Idle Ram and CPU usage too high. Any ideas?

sastusbulbas · 20 Apr 2011 at 09:23

Hi all,

I hope someone can offer some advice and apologise for the long winded post!

I recently passed my old computer to my sister. It got a full wipe and clean re-install of Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit fully updated. Was working a treat when she got it, with all the same security freeware I use without problems.

Recently she has had a few issues, she had a program running at start, which was not in her downloaded or installed programs claiming over 600 registry issues, no matter what she did including closing, it took her straight to the internet to register?

I managed to find some related folders within her PC, delete them and after running Avira, Microsoft SE, Malawarebytes and CCleaner it seemed to have been removed.

Not long after that, she tells me her internet is running slow, problems with web browsers etc, it turns out there is a Browser Hijack found by SuperAntiSpyware, after deleting some more freeware, deleting her browsers, running afore mentioned scans, Re-installing Chrome, Firefox 3-6 and IE9! It once again registered clean.

But here is the rub, her system was using 1.7gb of ram at idle, with a good bit of CPU usage. As such I removed her 2gb of ram and installed 4gb of ram.

When I switch on her PC and check task manager it seems fine for a bit, low cpu and memory, then after a short bit, bam, up to 90% of memory is in use and 70% of CPU? That is 3gb of ram at idle, with up to 100% cpu usage!

It also randomly freezes on the desktop?

After running Avira, Avast, MSE, Spybot, SuperAntiSpyWare, Malawarebytes, GMER, CPU-Z and HDD Tune pro, the only issues I have managed to find is her memory running at 199mhz due to auto MB settings, and HDD Tune stating a C7 error, Ultra DMA CRC Error count may be caused by damaged cable.

I am assuming the HDD error is what is causing the random freezes? so will replace her HD sata cable today.

But I cannot work out what is using so much resources?

Her system,
Asrock 4coredual Sata 2
Intel E5200 running stock at 2.5ghz
4 gb of DDR2 PC6400 (3.3gb effective due to motherboard limitations, previous memory had been 2gb of PC3500)
640gb Sata Samsung HD
Windows Ultimate 64bit
HIS IceQ 3850 AGP 512mb graphics.

Avast anti virus and Windows Firewall.

:confused:

edscdk · 20 Apr 2011 at 09:28

root kit would be my first thought, combofix it (from bleeping computers)

Stoner81 · 20 Apr 2011 at 09:38

Download and run Process Explorer it shows all the running processes so you can see which one is using all the CPU.

Stoner81.

bledd · 20 Apr 2011 at 09:50

Broken hard drive

Check event viewer, probably loads of hard disk / controller errors

sastusbulbas · 20 Apr 2011 at 16:40

bledd. said:
Broken hard drive

Check event viewer, probably loads of hard disk / controller errors

I will check event viewer, and run the above two programs.

Regarding faulty hard drive, would this not have shown up when I ran HDD Tune Pro?

SiriusB · 20 Apr 2011 at 16:52

Process Explorer should be good enough to show you what process(es) are taking up most of your CPU time, and also which has the largest working sets [using the most memory].

As for the suspected HDD problem, I would suggest backing up anything important now, if you haven't already.

sastusbulbas · 20 Apr 2011 at 18:35

Well I changed the sata cable, tried three including locking, no change in the HD Tune Pro C7 error message.
Computer still freezes.

Windows states HDD device is working properly. HD Tune states all is fine apart from a possible C7 cable error, even after trying two cables and two motherboard sata ports.

Computer has not froze in safe mode, and system resources are not running high when in safe mode?

I ran ComboFix and Process Explorer while in safe mode and didn't see anything obvious. Guess I need to try Process Explorer outwith Safe mode. Edit; Seem to have sorted out the system resources thief, windows media player network sharing service. Disabled this for now and so far it seems fine.

Currently letting windows do it's CHKDSC thing. Edit; No problems here, ran and rebooted into logon screen.

So current issues are random screen freezes which require restarting of the computer, and the C7 error in HD Tune which seems common?

Regarding event viewer, what am I looking at, or needing to click to view hard disc or controler errors

I am now wondering if I should use HD Clone and copy her drive onto a new 500gb drive, or just reinstall the OS on a new drive.

bledd · 21 Apr 2011 at 14:40

Might not be hard drive problem, but I've seen about 10 machines behave like this when they had a dying hard drive

Backup the data and format before getting a new hard drive

Also, if it is a broken hard drive, you don't really want to image that install to a new drive