What's using my CPU?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mikek
  • Start date Start date
M

Mikek

When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see that
my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the history
shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal height.

If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
intervals but no more than 5%.

I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what is
using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second but the
processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
generally seems to be:

iexplore.exe
System
Helphost.exe
helpsvc.exe

I am using XP and IE7
I run McAfee Security centre.
I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.

How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
knowledge?

If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
talking to an idiot when you reply.

Thanks
Mike
 
You have some approximation already.

iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This is
a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some CPU
time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System' fake
process entity was invented.

--
V.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
"Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
> When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
> that
> my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
> history
> shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
> height.
>
> If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
> intervals but no more than 5%.
>
> I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what is
> using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second but
> the
> processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
> generally seems to be:
>
> iexplore.exe
> System
> Helphost.exe
> helpsvc.exe
>
> I am using XP and IE7
> I run McAfee Security centre.
> I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
>
> How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
> knowledge?
>
> If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
> talking to an idiot when you reply.
>
> Thanks
> Mike
 
Yes I think I follow that.
However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work being
done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.

Or am I missing a point here?

Mike

"Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:

> You have some approximation already.
>
> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This is
> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some CPU
> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System' fake
> process entity was invented.
>
> --
> V.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
> > that
> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
> > history
> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
> > height.
> >
> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
> > intervals but no more than 5%.
> >
> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what is
> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second but
> > the
> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
> > generally seems to be:
> >
> > iexplore.exe
> > System
> > Helphost.exe
> > helpsvc.exe
> >
> > I am using XP and IE7
> > I run McAfee Security centre.
> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
> >
> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
> > knowledge?
> >
> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Mike
>
>
>
 
IE might have addons which actually can be malware. Try to launch IE without
add-ons and observ the CPU usage. To launch IE withoiut addons, type in cmd:

iexplore.exe -extoff

--
V.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
"Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:32FD4CD3-3BC9-44ED-B53B-FCA6EE6114D6@microsoft.com...
> Yes I think I follow that.
> However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
> negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work being
> done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.
>
> Or am I missing a point here?
>
> Mike
>
> "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
>
>> You have some approximation already.
>>
>> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This
>> is
>> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
>> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some
>> CPU
>> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System'
>> fake
>> process entity was invented.
>>
>> --
>> V.
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
>> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
>> > that
>> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
>> > history
>> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
>> > height.
>> >
>> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
>> > intervals but no more than 5%.
>> >
>> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what
>> > is
>> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second
>> > but
>> > the
>> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
>> > generally seems to be:
>> >
>> > iexplore.exe
>> > System
>> > Helphost.exe
>> > helpsvc.exe
>> >
>> > I am using XP and IE7
>> > I run McAfee Security centre.
>> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
>> >
>> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
>> > knowledge?
>> >
>> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
>> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> > Mike
>>
>>
>>
 
Interesting.

Firstly, thanks for this help.
Wasn't paying too much attention earlier but the usage today has been
peaking at 20% rather than the 30% that it was doing on Tuesday.

Anyway, when I disabled the add-ons the usage dropped to about 10% which is
the same as I see if nothing other than the Task Manager is running. When I
reopen IE as normal it goes back to 20%.

How would I know if any of the add-ons were malware?

Should I be right to worry about that 10% usage when IE is not running as I
don't see similar on any other machines. Having said that this machine has a
broadband connection to the internet and the other machines connect to the
net through this one.

Mike


"Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:

> IE might have addons which actually can be malware. Try to launch IE without
> add-ons and observ the CPU usage. To launch IE withoiut addons, type in cmd:
>
> iexplore.exe -extoff
>
> --
> V.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:32FD4CD3-3BC9-44ED-B53B-FCA6EE6114D6@microsoft.com...
> > Yes I think I follow that.
> > However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
> > negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work being
> > done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.
> >
> > Or am I missing a point here?
> >
> > Mike
> >
> > "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
> >
> >> You have some approximation already.
> >>
> >> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This
> >> is
> >> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
> >> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some
> >> CPU
> >> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System'
> >> fake
> >> process entity was invented.
> >>
> >> --
> >> V.
> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> rights.
> >> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
> >> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
> >> > that
> >> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
> >> > history
> >> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
> >> > height.
> >> >
> >> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
> >> > intervals but no more than 5%.
> >> >
> >> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what
> >> > is
> >> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second
> >> > but
> >> > the
> >> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
> >> > generally seems to be:
> >> >
> >> > iexplore.exe
> >> > System
> >> > Helphost.exe
> >> > helpsvc.exe
> >> >
> >> > I am using XP and IE7
> >> > I run McAfee Security centre.
> >> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
> >> >
> >> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
> >> > knowledge?
> >> >
> >> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
> >> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
> >> >
> >> > Thanks
> >> > Mike
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>
 
Previous post may be a little misleading.

The broadband connection is normally constant but I have just noticed that
if I disconnect then the CPU usage peaks drop to less than 5%.

Have I been worrying over nothing, or do you think that there still may be
cause for concern.

Mike

"Mikek" wrote:

> Interesting.
>
> Firstly, thanks for this help.
> Wasn't paying too much attention earlier but the usage today has been
> peaking at 20% rather than the 30% that it was doing on Tuesday.
>
> Anyway, when I disabled the add-ons the usage dropped to about 10% which is
> the same as I see if nothing other than the Task Manager is running. When I
> reopen IE as normal it goes back to 20%.
>
> How would I know if any of the add-ons were malware?
>
> Should I be right to worry about that 10% usage when IE is not running as I
> don't see similar on any other machines. Having said that this machine has a
> broadband connection to the internet and the other machines connect to the
> net through this one.
>
> Mike
>
>
> "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
>
> > IE might have addons which actually can be malware. Try to launch IE without
> > add-ons and observ the CPU usage. To launch IE withoiut addons, type in cmd:
> >
> > iexplore.exe -extoff
> >
> > --
> > V.
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > rights.
> > "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:32FD4CD3-3BC9-44ED-B53B-FCA6EE6114D6@microsoft.com...
> > > Yes I think I follow that.
> > > However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
> > > negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work being
> > > done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.
> > >
> > > Or am I missing a point here?
> > >
> > > Mike
> > >
> > > "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
> > >
> > >> You have some approximation already.
> > >>
> > >> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This
> > >> is
> > >> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
> > >> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some
> > >> CPU
> > >> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System'
> > >> fake
> > >> process entity was invented.
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> V.
> > >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > >> rights.
> > >> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
> > >> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
> > >> > that
> > >> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
> > >> > history
> > >> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
> > >> > height.
> > >> >
> > >> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
> > >> > intervals but no more than 5%.
> > >> >
> > >> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what
> > >> > is
> > >> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second
> > >> > but
> > >> > the
> > >> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
> > >> > generally seems to be:
> > >> >
> > >> > iexplore.exe
> > >> > System
> > >> > Helphost.exe
> > >> > helpsvc.exe
> > >> >
> > >> > I am using XP and IE7
> > >> > I run McAfee Security centre.
> > >> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
> > >> >
> > >> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
> > >> > knowledge?
> > >> >
> > >> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
> > >> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
> > >> >
> > >> > Thanks
> > >> > Mike
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >
> >
 
A good idea would be using "hijackthis" (a program) and post the log here.
We can find out the problem better.
maybe its a malware disguising as windows system file, but it has to be
loaded somehow.
And thats why you should use "hijackthis".
 
From: "Delta" <bla@bla.net>

| A good idea would be using "hijackthis" (a program) and post the log here.
| We can find out the problem better.
| maybe its a malware disguising as windows system file, but it has to be
| loaded somehow.
| And thats why you should use "hijackthis".

No HJT logs posted in any Microsoft news group or posted to Usenet at large.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp
 
Sounds strange. So, you want to say, that if you have network connection,
your CPU usage is usually approximatly 20 %, and when you disconnect the
cable, it is below 5 %?

Do you have any network services installed? CPU load can be caused by
applications which are sending / or recieving the packets aggresivly, so
that the network stack get's busy. High CPU usage can also be explained by
incoming SMB packets - they are handled in kernel mode, in the 'System'
context.

--
V.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
"Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BE74E08F-30D9-42A3-B061-C3C250A6006D@microsoft.com...
> Previous post may be a little misleading.
>
> The broadband connection is normally constant but I have just noticed that
> if I disconnect then the CPU usage peaks drop to less than 5%.
>
> Have I been worrying over nothing, or do you think that there still may be
> cause for concern.
>
> Mike
>
> "Mikek" wrote:
>
>> Interesting.
>>
>> Firstly, thanks for this help.
>> Wasn't paying too much attention earlier but the usage today has been
>> peaking at 20% rather than the 30% that it was doing on Tuesday.
>>
>> Anyway, when I disabled the add-ons the usage dropped to about 10% which
>> is
>> the same as I see if nothing other than the Task Manager is running. When
>> I
>> reopen IE as normal it goes back to 20%.
>>
>> How would I know if any of the add-ons were malware?
>>
>> Should I be right to worry about that 10% usage when IE is not running as
>> I
>> don't see similar on any other machines. Having said that this machine
>> has a
>> broadband connection to the internet and the other machines connect to
>> the
>> net through this one.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>
>> "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
>>
>> > IE might have addons which actually can be malware. Try to launch IE
>> > without
>> > add-ons and observ the CPU usage. To launch IE withoiut addons, type in
>> > cmd:
>> >
>> > iexplore.exe -extoff
>> >
>> > --
>> > V.
>> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> > rights.
>> > "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > news:32FD4CD3-3BC9-44ED-B53B-FCA6EE6114D6@microsoft.com...
>> > > Yes I think I follow that.
>> > > However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
>> > > negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work
>> > > being
>> > > done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.
>> > >
>> > > Or am I missing a point here?
>> > >
>> > > Mike
>> > >
>> > > "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
>> > >
>> > >> You have some approximation already.
>> > >>
>> > >> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process.
>> > >> This
>> > >> is
>> > >> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
>> > >> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes
>> > >> some
>> > >> CPU
>> > >> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the
>> > >> 'System'
>> > >> fake
>> > >> process entity was invented.
>> > >>
>> > >> --
>> > >> V.
>> > >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> > >> rights.
>> > >> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > >> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
>> > >> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can
>> > >> > see
>> > >> > that
>> > >> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that
>> > >> > the
>> > >> > history
>> > >> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of
>> > >> > equal
>> > >> > height.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same
>> > >> > time
>> > >> > intervals but no more than 5%.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see
>> > >> > what
>> > >> > is
>> > >> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1
>> > >> > second
>> > >> > but
>> > >> > the
>> > >> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and
>> > >> > taskmge.exe
>> > >> > generally seems to be:
>> > >> >
>> > >> > iexplore.exe
>> > >> > System
>> > >> > Helphost.exe
>> > >> > helpsvc.exe
>> > >> >
>> > >> > I am using XP and IE7
>> > >> > I run McAfee Security centre.
>> > >> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine
>> > >> > without my
>> > >> > knowledge?
>> > >> >
>> > >> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume
>> > >> > you are
>> > >> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > Thanks
>> > >> > Mike
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
 
Back
Top