU is moving data between the cache and the user RAM this cache can be physical window cache or Virtual memory. the problem is that its moving the data back and forth rather aimlessly because your task is requesting more info then the available memory.

manage the Virtual memory yourself. This can reduce thrashing significantly. set the VM to a min. of 1.5 x your physical RAM upto as high as 2 x.

It is very difficult to trouble shoot a system you can not have hands on but it sound like this might be the issue. If not ... I tried.

Have you tried excluding all the Norton apps from being skinned by WB?

Norton does some funky things (really deeps hooks).  They seem to be OK on some machines and not others, not sure why.

§tatic, I've always had it manually set. KarmaGirl, right now I don't have Windowblinds installed.


Windows Explorer still does it.

I've noticed my IEs are takin up the CPU usage (with Windows Explorer and watching the processes on task manager). Like I'll have Outlook Express open with 3 IEs and WMP, then I'll bring up Windows Explorer, click on a folder and it'll do it.

I right clicked all the IEs on the taskbar and closed them real quick and it stopped whereas before I would just close Windows Explorer and wait it out. Hmmmm....

If you have 811493: Security Update (Windows XP) installed that can cause problems of this kind. Try uninstalling that.

Another good tip is to deselect Fast Indexing on your drive properties.

I'm with Fuzzy on this one. Check this link http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;158705 to find out how to PROPERLY keep Fast Find from starting up with Windows. Removing it from the Startup folder is not enough.

It's true that windows is the culprit in a lot of the cases. Windows doesn't unload dll's once the operation is finished and also it doesn't return the memory that the application used. I actually have to manually free my memory using TweakXP Pro. This can force most of the load unto the CPU. Defragging can help, but you need to have a good defragmenter that agrees with the way windows want things optimized. I don't use Norton's Disk Doctor because of this problem. I prefer Perfect Disk. Also, I look to see what program is causing this problem. A program itself could be causing the problem if it was fragmented or contains errors or orphan registry entries. It could also be a fragmented registry. If it is a program, other than windows, I just uninstall it and reinstall it after defragmenting my system. I've done this with DesktopX, Windowblinds, and sysmetrix. And, it seems to fix the problem. I had this problem with mysystem hanging and the CPU going to 100% when I pressed the start menu. Since windowsblinds was the only possible modification to my start menu, I uninstalled it and reinstalled and stopped happening. I am always adding themes and fragmentation to the program may result.
There is a common problem with windows and they way it handles memory, caching and dll's, and when the memory gets low, the CPU gets overloaded. But if it is windows program like explorer that are causing the problem about all one can do is defrag or reinstall windows.
Note that this problem is also common with spyware which will hog system resources to transmit data about what you are doing,such as what programs you are using, what websites you visit and then transmit that information when you connect to the web. So you may want to watch for the spyware too.

Fuzzy I'm all good there and I'm all good there Tryzub.


Chas, I use TweakXP and are you talkin about optimizing Memory from TweakXP?


Yeah, I also use Diskeeper (which I'm sure you read already) and today it took almost 7 hours to defrag. Only happens on C though and E (which is a partition) is fine along with D and F which are a separate drive. Before, it never took longer than 2 hours.

I use ASO or Advanced System Optimizer to optimize my registry.


I have gotten rid of Windowblinds and my skins (just reinstalled them) along with NAV, Norton Utilities, Diskeeper and several other progs.

Like I said, no spyware or viruses; searched with NAV, Trojan Remover, Adaware and BPS Spyware Remover while running Spystopper. I have 512 megs of ram and use Memory Booster. Has never dropped below 28%.



From what I have been reading, on any computer no matter how fast, the possibilities of the cause are MANY. With some people, it's when they try to print, somebody else it's Windows Explorer, somebody else it's MS Word and so on and so on. It can be caused from problems with XP reading .avi's and a simple registry edit will fix it.

It's been said that it IS a problem with 2000 and XP.


Would really hate to format again. Any other suggestions are most definitely welcomed.

Hehe...just don't use explorer....