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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)
The short version:
My Dell Dimension 8250 with an “as shipped� configuration has a Hardware
Interrupt issue which constantly keeps the CPU 70% utilized (as measured by
Windows Task Manager) even with no applications/processes actively utilizing
the CPU (also as measured by Windows Task Manager). Device Manager shows no
apparent hardware conflicts, but a process management tool (Process Manager
by Sysinternals) shows that the 70% background CPU utilization is caused by
Hardware Interrupts. The details on my devices and associated IRQs are
listed further down in this post. Can anyone advise as to how to resolve the
interrupt issue and free up the CPU?
The Long Version:
For several weeks, I've been trying to debug an issue with very slow system
performance and constant high CPU usage. I have tried everything from
multiple anti-virus tools, multiple anti-adware tools, system restore, using
alternate hardware profiles to temporarily disable potentially conflicting
devices, MSconfig to temporarily turn off non-essential services and
applications, XP recovery console, the MS User Profile Hive clean-up tool,
Dell Diagnostics, clearing NVRAM, XP repair install, and eventually a full XP
re-install. Nothing has corrected the problem. Prior to the re-install, I
was on Service Pack 2 and was fully up to date with any XP updates.
With this problem, Windows Task Manager shows conflicting results. The
overall CPU usage is always over 70% (as reflected in the lower status bar,
in the "Performance" tab, and in the system tray icon of Task Manager),
however the at the same time Task Manager "Processes" tab shows that the
system is 99% idle (System Idle Process for the CPU is 99%, with no other
processes showing any CPU usage over 1%).
In addition to the CPU utilization issue, before the XP reinstall, I also
had a “blue screen� Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop error.
I recently found a tool (Process Manager by Sysinternals) which is similar
to Windows Task Manager, which identifies the hidden CPU usage. It
identifies that the 70% CPU usage is being consumed by Hardware Interrupts.
To simplify the debugging, for the XP re-install, I disconnected any
peripherals (e.g. printer, DSL Modem, wireless router) that did not come with
the original configuration. I also disconnected the Dazzle Mojave device, but
left the associated card in the slot. These were part of a standard Dell
“Movie Studio Premium� package.
After the re-install, although several devices share the same IRQs, Device
Manager shows no apparent hardware conflicts (other than a missing driver for
the Multimedia controller resulting from having the Dazzle Mojave device
unplugged).
I have a Dell Dimension 8250 with the following PCI devices which could be
causing the Hardware Interrupt conflict:
IRQ 10:
- Multimedia Controller (supporting the Mojave Dazzle Device which came with
the Dell “Movie Studio Premium� package)
IRQ 11:
- Intel 82801BA/BAM SMBus Controller 2443
IRQ 16:
- 64MB DDR NVidia GeForce4 MX 420 w/ TV Out (Dell)
- VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
IRQ 17:
- Conexant HSF v.92 56 RTAD Speakerphone PCI Modem
- VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 18:
- Intel Pro/100M Network Connection
- Santa Cruz (Voyetra Turtle Beach sound card)
- VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
- VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 19:
- Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller (also
supporting the Mojave Dazzle Device which came with the “Movie Studio
Premium� package)
- VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
- VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
The entire configuration that I am working with for the debugging is “as
shipped� originally. The only exception is that I unplugged the external
Dazzle Mojave device when doing the XP re-install, and tried to add it in
later. After the re-install, with the Dazzle Mojave device disconnected, I
got rid of the Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop error, but I still had the
CPU utilization issue. When I reconnected the Dazzle Mojave device, I get a
Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop error back. I also used the latest driver
for this device from the Dell website for the Movie Studio package.
I’ve used alternate hardware profiles to selectively disable potentially
offending devices through Device Manager,. The only thing that stops the CPU
consumption is systematically disabling the USB Root Hubs first, and then
disabling the USB controllers. That stops the CPU consumption; however it
renders my USB ports inoperable, and upon re-boot the system hangs.
One final note: my BIOS is upgraded to the most recent version. BIOS setup
shows different IRQs for the PCI devices than the IRQs shown in Device
Manager.
My gut tells me that the problem is with the components of the Dell “Movie
Studio Premium� package. I’ve systematically disabled, via Device Manager,
all the components associated with it but I still have the CPU utilization
issue. I will probably try to uninstall them via Device Manager and/or try
removing the card from the slot next to see if that resolves it.
Before taking this final step, any recommendations or advice would be
greatly appreciated. This debugging process has been an excellent learning
tool for me to find obscure techniques in an attempt to resolve it, but I’m
ready for it to be over!!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
The short version:
My Dell Dimension 8250 with an “as shipped� configuration has a Hardware
Interrupt issue which constantly keeps the CPU 70% utilized (as measured by
Windows Task Manager) even with no applications/processes actively utilizing
the CPU (also as measured by Windows Task Manager). Device Manager shows no
apparent hardware conflicts, but a process management tool (Process Manager
by Sysinternals) shows that the 70% background CPU utilization is caused by
Hardware Interrupts. The details on my devices and associated IRQs are
listed further down in this post. Can anyone advise as to how to resolve the
interrupt issue and free up the CPU?
The Long Version:
For several weeks, I've been trying to debug an issue with very slow system
performance and constant high CPU usage. I have tried everything from
multiple anti-virus tools, multiple anti-adware tools, system restore, using
alternate hardware profiles to temporarily disable potentially conflicting
devices, MSconfig to temporarily turn off non-essential services and
applications, XP recovery console, the MS User Profile Hive clean-up tool,
Dell Diagnostics, clearing NVRAM, XP repair install, and eventually a full XP
re-install. Nothing has corrected the problem. Prior to the re-install, I
was on Service Pack 2 and was fully up to date with any XP updates.
With this problem, Windows Task Manager shows conflicting results. The
overall CPU usage is always over 70% (as reflected in the lower status bar,
in the "Performance" tab, and in the system tray icon of Task Manager),
however the at the same time Task Manager "Processes" tab shows that the
system is 99% idle (System Idle Process for the CPU is 99%, with no other
processes showing any CPU usage over 1%).
In addition to the CPU utilization issue, before the XP reinstall, I also
had a “blue screen� Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop error.
I recently found a tool (Process Manager by Sysinternals) which is similar
to Windows Task Manager, which identifies the hidden CPU usage. It
identifies that the 70% CPU usage is being consumed by Hardware Interrupts.
To simplify the debugging, for the XP re-install, I disconnected any
peripherals (e.g. printer, DSL Modem, wireless router) that did not come with
the original configuration. I also disconnected the Dazzle Mojave device, but
left the associated card in the slot. These were part of a standard Dell
“Movie Studio Premium� package.
After the re-install, although several devices share the same IRQs, Device
Manager shows no apparent hardware conflicts (other than a missing driver for
the Multimedia controller resulting from having the Dazzle Mojave device
unplugged).
I have a Dell Dimension 8250 with the following PCI devices which could be
causing the Hardware Interrupt conflict:
IRQ 10:
- Multimedia Controller (supporting the Mojave Dazzle Device which came with
the Dell “Movie Studio Premium� package)
IRQ 11:
- Intel 82801BA/BAM SMBus Controller 2443
IRQ 16:
- 64MB DDR NVidia GeForce4 MX 420 w/ TV Out (Dell)
- VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
IRQ 17:
- Conexant HSF v.92 56 RTAD Speakerphone PCI Modem
- VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 18:
- Intel Pro/100M Network Connection
- Santa Cruz (Voyetra Turtle Beach sound card)
- VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
- VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 19:
- Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller (also
supporting the Mojave Dazzle Device which came with the “Movie Studio
Premium� package)
- VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
- VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
The entire configuration that I am working with for the debugging is “as
shipped� originally. The only exception is that I unplugged the external
Dazzle Mojave device when doing the XP re-install, and tried to add it in
later. After the re-install, with the Dazzle Mojave device disconnected, I
got rid of the Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop error, but I still had the
CPU utilization issue. When I reconnected the Dazzle Mojave device, I get a
Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop error back. I also used the latest driver
for this device from the Dell website for the Movie Studio package.
I’ve used alternate hardware profiles to selectively disable potentially
offending devices through Device Manager,. The only thing that stops the CPU
consumption is systematically disabling the USB Root Hubs first, and then
disabling the USB controllers. That stops the CPU consumption; however it
renders my USB ports inoperable, and upon re-boot the system hangs.
One final note: my BIOS is upgraded to the most recent version. BIOS setup
shows different IRQs for the PCI devices than the IRQs shown in Device
Manager.
My gut tells me that the problem is with the components of the Dell “Movie
Studio Premium� package. I’ve systematically disabled, via Device Manager,
all the components associated with it but I still have the CPU utilization
issue. I will probably try to uninstall them via Device Manager and/or try
removing the card from the slot next to see if that resolves it.
Before taking this final step, any recommendations or advice would be
greatly appreciated. This debugging process has been an excellent learning
tool for me to find obscure techniques in an attempt to resolve it, but I’m
ready for it to be over!!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!