30-40% CPU usage while idle or little to no programs running.

healthymeal · Sep 21, 2017

For some reason while I'm idle on my PC the CPU usage fluctuates between 30-40% for no real reason and it's causing a lot of audio crackle and frame stuttering. I've checked nearly everything and ran several virus scans and defragged my HDD but nothing so far has helped. Any suggestions?

photonboy · Sep 21, 2017

You can use Task Manager to see what program it is (unless it's some Microsoft applications like Indexing for search).

audio crackle and frame stutter is serious, and that suggests something is hogging the CPU (not just percentage but hogging too many cycles so the audio for example can't be sent fast enough)

http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

That may help.

If stumped, and using W10 I'd consider doing an In-Place Upgrade:

1. USB stick (8GB+)
2. download and run the Microsoft Media Creation Tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

3. run "setup.exe" from the USB stick, from within Windows once that's done
4. should be greyed out, but if not make sure to keep data and applications

5. skip entering your W10 KEY if prompted (I forget if it asks)

That basically overwrites a lot of files so it may or may not fix the problem.

You could also have MALWARE (malwarebytes or other to scan) or even a hardware and/or driver issue.

SlayZombi · Sep 21, 2017

Have you installed ALL motherboard drivers such as the chipset drivers? You didn't tell us if this was a new build or not.

healthymeal · Sep 21, 2017

SlayZombi :

I bought this computer from Ironside PC and I updated every possible driver.

healthymeal · Sep 21, 2017

photonboy :

You can use Task Manager to see what program it is (unless it's some Microsoft applications like Indexing for search).

audio crackle and frame stutter is serious, and that suggests something is hogging the CPU (not just percentage but hogging too many cycles so the audio for example can't be sent fast enough)

http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

That may help.

If stumped, and using W10 I'd consider doing an In-Place Upgrade:

1. USB stick (8GB+)
2. download and run the Microsoft Media Creation Tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

3. run "setup.exe" from the USB stick, from within Windows once that's done
4. should be greyed out, but if not make sure to keep data and applications

5. skip entering your W10 KEY if prompted (I forget if it asks)

That basically overwrites a lot of files so it may or may not fix the problem.

You could also have MALWARE (malwarebytes or other to scan) or even a hardware and/or driver issue.

Okay I ran malwarebytes and nothing popped up so how would I discern if its a hardware issue?

SlayZombi · Sep 22, 2017

I can't think of much else other than some system process hogging things up. Either that or hardware. And if you say you got this from Ironside I suggest an RMA (send it back) and they should fix it free of charge if they honor their warranty.

photonboy · Sep 28, 2017

At this point since you appear stumped, I would try to get a SPARE DRIVE (at least 60GB) and put a clean Windows install on it. Just to test.

I'll assume W10 for the explanation.

First, try an In-Place Upgrade:
1) insert 8GB or larger USB stick
2) download and run MS media creation tool
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

3) After finished, run "setup.exe" from the stick
4) choose to keep "data and applications" if asked though it should be greyed out
5) do not enter a key if prompted, just skip
6) finish, and let it redo any Microsoft Updates (check at Settings-> Update & Security.. )

does not fix the issue?

7) shut down PC, unhook all drives except add a new blank SSD or HDD of at least 60GB (want at least 120GB if using long-term)
8) boot with USB stick still inserted to run W10 Install
9) SKIP key when prompted
10) Don't LOGIN as it's just a test (I think Microsoft did so for me though... added my user name and password. sigh)

11) TEST

*If it works then your issue was a SOFTWARE problem with Windows. Sometimes they are hard to fix. I spent many HOURS trying to fix it on Windows 8.1 then the W10 upgrade fixed it (bad audio). Then it came back with W10 and I fixed it with an In-Place Upgrade but I couldn't fix it any other way (and I've tried that on OTHER computers with the same issue and the In-Place Upgrade did not work).

If the PROBLEM still exists it's a hardware issue, though I doubt it's hardware.

So if the CLEAN INSTALL works you may want to consider planning carefully for a CLEAN INSTALL. If you do that I'd then make a BACKUP IMAGE, preferably do an automated solution, weekly using Acronis True Image. (i.e. Incremental, with auto-deletion of older backups, 2nd highest compression... )

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30-40% CPU usage while idle or little to no programs running.

healthymeal

Commendable

photonboy

photonboy

Titan

SlayZombi

Honorable

healthymeal

Commendable

healthymeal

Commendable

SlayZombi

Honorable

photonboy

Titan

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