Computer Hanging, Task Monitor is delayed and says CPU Usage Spiked to 80%

Dudeguyy · Apr 23, 2017

I'm running Windows 10 on an AMD FX-8350 with 4 GB RAM.

Lately I've been having a very frustrating issue and I have no idea how to solve it. I thought it was a Chrome issue, so I temporarily disabled all extensions, but I just had it happen again, so I don't think it's program-specific.

Basically, whatever I'm doing (this typically happens when a webpage is loading in Chrome) hangs for a really long time. I'm not even able to get Task Monitor up if it's not already to assess what is going on. It just makes me wait a minute or two and then the Ctrl+Alt+Del menu opens up and I can get into Task Monitor.

I noticed when it happened last time that my CPU usage spiked to just above 80% when this was occurring.

Any ideas how to try and diagnose what is going on and get it taken care of? TIA!

Jesse_20 · Apr 23, 2017

Start by running some virus and malware cleaners.
If it only happens occasionally, it might be windows applying it's updates in the background.
Make sure your network drivers are up to date.
When it happens again, you can click that link in your picture that says "Open Resource Monitor" and look for processes that are using a lot of cycles. This can identify which program is hanging on you.

mrmike_49 · Apr 23, 2017

btw: Task Manager show 8GB of RAM, not 4

Dudeguyy · Apr 23, 2017

Jesse_20 :

Can I do this immediately after it occurs? When it happens, Task Manager itself doesn't respond until after the hang subsides.

I will give it a shot next time it occurs. I was tinkering around in Resource Monitor a minute ago when I saw that but I did not see anything of note at first blush. I may have just been looking at it wrong since I'm unfamiliar with it.

Dudeguyy · Apr 23, 2017

mrmike_49 :

Oy, I'm a moron. I forgot I had 8 gigs in currently. Thanks for the reminder.

Jesse_20 · Apr 23, 2017

You could make a shortcut for it on the desktop and try loading from that during the hang.
Might also want to run memtest86 to rule out a stick of ram going bad.

Rexer · Apr 26, 2017

Jesse_20 :

'Open Resource Monitor'. Very cool. Forgot there was such a thing, Thanks.

Dudeguyy · May 8, 2017

Ok, necrobump. This problem mostly resolved itself for a while, but is back with a vengeance today.

Like I said, this usually happens when trying to load a webpage in Chrome. Did a fresh install of Chrome today but it's still occurring. I've also disabled all extensions, so none of those appear to be a problem. But like I said, the entire machine becomes unresponsive, not just Chrome. It will last for a minute(s), and then pass.

Resource monitor isn't of help because it too is unresponsive during these spells. Hell, even Ctrl+Alt+Del doesn't bring up the Task Manager menu until after the spell is over.

Very weird. I'm at wit's end. Anyone know of any diagnostic tools I can use to get to the bottom of this.

Thus far I've tried Rkill and SFCScanNow, and both MalWareBytes and Avast scans, with no significant findings.

Any ideas?

Jesse_20 · May 8, 2017

Do you have Flash disabled?
Do you have a dedicated graphics card?
It's possible your computer is hanging while trying to load all the graphics/videos/ads from a webpage and display them.
Is it only on certain websites (graphic intensive), or for any website?
Does it do the same with another browser? (Edge, IE, firefox?)

You could also try running memtest86 to rule out bad memory.

Jesse_20 · May 8, 2017

You might also try grabbing copies of Superantispyware and ADWCleaner for a more thorough scan. I like these in addition as they usually find things Malwarebytes doesn't. (ADWCleaner is another tool from the makers of Malwarebytes)
You can get it free from Bleepingcomputer.com, and a free version of SAS from their homepage.

Dudeguyy · May 8, 2017

Jesse,

Thanks for your help with this. I really appreciate it. I'd be lost without your input!

I do have Flash installed and just updated it earlier this afternoon. That *shouldn't* be an issue.

I do have a dedicated GPU. I've got a GTX 660 currently.

It doesn't typically happen on graphics-intensive pages. It's usually just when I'm googling something, actually. But definitely not exclusively when I'm loading graphics-intensive pages. One interesting thing is that I was streaming video earlier on Chrome and it would play for a little while after everything else hung, then would quit and when my computer became responsive, it said Flash closed due to an error.

I'm trying Firefox now. It's not having the same issue, but it is laggy. It may be because I'm currently streaming the same video as before and running a Windows Defender full system scan. Typing input is laggy occasionally on Firefox, but I've only had one full blown unresponsive spell, and video didn't quit during it. Firefox appears to be better at this point than Chrome.

Currently have CCleaner and used that on Windows/Apps but not my Registry. I'm a bit hesitant to do so because I read that Reg Cleaners on Windows 10 don't really do anything useful and can potentially muck things up.

I will download those programs you mentioned.

I will have to let my CPU cool a bit now - unfortunately AMD Overdrive is saying it is right at and sometimes over my thermal margin right now

Question for you:

1. CCleaner on Registry -- yay or nay? I don't know that this is a registry issue, so I'm hesitant to do so unless you think it would be helpful.

Will try those software and report back later. Thanks again!

Rexer · May 8, 2017

I'm randomly slow, randomly buggy with Chrome on both my Windows 7 & 10 computers. Mostly on 7. Sometimes I think it's Windows sometimes I think it's Chrome. I get boot up messages saying my personal profiles and preferences didn't load and I just can't get a permanent fix. I went into "Aww-Snap" fix in Chrome 'Help'. Nothing. Reloaded Chrome, too.
Microsoft stop supporting Windows 7 as far as improving the product but it has tons of updates applied to it. Mostly security. They do updates and maybe fixes. Once I reload all that 5h!7 my work computer, it turned into a turtle. I had two anti-virus once. Had to turn-off Windows Defender and the Windows firewall because Avast! was running both of them. I even made the mistake of getting a 32bit instead of 64 copy. I lowered my User Account control settings, too.
I updated all my drivers. Used Ccleaner to clean out my temporary files and ran regeistry fixes. Used Spybot to scan for spyware.
I know Microsoft doesn't like Google and they're a ruthless company when they want a market. If anyone can remember how they under cut 'Netscape' with Internet Explorer, leaves me always suspicious of Microsoft's tactics. I remember in Fall of 2015, They popped a window up asking me if I wanted Window 10 now or later. I chose later because I wanted to keep my Windows 7 and the following Monday, Windows 10 was on my desk top. That infuriated me.

Jesse_20 · May 8, 2017

If you are hitting your thermal margin, that would explain your freezes as well.
Have you tried cleaning out the fans, increasing airflow, and re-applying new thermal paste?

One other thing you can try is going into chrome browser advanced settings, then down at the bottom you can reset to default settings. You might have a corrupt user profile, which this would fix. Re-installing chrome doesn't delete your user profile, so the issue could persist after a re-install of chrome.

Rexer · May 9, 2017

Yesterday, I went through Google's Settings and Help. I saved my profile and uninstalled reinstalled Google. For one reboot, it was fine. Then it went back to the popping up the error window and slow boot up. I must've have something running. I'm thinking I'm gonna have to go the long, arduous route into start>msconfig>system configuration>services and turn off one application at a time to figure out if one of those applications are the culprit. Arrgh. Naww. I'm gonna load up Firefox and see if runs better.
It's an old i7 920 2.7 gaming rig I made in 2009. It's been my work station for 3 years. Reliable, upgrade-able for as many years I've owned it. Maybe Windows 7, Google and all the new, complex applications are finally becoming too much for it. I hate to think it.
But for now, I'm gonna try Firefox. If it runs better, I'll import my bookmarks and banish Google.
Thanks for the Help, Jesse_20. Thank you Dudeguyy for starting the thread. Extra minds are always helpful.

Rexer · May 10, 2017

Dudeguyy :

Yeah, I use Ccleaner all the time. Use it to clear up the registry, too. It's a polite and polished app that likes to ask if you want to make a back up file of what it takes off. I tell it 'no' because if you use to fix an update, you don't want to accidentally open the file at some later date and have it roll back to the problem(s) it fixed.
There was a time if you left a browser or program open and ran Ccleaner, it would mess it up. Now, it ask you if you want to force close it or not, now. Pretty good. That fixed a habit I had of closing a browser and running Ccleaner while it was still closing.
Ccleaner, good stuff.

Rexer · May 10, 2017

Jesse_20 :

Good tools. I use to get R kill from Bleeping to kill processes before running scans and the most powerful Rouge Killer (problem with this is it went after scanning apps like Driver Easy, too. Lol). They have Combo Fix but I never seen a copy for Windows 10.

Jesse_20 · May 10, 2017

Dudeguy, if you are still having issues, disable your flash plugins and see if that makes things any better. Even though you updated, Flash is historically buggy (and vulnerable).

Computer Hanging, Task Monitor is delayed and says CPU Usage Spiked to 80%

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Share this page