PC Lag/Freezes, 'System' Process CPU spike each time

chivs688 · 19 Apr 2017 at 17:01

Recently bought new HP Omen 15-ax203na laptop, and whilst watching videos I've been noticing them hitching/freezing up every few seconds or so. This may also be happening during normal use but harder to spot.

I monitored the CPU usage in Task Manager and saw there were big spikes every time there would be a hitch. I've since narrowed it down to the 'System' process, which is the culprit of the spikes.

Going into File Location on this process takes me to an application named 'ntoskrnl'.

Any ideas why this application could be causing spikes every few seconds, causing my laptop to freeze up?

Image of perfmon analysis of this process, with each spike corresponding in my running video hitching.

mattyfez · 19 Apr 2017 at 18:34

It's normal to get a bit of a brief spike when you open an application. But it shouldn't cause a lock up...

With it being an off the shelf laptop, have you uninstalled all the bloat ware and cleaned out your startup items?

What media player are you using?

HoneyBadger · 19 Apr 2017 at 19:15

Ntoskrnl is Windows!

So something is causing the core of windows to spike. Checked the event log at the times of the spike?

chivs688 · 19 Apr 2017 at 19:32

mattyfez said:
It's normal to get a bit of a brief spike when you open an application. But it shouldn't cause a lock up...

With it being an off the shelf laptop, have you uninstalled all the bloat ware and cleaned out your startup items?

What media player are you using?

It's happening consistently once it starts. Seems fine for a few minutes+ after startup, but then begins and doesn't stop until a reset.

Yeah I swapped out the hard drive for an ssd and installed a fresh version of Windows 10.

And this was happing both when watching Netflix in Chrome as well as watching a downloaded video in the standard Windows media player. It's also happening when just sat on the desktop, it's just it was easily noticeable to me when playing a video.

chivs688 · 19 Apr 2017 at 19:33

HoneyBadger said:
Ntoskrnl is Windows!

So something is causing the core of windows to spike. Checked the event log at the times of the spike?

Yeah googling mentioned it was something to do with the OS kernal, but that's where my ability to understand ends.

Will test it and see what the event log says.

mattyfez · 19 Apr 2017 at 19:39

Ok. As honeybadger said, its probably time to look at some logs to see if that yields any suspects.

chivs688 · 25 Apr 2017 at 00:28

What should I look out for in the Event Viewer?

Having a look over it now as the hitching is happening but no new error events seem to be showing up in the main sections. Not experienced with the Event Viewer so not sure if I am looking in the correct place.

Just took a video of my screen when playing a Youtube video during the hitching, and interestingly the lock ups were happening every 11 seconds, on the dot, consistently. And each time the 'System' process would spike. Not sure if this helps at all but seemed odd to me that they were happening at such a consistent timing.

Video