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Hi.. I've been reading a lot of threads about computer having system idle process always at 99%.. but it seems like there isn't a solution for it.. most ppl thinks that it is just normal...
Yes.. i think it is normal for some.. coz i used to have this without any problem when i'm not really running anything.. However recently my computer slows down a lot because of that... it seems like whatever i run... the software cannot use the CPU activity more than a few percent.. and system idle process keep at 90+ .. even running photoshop .. it only uses about 20%.. which actually uses more the last time when i don't have this problem...
i thought maybe something is hogging the CPU activity.. but not shown here.. a spyware maybe.. but i've run scannedw it ad-aware.. but nothing was found.. i've uninstalled the indexing system.. no changes as well... i did a clean boot.. also no changes..
please don't tell me this is normal.. coz i know .. yes it is normal for most ppl.. but it is only normal when i'm not running anything.. and if i'm running something.. or a lot of things.. and it still stays at high CPU activity.. it's not normal..
bittorrent for example usually uses about 80% of my CPU activity.. now it's only about 1%.... and i can't open more than 3 windows now coz the third window will freeze.. i used to be able to open up to 16 bittorrent windows...
is it hardware related..?? coz recently one of the fan in my motherboard stop spinning.. but i coudln't get it to run again.. thought my comp still boots normally.. of course it's the the CPU fan.. it's another smaller fan that i'm not sure what it's for..
or could it be memory problem.. something wrong with my RAM perhaps.. coz two weeks ago.. i ahve problem booting my computer.. and i took out my ram and put it back and it works again.. though the problem now didn't start then.. i started only one week ago..
"most ppl thinks that it is just normal..."
That is because IT IS normal for the system idle process to be at 99% mine is always at 99% as well just like everyone elses. If you are having issues it because of something else, not the system idle process.
So yes, it is normal and I am telling you that it is normal and if you don't like the fact that it is normal, tuff.
KTTD
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Believe, system idle process at 99% is normal. Its what the CPU does when its got nothing else to do.
When you run a programme and the system idle process remains at around 90% it just means that that particular application is not making much demand on the CPU.
If the computer freezes when opening three Windows it is something other than the system idle process. Faulty memory perhaps.
Even with an application running, the CPU still spends most of its time doing nothing - waiting for input, waiting for memory, waiting for the hard disk, waiting for the video to be updated, thats all it does wait. Its only when doing something like complex floating point calcualtions or complex graphics processing that you will see the CPU usage go up.
Stuart
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Stuart,
Thanks for filling in the blanks. I've got a nasty cold and brain is running no where near 99% :(
I was gonna explain it but could not think of how to explain it :(
KTTD
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To find out what each Startup(or Process) item does or means:
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
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yes.. i know system idle is normal..
but in my case, even as the system is idle at 99%.. there're a lot of activity with my processor.. it's not idle..
any program that i start.. runs very very slow now compare to when it was fine ( and of course i agree then that system idle at 99% is normal )... but it seems like it's not really normal now.. any program that i run are not allocated enough CPU processing because of that.. and my computer is running really slow now..
even if it is really idle.. then there must be some problem with allocation of CPU processing power to the program that i run.. when i watch movie now.. it lags very often.. and i can't even open up a window normally without affecting window media player.. this is just one of the example..
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If you reread what has been posted, it is not the system idle. It is some other problem that is leaving excess cpu usage which is then eaten up by the Idle Process.
Cheers!
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Gostz
You also mentioned in your origional post that one of your fans inside the pc stopped spinning...and you couldn't get it to spin again. Although the computer boots fine ( cus it's cooled down) I would soon check out the possibility that whatever it is that the fan stopped spinning on..vid card...cpu...may be over heating!...The fan was put there for a reason. I know when one of the fans quit running in any of my pc's...I dont run my pc till I get a new fan that works...overheating will cause slowdowns and if you keep running it while it's too hot you are going to fry something.
As for the hdd doing lots of activity...could be a number of things...after not doing anything at the comp for a while...it might be doing it's system restore back-up thing, could be any number of your programs that are set to auto update (like antivirus, windows auto update if enabled) searching for updates...mine searches for updates several x/day.
You mentioned using ad-aware to check for spyware....have ou also run an updated virus/trojan scan?...that too can account for hdd activity when you are "doing nothing"Online virus scans
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php
I would sure look to replace that toasted fan.
If you want to test your memory...
http://www.memtest86.com/
Good luck and Happy Holidays!
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thanx blender.. i'll check out my fan.. been running two weeks without the fan working constantly.. haven't shutdown for two weeks..
as for stuff running in the backgroudn.. well.. i just formatted my computer last night.. it didn't fix the problem.. so i guess it must be hardware problem.. and it can't be antivirus program.. coz my norton antivirus auto-protect is disabled when i got this problem.. it's the same now even after i formatted my computer..
it should be the hardware problem that causes both the high system idle process and auto-protect disabled in norton antivirus...
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The hardware problem would likely be the cause of the computer running slow....the hardware problem shouldnt disable auto protect in norton...that could be many reasons including corrupt install, conflict with another program, virus infection, improper configuration of NAV, which is why I gave you several links to online virus scanners.
Mabye to see if it is an overheating problem...try removing the pc cover and direct a fan blowing on it and run it that way for a bit...see if it improves...if ya quit freezing up and it seems to run better...then ya know it is the fan (the broken one) Just be careful of what you touch in there...don't be playin in there with the power on..(I'm sure you know that tho)
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