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Dual core: 1 core locking up at 100%, no process?

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Kurantje   10-20-2008 at 10:03:06 AM

Am puzzled: Have a new system with an Intel dual core (E2180), 2G memory, running XP Pro (all MS updates installed).
All is working fine, then for no apparent reason, 1 core goes into 100% load (task manager on screen). The only way to recover is to reboot (hard reset) the machine. After a while (an hour - few minutes), it happens again. quite annoying...
Anyone any suggestions for a) the cause and b) the solution?
Thanks, Onno

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kyzarvs   10-20-2008 at 01:21:50 PM
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If you look in the task manager processes tab and sort by CPU usage (click on the CPU column heading to toggle sort by most / least CPU usage), which process is hogging all the CPU when this happens (System Idle Process doesn't count)?

Reply to kyzarvs
Kurantje   10-20-2008 at 04:25:51 PM
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That's the strange part: there is no process (other than idle) over a few percent, all together floating between 5-10%. Still, in the task manager, performance tab, 1 core (left window) shows a 100% load. The right window shows a squigly line in the low percentages. It's always the left one which goes to 100%, never the right one.

Reply to Kurantje
russki   10-20-2008 at 04:51:53 PM
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Here's a good post on how to troubleshoot (there's no easy unequivocal answer). It requires a tool, but the tool is free.

http://blogs.technet.com/markrussi [...] 26858.aspx

Reply to russki
Kari   10-20-2008 at 04:52:22 PM
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have you ticked the 'show processes from all users' -box in the task manager window?

Reply to Kari
Kurantje   10-21-2008 at 09:56:52 AM
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Dear Kari, yes, box ticked.

Reply to Kurantje
daskalou   11-18-2008 at 07:42:50 PM
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I am having the exact same problem. I was running Internet Radio via Windows Media Player and then all of a sudden my sound started crackling/halting. Mouse movement was then VERY jagged and it seemed like I was only getting about 20% performance than usual.

I checked Windows Task Manager and I found the same thing as the original poster - one core is nearly 100% and the other is basically sitting idle. No processes eating up any CPU either according to Task Manager.

My specs are:

Dell Inspiron 6400
Intel Core 2 T7200 2GHz
2GB RAM
Windows XP Pro

I have been running XP Pro for about 9 months now (it originally came with Vista Ultimate).

And just as I am typing this message the 100% usage core has now dropped back down to almost idle and XP is running at normal speed again. The only thing I did was go to msconfig (Start->Run->"msconfig" [ENTER]) and selected the Diagnostic Startup option (but have not yet restarted).

I'll restart now and see what happens...


EDIT: changed "minimal startup" to the proper term of "Diagnostic Startup"


Message edited by daskalou on 11-18-2008 at 08:17:58 PM
Reply to daskalou
daskalou   11-18-2008 at 08:15:43 PM
- 0 +

The same thing started happening again, and in fact I think it started whilst I was shutting down (before the restart) because that Windows shutdown sound was crackling.

In Diagnostic Startup (via msconifg) the first core was at 100% again whilst the other idle.

I have now restored to the Normal Startup and encountered the same 100% CPU problem for about the first 3-5 minutes, and after that the CPU has returned to normal (which is near idle). Very strange. I will reboot with some sort of Linux Live CD and see if the same thing happens.

Reply to daskalou
daskalou   11-19-2008 at 07:14:27 PM
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Using a Ubuntu Live CD, this problem is not occurring.

So I have concluded that it's most likely an XP problem.

Furthermore, I have performed zero hardware changes but yet have now started receiving the "windows hardware has changed significantly since first activation. 3 days left to re activate" message.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

Reply to daskalou
universedo   11-19-2008 at 10:02:32 PM
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Is it related to XP versions on these pre-set PCs from HP Dell and the likes? Not pointing fingers here, just probably seeing a pattern? :sweat: :??: http://seoagora.com/img/589/d08l1104oulu/smiley2.gifhttp://seoagora.com/img/308/s08e1024rvou/champagne.gifhttp://seoagora.com/img/317/s08b1024uzjw/content.gifhttp://seoagora.com/img/459/k08q1024glza/ecstatic.gifhttp://seoagora.com/img/460/c08n1024twxu/eeek.gif

Reply to universedo
daskalou   11-19-2008 at 10:27:59 PM
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My notebook came with an OEM Vista Ultimate but I have since put a clean (and legal) install of Windows XP Pro on it (I had to manually download and install all the drivers).

I am currently still in Ubuntu Live CD mode and in the process of running Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware (using Wine for Linux) over the entire hard drive to see if they catch any spyware/adware/malware. Fingers crossed.

Reply to daskalou
TechnologyCoordinator   11-20-2008 at 12:09:45 AM
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Keep in mind that a process at 50% is using all of one core (on a dual core). So you might be looking for a 100, but there won't be one, look for the 50. Also, make sure you are view processes from all users.

 

Hope that helps.


Message edited by TechnologyCoordinator on 11-20-2008 at 12:09:59 AM
------------------------------ jennyh wrote: AMD break-even Q4 2009. *Gauranteed*

RabidFanboysSpreadingFalse.Info
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daskalou   11-20-2008 at 12:29:44 AM
- 0 +

I did check processes from all users and no process was over 10%, let alone 50%.

I've still got Spybot churning away in the background, although I think it may have gotten "stuck". I'll leave it for a while still and see if it finds anything.

Reply to daskalou
daemonx   12-04-2008 at 08:43:17 PM
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I am having the exact same problem on my machine, with one exception. When I open task manager and look at processes sorted by CPU usage, there is always one process that is locked up at 50% CPU usage. If I end that process, the next application I touch and try to use will lock up, and show the same 50% CPU usage in task manager. I can keep killing the locked up process and the chain of events will continue to happen until I restart my computer. Everything I could find made it sound like one of the cores was failing. I was running an Intel D975XBX2 motherboard with an Intel Core 2 Duo 6600, but just the other day replaced the CPU with a brand new Intel Core 2 Duo E7300. For the last two days everything has been running fine, until this morning. The same chain of events has started, and the process that is locked up this time is iexplore.exe at 50% CPU usage. It is completely random when the problem will come up, and it is rarely started with the same process. I have tried everything I can think of, including updating firmware, drivers, and bios, with no success. Any help on this at all would be much appreciated.

Reply to daemonx
Kari   12-04-2008 at 11:21:36 PM
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this is getting epidemic already. :?
could this be some new fancy virus or something thats spreading around the net?? cause I don't remember there ever being so many of these 'cpu at full tilt for no obvious reasons'-problems before...

Reply to Kari
daskalou   12-04-2008 at 11:30:18 PM
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FYI, I am still have this problem but am learning to "deal with it" for the time being (I'm guessing until I reinstall XP).

I have tried everything besides defragging my hard drive, which is next on the TODO list (to be done probably never).

Reply to daskalou
Kari   12-04-2008 at 11:40:17 PM
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there was this other thread in the forums where the OP had done formats and clean installs and it still was locking up because of some 'ghost' process... so don't get your hopes up :/

if it indeed is some wierd virus thats hiding somewhere safe in the HDD then maybe a new HDD could help lol

Reply to Kari
slapin   12-16-2008 at 07:28:32 AM
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Just want to add that I am having the exact came issue on an Acer Aspire One with an Atom processor.

Reply to slapin
Kari   12-16-2008 at 03:17:41 PM
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There might be some device/driver conflict going on...

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/foru [...] rk06-issue

Reply to Kari
magetpr   06-15-2009 at 04:54:40 PM
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Add me to this list. I am running a quad core Q9400 on a Striker2 Formula with Windows Vista 32 bit; 4GB Ram, 1 T HDD SATA. 1 core would lock up at full and the whole system crawls. the disk would be blinking and would be spiking at 100% as well, observed this for 20 mins and no change, so i shut it down. Its ok after the restart. Any help would be much appreciated.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to magetpr
TechnologyCoordinator   06-15-2009 at 07:02:40 PM
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magetpr wrote :

Add me to this list. I am running a quad core Q9400 on a Striker2 Formula with Windows Vista 32 bit; 4GB Ram, 1 T HDD SATA. 1 core would lock up at full and the whole system crawls. the disk would be blinking and would be spiking at 100% as well, observed this for 20 mins and no change, so i shut it down. Its ok after the restart. Any help would be much appreciated.



Open up task manager, go to processes, and make sure it's displayed processes from all users. Let us know which one is at or near 25% or higher. Remember that 25% cpu usage on a quad core is completly using one core.

http://www.techarp.com/editorials/img/task_manager_explorer.gif

Reply to TechnologyCoordinator
robcranfill   07-10-2009 at 06:35:43 AM
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Same problem, Acer "Leviton 410". I know it's hard for those of you who haven't seen it, I wouldn't believe it if I weren't seeing it myself. 50% usage on *both* cores, in the "Performance" window, but "System Idle Process" at 95-99%, and nothing else ever above about 3% (and yes, I have "Show processes from all users" checked).

Very weird.

- rob

Reply to robcranfill
mrgrey   09-07-2009 at 02:40:25 PM
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Hi, has this problem been solved? This thread seems to just trail off with lots of people seeing the same problem but no one stating that it was solved. I am seeing a similar thing:

Core2duo E6600
2GB Kingston PC4200 RAM
Ga 965p ds3 MB
EVGA 8800 GTS (g92)

I get 100% usage on one core - but I always get the usage on the System process (ie "System" w/ user name "SYSTEM" w/ 50% usage in task manager). This has been happening for a few months now, maybe once or twice a week. I've just been rebooting.

Has this been solved???????

Edit: Also, the usage is 100% kernel (red) usage in the performance tab of task manager.


Message edited by mrgrey on 09-07-2009 at 02:48:45 PM
Reply to mrgrey
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