High CPU use at idle?

iamc3k · Jan 18, 2008

I'd appreciate any help with this:

Some program has started to use a lot of CPU cycles during idle. I have a q6600 processor. My logitech g15 keyboard LCD display is showing core 2 (0,1,2,3) to be running constantly at 20-40%. This is unusual. There is very little hard-drive use occurring.

I've been running Vista Ultimate x64 since October. This is new behavior.

I tried using task manager to find the culprit. That didn't work.

This process seems to be preventing the computer from entering sleep mode.

How do I find out what's running up my cpu usage? (If I can find it, I assume I can shut it down!)

Thank you,
Ken

Brink · Jan 18, 2008

Hi iamc3k,

Check in Resource Monitor under the CPU section to see if you can find out what is using up the CPU. It will give you more details than Task Manager.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/111020-resource-monitor.html

If you have DreamScene or DeskScape running, then this would be normal from them.

Shawn

iamc3k · Jan 19, 2008

Shawn,

Thanks.

I'm already using resource monitor (Great walkthrough at your link! Well done.), but I haven't taken the next step.

There are no standout processes that I can identify as using 1/4 of the capacity of core 2. THAT is what I'd like to find out. Specifically, what process is being run by which core.

My next step will be to write down every single process running, along with its PID. Then, using Task Manager, STOP each process, one at a time. I hope at some point that I'll see the CPU use dropoff to where it used to be.

Right now, the machine had no open programs (that _I_ know of), I opened IE (to post this), mail, Resource Monitor and Task Manager. That usage left me with 62 running processes. 4 Programs, 62 processes.

Time to shut them down, one at a time. Hmmm, and reboot in between?

Regards,
Ken

iamc3k · Jan 19, 2008

It seems Window Media Player was running.

Why? I have no earthly idea.

I shut down that process from the Task Manager window and instantly stopped the high idle CPU usage.

If I use Windows Media Player and then exit the program, after how many reboots will WMP actually stop running??? I am unaware of ANY changes to WMP that may have changed its behavior. Why then did its behavior change? The high idle CPU use did not occur previously. Something changed.

Does anyone have a clue?

Thanks,
Ken

DeXtmL · Jan 19, 2008

You mean, you even have not used the WMP to play a song or video clip since you start your pc?
If true, that's strange! have you run a virus check on WMP? You might have to try 2 or more av products to scan it to get best ensurance that it is NOT infected!
Also, it's abnormal to have 62 processes at startup time.
Run a check to see whether a bad programmed software is incompatible with WMP.

(My Vista Ultimate 32 holds around 40 processes at startup)

iamc3k · Jan 19, 2008

DeCtmL,

Thanks.

Well, yes, I have used WMP since I built/began using my PC. However, after AT LEAST 2 reboots, I had not used it, yet it was showing as a running process. Nothing in the task tray or any other clue that it was running. Why would it preload after a reboot without a specific call by me to run the program?

As for 62 processes at startup, YEAH!, that's too many.

After reboot, I have to open Task Manager to shut down the processes. How many would be normal to have running? Which ones are bare minimums to get Vista x64 running?

Thanks,
Ken

Brink · Jan 19, 2008

Ken,

WMP should not have a process running all the time, it should only be there temporarily when it is running, doing a automatic update in the background, or sharing files (if set). I would scan for a virus just to be safe.

You can lower the processes, by disabling the Services that you do not use. There is a couple of guides with recommendations at this tutorial to help determine which ones you want.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/59910-services.html

Shawn

iamc3k · Jan 20, 2008

Shawn,

Thanks for the guide. I'll need to run through all those processes and start shutting them down.

Regards,
Ken

DeXtmL · Jan 20, 2008

WMP is not supposed to run at startup. It's might be a virus in disguise!
Run a thorough scan!

Clark1221 · Jan 28, 2008

Just fyi.......after going through all services/start-ups, I have 53 processes running on my laptop. However, I need some networking, wireless,and AV stuff, but it's down from 64. I can't seem to weed anything else out. Only one item in the start-up folder.

iamc3k · May 6, 2008

Okay, bringing this back up.

My cpu usage is quite low. Vista does not enter sleep mode. Yes, I've run the troubleshooting issues and checked the control panel/power manager/change unavailable options route. Using CMD and Powercfg -a and -devicequery wake_armed the ONLY device able to wake the computer is the logitech g15 keyboard.

If I select Sleep directly (through the Vista orb) the machine will sleep (S3) and stay asleep until a key is struck. So, something is preventing it from entering sleep state. WHAT could it be????

Anyone??

Thanks,
Ken

Bubba · May 7, 2008

I want to piggyback your thread if I may Ken to ask WHY one would want to use sleep mode. I see a couple of threads on sleep, and wonder if it's something I should be using and am not. I am old and as such was "brought up' to just leave your computer on all the time. As such, my computer is either on, or off. i never "sleep". Am I messing up by not doing so?

Brink · May 7, 2008

Bubba,

Set your system up to sleep using Step Two in this tutorial. It allows you to almost shutdown the computer (sleep mode). It will then wake back up almost instantly when you move the mouse or press a key on the keyboard.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/63567-power-options-sleep-mode-problems.html

It's mostly to make starting the computer up real quick.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Brink · May 7, 2008

iamc3k said:
Okay, bringing this back up.

My cpu usage is quite low. Vista does not enter sleep mode. Yes, I've run the troubleshooting issues and checked the control panel/power manager/change unavailable options route. Using CMD and Powercfg -a and -devicequery wake_armed the ONLY device able to wake the computer is the logitech g15 keyboard.

If I select Sleep directly (through the Vista orb) the machine will sleep (S3) and stay asleep until a key is struck. So, something is preventing it from entering sleep state. WHAT could it be????

Anyone??

Thanks,
Ken

Ken,

Since you can manually put the computer to sleep without any problems, then I would say that some program or process running, perhaps in the background not seen, is preventing your computer from entering sleep on it's own.

When your computer is suppose to go to sleep own it's on and doesn't, take a look in task manager to see what applications and processes are running. You may need to do this a few times to see if there is a common one standing out during all the times you check. Shutdown that application or process in task manager, then wait to see if your computer will go to sleep on it's own now. Just repeat until you find the problem, then prevent the program from running. If you shutdown something that causes problems, do not worry, this is only temporary and a restart will fix the problem.

Happy hunting,
Shawn

iamc3k · May 7, 2008

Shawn,

Thanks. Opening Task Manager from an idle point showed 63 active processes, yet there are only 27 processes actually listed. I do have a quad core (q6600 G0); does Vista count processes which are running on multiple cores? E.g., if one of my 27 processes is running on all 4 cores, would that show as 30 active processes? (27 on 1 core, plus one more copy running on the other 3 cores = 27+3 = 30.)

Other than Google, how do I know what each process does? (Some do not have a descriptor tag.)

If I take the shotgun approach and stop all processes to see if it'll enter sleep mode, is there any process which Vista needs to stay stable? (If I kill off all extraneous processes and it enters sleep, I know that the problem is there. I can then restart and tweak the processes one at a time to find the culprit - or it may be due to more than one.)

Should I do the same with Services?

Thank you.

Ken

Brink · May 7, 2008

Your welcome Ken,

The processes will only be counted once if they are running, not multiple times for each processor.

Click on the Show processes from all users button at the buttom to reveal all running processes.

There are processes that are needed by Vista for it to run properly, so I would stick with trying the ones that look related to programs first. If you End Process one that messes Vista up, just restart the computer to start the process again and be back to normal. No worries.

I would hold off on changing services for now until this problem gets sorted.

Shawn

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