100% CPU Usage...System 99..Help!!!

[xchuck1x]

Help...this 100% Cpu Usage and "System" (not "system idle process") at 99 is driving me nuts. I have Windows XP for home.

I've checked for viruses and found nothing.
I've used the "PC doctor" that came with my computer to check for problems...nothing!!!
I've reformatted the hard drive three times.
I've run "msconfig" and narrowed background processes down to the bare minimum.
I've read about possible hardware problems, so i switched out the keyboard, the mouse, unplugged everything else. still the same thing.
I've changed the RAM memory stick from 512MB to a new 1 gig.
I blew out a lot of dust that had accumulated inside the machine.
I took out my aftermarket video card and switched to the onboard one.

Am I missing something? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I haven't been able to play Madden Football online for about two weeks. I'm close to just buying another computer, which I know is ridiculous.

[caperjack]

alt+ctrl+del ,bring up windows task manager ,go to processes and it should show what programs [.exe ]using the 99% of the cpu

[xchuck1x]

I'm sorry, I probably didn't make it clear. The process that's showing 99 when I hit ctrl-alt-dlete is "System". A lot of people confuse this with "System Idle Process". Two different things. From other posts that I've been reading on the internet, it appears that when "system" is reading 99, then there is some other internal hardware or driver issue. my problem is exactly pinpointing what that issue is after I've tried all that other stuff listed in my initial post.

[jbennet]

I've used the "PC doctor" that came with my computer to check for problems...nothing!!!

is this an IBM/Lenovo PC? there is a bug that causes the included software to use large amounts of CPU time. Use the lenovo/ibm system update program (not windows update!) to get the fixes

[caperjack]

I'm sorry, I probably didn't make it clear. The process that's showing 99 when I hit ctrl-alt-dlete is "System". A lot of people confuse this with "System Idle Process". Two different things. From other posts that I've been reading on the internet, it appears that when "system" is reading 99, then there is some other internal hardware or driver issue. my problem is exactly pinpointing what that issue is after I've tried all that other stuff listed in my initial post.

yes you did i missed it ,anyway does it show a, image name [ ie: like winlogon.exe. using the cpu ],as on my computer, system ,shows in the user name category

[xchuck1x]

not sure if i understand the question, "IBM/Lenovo PC". Please forgive..as far as internal computer literacy, I'm about a "5" on a scale of 1-10. I'm pretty sure that my machine is "IBM" based. It's basically a "Compaq" brand with a 346 processor that i bought from Circuit City. I don't have it in front of me at the moment do don't quote me on that processor. It's something close to that though. Probably on the lower end as far as capabilities.

[jbennet]

ignore what i said then, it doednt apply to your case

with a 346 processor

i hope to god you dont meana 386

[caperjack]

not sure if i understand the question, "IBM/Lenovo PC". Please forgive..as far as internal computer literacy, I'm about a "5" on a scale of 1-10. I'm pretty sure that my machine is "IBM" based. It's basically a "Compaq" brand with a 346 processor that i bought from Circuit City. I don't have it in front of me at the moment do don't quote me on that processor. It's something close to that though. Probably on the lower end as far as capabilities.

check event viewer for error info ,when you get there check system on the left.
type this into RUN .
eventvwr.msc

[caperjack]

ignore what i said then, it doednt apply to your case

i hope to god you dont meana 386

lol

[caperjack]

my guess is it a program wit ha bad driver or something like that ,maybe a virus scanner or or something try to get a update .

[xchuck1x]

NOPE...NO ".EXE"...just "system"

[xchuck1x]

yeah...i think it is "386". Is that a bad thing? I don't do a whole lot with my computer besides a few games and occasional surfing. I've had this computer for almost two years now. never a problem until now.

[xchuck1x]

my guess is it a program wit ha bad driver or something like that ,maybe a virus scanner or or something try to get a update .

okay...."Norton" has been asking me to update virus definitions for a while now due to my subscription expiring. I knew that I needed to probably do that soon...but I didn't think it would cause this kind of problem. Ya think???

[caperjack]

I'm full or errors to night ,i do have a system process in the image name section .

[xchuck1x]

in case anyone wants to know the end result. I never really solved the problem. But my computer is okay now. One of my computer friends told me that those Compaqs come with all kinds of unnecessary factory software that can give your computer fits when some of it is tries to update or perform some other function.

Rather than keep doing a CPU recovery from that partition on the harddrive and installing all that factory software, I installed Windows XP from a disc and wiped everything clean. No problem now.

My friend said that sometimes those factory applications are trying to update...sometimes from websites that don't even exist anymore. So they'll just be stuck in that mode trying to find the website or malfunctioning in some other way, slowing your computer down.

Hope this helps someone with a similar problem.