Windows XP Pro repaired with XP home disc
512 MB 2100 DDR RAM
Athlon XP 2000+

I have a problem with which either System or services rapidly fluctuates between 0% and 90% of my CPU Usage. It tends to be around 60% most of the time, and the rest of the space is taken up between by svchost. it first started happening about a week ago when playing games. the my computer would start off fine and then get to 100%, slowing down my game. I figured this was because the ram at first, but ran scan disk and ad-aware anyways and it seemed to fix it. It would still show as 100% in game, but didn't affect gameplay, and went back to normal outside of the game. It worked ok for a few days and now it's back and not working again. it shows as 100% constantly and my computer slows down slowly untill after about 10 or 15 minutes, even idling, it all but freezes (as in I can move my pointer but not do anything)

I've tried virus scan, and I've read a few more topics on this, but haven't seen anything that was my problem. any help you can offer would be appreciated, and if you need any more info, I can supply you with it easily.

I think its time for a full re-load

I had the same problem recently! Heres a few things that can fix it. 1- Re-Install windows if you have the disk
2- If u remember when ur cpu usage was normal, do a system restore back to that date
3- Make sure there isnt any virus's by scanning
Having multiple programs running increases cpu usage by alot also

ok, there is a process called system idle, this when the pc is idle pushes the CPU usage upto 99% or so.

This sounds like you have a virus or somthing, you installed the anti blaster etc patches?

what fire wall/anti virus you use?

I agree, there is a system idle that does push 99% when idle but if you're looking at the performance tab of the task monitor, then what you are seeing is actual usage. I would say you've got some p2p action going off all in your harddrive. You know, other gamers looking around trying to find the files they want using the desktop client you might have installed for the "secure" delivery of your game files. Or you're hosting advertisements on the web so companies don't actually have to pay servers to do it for them. Basically I would look for Trojan/spyware, peer to peer kinda stuff. Run Ad-aware, then run Spybots Search & Destroy 1.2 where you can also look at you're startup list to omit bad stuff from autoloading when you boot, then the key is to then use Regcleaner and clean out any listings you reconize as bad then do the "do them all" registry cleanup. If you don't do the Regcleaner, they just seam to come back. Also run Ad-aware and Spybots A COUPLE TIMES when you do them. You'd be suprised how these things just don't want to split.

I'm having a similar problem h8today is, and am wondering if it could be a hardware issue? My cpu jumps to 100% upon launch of any app or the use of a feature in an app. Just seems the cpu load should not spike to 100% all the time, am I wrong?

If you run Win98 or WinME it will go to 100%, I remember from when I ran it. But obviously only when you're running an app.

XP Pro

Do you have Norton installed? Do you have DiskKeeper installed? If yes uninstall them and see if that works.

Norton Personal Firewall and Norton Antivirus... but how could this be the issue? Wouldn't a simple disabling of them achieve the same result? Thanks!