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Windows Vista High CPU usage

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by gloworm, 2011/08/20.

  1. 2011/08/20
    gloworm

    gloworm Inactive Thread Starter

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    I have been getting a high cpu usage message and when this happens my curser jumps and jiggles.
     
    gloworm,
    #1
  2. 2011/08/20
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Hi gloworm, Welcome to Windowsbbs! :)

    Could you please provide a little more information about your problem. Does the high CPU usage happen very often? Have you made any recent hardware or software change before this issue started happening?

    Download and run Process Explorer. Extract the files and then run the procexp.exe program. Monitor how many processes are running on the system and let me know which process is using all of the CPU usage.

    Is the computer slow all the time or is it only slow when the computer has high CPU usage?

    Also please enter your System Details. It helps us in answering your questions.

    Note: A common error is to forget to show your System Details in your profile:

     
    Evan Omo,
    #2


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  4. 2011/08/21
    gloworm

    gloworm Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi Evan, I downloaded, extracted the files and ran the program, but I don't understand how to read the thing. There is a colored chart that the figures are changing -am I in the right place?
    My computer is slow only when it has the high CPU usage. If i restart it, it stops it long enough for me to finish what I am doing

    I did fill in some of my computer info on the system details.
    Thanks for your help.
     
    gloworm,
    #3
  5. 2011/08/21
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Your hardware specs seem fine. Process Explorer shows the list of all background programs and services that are running on your Windows machine. In Process Explorer click the CPU column to order all of the processes by CPU usage. The processes will fluctuate but you should be able to identify which process is causing the problem.

    Also how many processes are running in Process Explorer?
     
    Evan Omo,
    #4
  6. 2011/08/21
    wildfire

    wildfire Getting Old

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    gloworm, it may also help Evan to know which OS you're running, a safe bet to say it's Vista 64Bit (but I've known safe bets to fall at the final hurdle ;)). What SP level have you installed though?

    I know it's a PITA but we don't ask for these details in your profile for fun ;)
     
    wildfire,
    #5
  7. 2011/08/21
    gloworm

    gloworm Inactive Thread Starter

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    There is about 38 processers running. The 3 highest are MsMpEng.exe, searchindexer.exe and ccsychst.exe
     
    gloworm,
    #6
  8. 2011/08/21
    gloworm

    gloworm Inactive Thread Starter

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    It's Vista Home Premium 64 bit. I don't know what SP level means so I don't know where to look
     
    gloworm,
    #7
  9. 2011/08/21
    wildfire

    wildfire Getting Old

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    (SP -Service Pack, Vista has had a couple) SIW in evan's previous link would tell you, as would right clicking on my computer and selecting properties.

    It's nice to know that people take time to read the links after Admin has spent so much time ensuring they are easy to follow:rolleyes:
     
    wildfire,
    #8
  10. 2011/08/21
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Ok. MsMpEng.exe belongs to Microsoft Security Essentials and normally won't make the system slow down. The searchindexer.exe is Windows Search and normally that won't cause a lot of high CPU usage either.

    The ccsvchst.exe process is associated with Norton Antivirus. Do you have Norton installed and running in the background? If you do then I would recommend that you uninstall it since you already have Microsoft Security Essentials running on the machine. To remove any Norton products, download the Norton Removal Tool.

    Also to find what Service Pack the Vista machine is running click Start< Right click My Computer and click Properties. The System Properties window will open which will show you what Service Pack is installed.
     
    Evan Omo,
    #9
  11. 2011/08/22
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    As Evan posted above, there are several reports of high CPU usage with Norton's ccsvchst.exe:

    ccsvchst.exe cpu usage Issue

    Possible Solution CCSVCHST .EXE Problem

    If you are using Microsoft Security Essentials, I suggest you choose one of the two, either Norton AV or MSE. It is not recommended to run two AV programs. If you only have Windows Defender (Norton should have switched that off), make sure it is disabled.

    You can disable the active scanning from one of them, and only use it on demand instead if you want to use two (but why would you?).
     
    Arie,
    #10
  12. 2011/08/22
    gloworm

    gloworm Inactive Thread Starter

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    I am running service pack 2. Anyway since I removed Norton, I haven't had the problem.
    I believe you solved it for me. Thank you so much.
     
    gloworm,
    #11
  13. 2011/08/22
    gloworm

    gloworm Inactive Thread Starter

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    I removed Norton as Evan suggested and it solved my problem, Thank you.
     
    gloworm,
    #12
  14. 2011/08/22
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Great. Glad you were able to get your problem resolved. :)
     
    Evan Omo,
    #13

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