Home › Forums › Archives › Computer Support › Computer Support Discussion › System 50% of my CPU.
- This topic has 17 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 6 months ago by denishowe.
-
AuthorPosts
-
October 5, 2007 at 5:55 pm #27762UnconsciousMember
Hello, I’m new here, and I’m having some problems.
I found the forums via a google search for “MSN 50% CPU usage”.
The other day, I had spilt water on my keyboard. It had worked fine afterwards, but the next day, the keys were playing up:
The 1 key, 2 key, and 3 key all acted as each other: so if I press ‘1’ it actually comes out as 123; and opens Windows Media Player.q, w and e = qwe
a, s and d = asdAs well as other keys doing the same thing.
After worrying about it being a software problem, I had decided to test the keyboard on another computer. My suspicions were correct, and the actual hardware was the problem, not the software.
So I went out, and bought myself another USB keyboard. It works fine.
However, now I have another issue.
The System process is using a constant 50% of my CPU. I was reading about what might cause this, and it could be drivers. However, I had uninstalled the keyboard, and the problem was still there. I have done the following:
Ad-Aware Scan
Nod32 Scan
Defragged the C Drive
Checked the Event Viewer
Hijack this scan
Reinstalled the keyboardNone of which have made any effect.
However, when I end the system process (it doesn’t really end it, but it shuts down all the services) it no longer uses 50% of the CPU, but instead, Windows Live Messenger uses that 50% CPU up instead.
I’m really running out of ideas here. Any help would be lovely.
EDIT: I’ve fiddled around, and restarted my PC. lsass.exe seems to hog a lot of resources during the start-up, it slows things down a lot. After it’s calmed down, however, System takes over and hogs between 46-50% of my CPU.
October 5, 2007 at 8:19 pm #164632MrEggsaladParticipantThe keyboard issue you had shouldn’t matter as keyboards are for the most part plug and play devices. You may want to start out by reinstalling Windows Live Messenger (uninstall completely then reinstall from newly downloaded install off internet).
October 5, 2007 at 8:27 pm #164642UnconsciousMemberThat’d work out well to fix the Windows Live Messenger glitch, however, the ‘system’ hogging the CPU is the main problem here. It is rendered my PC near obsolete.
October 5, 2007 at 8:50 pm #164633MrEggsaladParticipantFirst, are you on XP or Vista.
Second, what I think you should do is open up msconfig (Start >> Run >> type “msconfig” no quotes) and go to startup and services and see what you don’t need. Once you say which OS I’ll be able to provide better instructions. Don’t mess around with msconfig too much or you can potentially mess up your system.
October 5, 2007 at 9:17 pm #164643UnconsciousMemberI’ve played with MsConfig before, I’ve removed everything I felt safe removing. I don’t dare touch the ‘services’ tab. I don’t know what half those services are, so I don’t want to risk messing something up.
I am using Windows XP.
October 5, 2007 at 9:56 pm #164644UnconsciousMemberRight now it’s Lsass.exe using my CPU.
This is really weird. I tried to format C: obviously I can’t, because I’m using C at the moment.
So I decide to reformat via the windows installer… It gets into it, and when I start the installation, it gives me the BSOD!!!
How am I supposed to reformat my computer?!
EDIT: I have just restarted my computer, and I have discovered something. The lsass.exe problem appears to be related to Windows Live Messenger. I logged on as an alternative account, that doesn’t have auto-login enabled, and the CPU was fine. I went back into my account, and the lsass.exe cpu shot up. I shut MSN down, and the CPU was fine again, as is the system.
Windows Live Messenger seems to be the culprit. I don’t think I’ll be getting it again – can anyone recommend me another MSN version?
++ Anyone got any idea why it won’t let me reformat my computer? It’d be important to know for in the future.
October 5, 2007 at 10:13 pm #164635dvelez1985Member*omit*
October 5, 2007 at 10:41 pm #164634MrEggsaladParticipantdvelez1985;223626 wrote:What do you mean by BSOD?Blue Screen of Death.
Well I was reading about the issue online and you’ve done what I would have suggested you do (msconfig). Maybe dvelez1985 can help out here?
October 5, 2007 at 10:51 pm #164639Doris KenneyParticipantI’m going to try and help you out, and something about your problem is quite familiar, but I do need to ask a couple of questions.
Do you have any 3rd party add-ons to WLM? (Plus! or Mess?)
Do you have WLM set to start when Windows loads?
Are you using a router?
Can you tell me which OS and how much RAM you have? Messengers in general hog up quite a bit.Also…have you run a HiJack this log? lsass.exe seems to be a necessary function of System32 BUT can be located elsewhere as a trojan.
-Doris-
October 6, 2007 at 1:10 am #164636PhilipModeratorIt could have something to do with XP’s Automatic Updates feature. On your desktop, right-click the My Computer icon and click on Properties. Select the Automatic Updates tab. Disable Automatic Updates. Please post back and tell me whether that solves your problem or not.
October 6, 2007 at 8:32 am #164645UnconsciousMember@patndoris 223632 wrote:
I’m going to try and help you out, and something about your problem is quite familiar, but I do need to ask a couple of questions.
Do you have any 3rd party add-ons to WLM? (Plus! or Mess?)
Do you have WLM set to start when Windows loads?
Are you using a router?
Can you tell me which OS and how much RAM you have? Messengers in general hog up quite a bit.Also…have you run a HiJack this log? lsass.exe seems to be a necessary function of System32 BUT can be located elsewhere as a trojan.
-Doris-
Yes, I had the stuffplug. I removed it a second ago, but the problem is st ill occuring.
Yes.
I believe so ; I am a computer on a LAN. I get my internet from another PC.
Windows XP, with 2 GB of DDR2 RAM, I think.
EDIT:
I’ve found the problem.I had resorted to reloading my machine. Unfortunately, I’m having problems with that, too. (BSOD Every time I get to the setup… It’s a legit copy).. So I decided to run it from the ‘Admin’ user on XP.
I logged on, and there was no CPU drain. Weird. I had a look at MsConfig and there were no differences between that account, and my one… Except for one thing:
Windows Live Messenger signs in automatically on my account.
So I opened up my account, and then monitored the CPU drain from System/lsass.exe… It went up to 50% as soon as MSN was opened. So I shut MSN, and it went down to normal!
It is really bizarre, though. It’s never done this before.
I’m redownloading MSN right now, and hopefully, a fresh install should clear the problem.
If not, I’ve been reading about lsass.exe leaks, which is, if my suspicions are correct, what this is.
Thanks for all your help so far!
I’ll let you know if it doesn’t work. 😉
October 6, 2007 at 8:42 am #164646UnconsciousMemberHow do I do a complete reinstall of WLM? Is there any tools that will remove every trace of it? A fresh install made no difference.
October 7, 2007 at 1:32 am #164637PhilipModeratorUnconscious;223649 wrote:How do I do a complete reinstall of WLM? Is there any tools that will remove every trace of it? A fresh install made no difference.Use the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility. Download it here. Read the instructions carefully before you proceed.
October 8, 2007 at 9:19 pm #164647UnconsciousMemberYup. That’s done it, thanks. 🙂
October 9, 2007 at 9:28 am #164648denishoweMemberIf I set the Windows Live Messenger option to store contacts on the local computer then lsass.exe takes 100% CPU while Messenger is connecting. With this option off, it’s OK.
Denis Howe
foxybingo.com -
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.