Vista Home Basic Using 100% of CPU

**rwc1969** · #1 13th Jul 2009, 18:51

I've searched for three days for an answer to this problem.

Results:

A lot of people have or had this problem, but no one seems to know the answer to fixing it. I've searched endless threads on endless forums and found zero answers to the problem. Most people responded by saying they have the same problem and it eventually just went away, came back or they switched to XP/ Linux OS.

Frustrating!

The system was non functional from day one. Brand new system. Only internet access was to mfg. websites. i.e. Nero, Windows update, Dell. I doubt I have a virus and KIS 2009 was installed after MS updates and prior to connecting to above websites. I have since reformatted C:, reinstalled the OS from the hidden Dell recovery partition, removed the Nero stuff, KIS 2009, DVD drive, and floppy drive. I have not accessed the internet since other than MS update.

Prior to installing this stuff the system was still dead dog slow. I was very careful installing and removing the drives as to not short anything out, no wires are loose, memory is secure and in place. CPU fan is working, case fan is working, DVD rom is working. HDD? I haven't tested it. Maybe it was bunk from the factory. I'm not sure how to test it. My Dell warranty expired two days ago.

I have not messed w' this system since I bought it a year ago because it was so slow. I figured it was the memory and would wait to mess with it until I got more memory. I don't need the system, have others, but intended to get it functional and give it to my kid as a gift. He needs a system.

Problem: every aspect of operation is extremely slow, almost non-operational.

processes running in tskmgr are consuming 100% of the CPU, 100% of the time. The memory is between 47 and 70% used up. tskmger.exe, System, and one or two other MS processes are listed as consuming the CPU, mainly tskmgr and system! The only non MS services are google desktop, Google search, and Dell suport center? It takes 5 minutes or more to startup or shutdown, open control panel, event viewer, etc. Lots of (not responding)! There are alot of errors, warnings, etc. in the event viewer for Windows. System boot, system shutdown, etc. All errors apparently relate to the OS. Also, when I shut the system down, the power button on the case stays lit as if it's in sleep or hibernation. I've set Windows to shut down, not sleep or hibernate. It won't restart unless I hold the power button down for a few seconds to shut it off, then repress the power button to start it up. Windows update takes forever, 8 hours or more and the internet connection seems dead dog slow as well. Other systems on same cable work fine!

System:

Dell vostro 200, Windows Vista Home Basic, celeron 430 1.8 GHz, G33/G31 express chipset family, 1 GB DDR2 memory, integrated sound, NIC and video w' shared memory of 128 MB or so? 80 Gb, 7200rpm SATA HDD, DVD rom.

Attempts:

Reformatted C: and re-installed OS from Dell recovery partition. Ran memtest86+ in STD mode for 8 hours w' no errors. Tried using Ubuntu Live CD and it just stalled after asking for language, etc. Black screen! I disabled Windows search, indexing, Google desktop, search. Set system for maximum performance, i.e. It looks like windows 98, 2000??! No improvement! I've physically inspected the memory, MB and all hardware and connections. Everything "looks" fine.

I have the System disk and drivers from Dell and at this point my only option is to test the HDD? and/ or wipe the HDD, hidden partition and all, reinstall, OS, sp1, and drivers and utilities from disk.

Please help!

I realize the Celeron w' 1Gb shared memory w' video is probably undersized but it should function, shouldn't it? Others have said it does. There is nothing installed on the computer other than Dell support stuff and Google desktop stuff that it came with from factory. I can't rule out a defective HDD or MB, malware, virus, but have had no bluescreens and very limited internet access, as stated above, all while fully protected via KIS 2009.

**Carbon** · #2 13th Jul 2009, 20:27

Thermal throttling? Can you check the temp of the CPU at least in the BIOS?

**rwc1969** · #3 13th Jul 2009, 21:54

Yes! if you can explain how. I know how to get into the BIOS, but not how to check the temp.

I have used HDtune? to check the HDD and it checks out OK. I would like to check the CPU, but need help doing that.

Also, I am in the process of removing indexing from C: as my prior searches stated that Vista uses indexing for quicker searching and it can hog up resources until everything is indexed. I disabled the feature before, but it had no effect. This time I went into the properties of C: and unchecked the indexing box.

My next step was going to be running chkdsk /f /r and sfc /scannow. Is that a good idea?

Thanks for the reply.

**rwc1969** · #4 13th Jul 2009, 23:24

In the meantime I've downloaded and ran process explorer. Here are the results, if that helps.

I'm not 100% sure what I'm looking at, but...

DPCs- 50-77% CPU
interrupts- 15-33%
System- 1.5-10%
procexp- 3%
svchost and explorer occasionally 1.5%

It appears the DPCs and hardware interrupts are consuming most on a regular basis. As a whole I'm still at 100% CPU usage.

Now, what to do with these numbers?

**rwc1969** · #5 14th Jul 2009, 17:55

Carbon I dowloaded HWmonitor, but it won't show the CPU or temp on that system.

After tons of research the problem is apparently hardware or driver related. The DPCs and hardware interrupts are consuming all available CPU time and are not allowing anything else to access the CPU.

If I could determine waht is causing all the DCPs and interrupts I would be close to fixing the problem, but I don't know how to do that.

Thanks again for any help.

**Carbon** · #6 14th Jul 2009, 19:09

Why would drivers be causing the problem if the problem is replicated under Linux? It's likely there's an IRQ conflict or something in which case you should probably remove your PCI devices, check for the problem and add them one by one.

**rwc1969** · #7 14th Jul 2009, 21:34

OK,
I went thru each individual device in "device manager" to check for "device working properly" and "conflicts". Only one device showed a conflict and several said there was no driver installed.

The conflict: High Precision Event Timer shows a conflict w' memory range FED0000-FED003FF, which is used by: ACPI x86-based PC. HPET has no driver installed as well.

Other devices with no driver installed are as follows: Intel ICH9 Family SmBUS controller-2930, Direct Memory Access Controller, Intel 82802 Firmware Device Hub, Numeric Data Processor, Programmable Interrupt Controller, System Speaker, System Timer.

I have no clue if these things should have drivers, be disabled, or if the conflict is a problem or not. I'm in over my head!

Do you think this could be the problem?

**rwc1969** · #8 15th Jul 2009, 09:43

I should point out that this OP was posted in several other forums as well. I thought I made that clear in the OP, and subsequent posts, but members of other forums have taken offense to the fact that I seeked help across the internet from other sources than their own.
I apologize if this is unnacceptable. I would think one would search for answers everywhere possible, but that's just me.

**Carbon** · #9 15th Jul 2009, 15:41

Might try disabling HPET in the BIOS. Also, doesn't matter to me where you post, better to get a wide range of opinions.

**rwc1969** · #10 15th Jul 2009, 17:17

Will do Carbon after I check a couple other things first. This is what I've done so far today. http://forum.notebookreview.com/show...5&postcount=27

I'm trying to detrmine if I need the devices without drivers and where I can get them if so.

Thanks for your help.