Identifying Thread IDs

[HammerBot]

I have a problem getting WXP to run on my Dell Dimension XPS T500 (500 MHz PIII). After a complete fresh install of XP, the 'System' process (NOT 'System idle') is using 100% of the CPU. I have tried all available updates. I have removed all unessesary hardware (soundcard etc.). I have tried booting into safe mode and killing all services. Nothing seems to help.
With the <A HREF="http://www.iarsn.com/taskinfo.html" target="_new">Taskinfo</A> program, I have been able to determine that the CPU is loaded due to exessive thread switches. I have more than 7000 thread switches pr. second! With the Taskinfo program I can see that the thread with ID 00034 and 00060 are the ones using the CPU.
Is there anyway I can determine more exactly what these threads are doing and why?

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[HammerBot]

Bump.
Anyone???? There must be a way to troubleshoot this further. It's driving me crazy! I'd appreciate any input.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[rubikian]

Try running msconfig in the start run menu and disable all the startup items and reboot to check if the cpu load is still high. Then you may troubleshoot the problem from there... hope this helps...

 

[HammerBot]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I already tried that. It doesnt change anything. I still have the two threads switching all the time.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[silverpig]

Try upping one of them in priority by one level?

Some day I'll be rich and famous for inventing a device that allows you to stab people in the face over the internet.

 

[HammerBot]

I can only change the priority for the entire 'System' process. That changes the priority of both the mentioned threads.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[rubikian]

Hey hammerbot, have you manage to solve your problem yet? Or is it still running high on cpu load?

Do you have things like defragmenter running in the background (norton speed disc or something)? There's an option in Norton utility to disable the speed disk when idle. Maybe you might want to try to tweak the services running in winXP. One of them is the task scheduling. Try to disable it and reboot your PC. If the processing load drops, then some task must have been scheduled during startup. Delete the task and reenable your task schedular services...

 

[HammerBot]

Not solved yet :frown: . I'm about to give up and install W2K again.

I have no third party programs running in the background. The only thing installed is WXP, SP1 and graphics drivers (I pulled out all non-essential hardware). At all stages in the process, CPU is at 100% load. Even the first time the system boots after installing XP.
Booting in safe mode has no effect. Disabling all but the required services has no effect. The only thing I have been able to determine is the two threads and the exessive thread switching mentioned above. This really sucks. I even contacted Dell, but obviously I didn't get any response to my inquiry.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[jlanka]

I'm thinking virus

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

 

[HammerBot]

On a completely fresh install of the OS? The HD was formatted before the OS was installed. The machine wasn't even connected to my LAN. So there is no virus that could have gotten to it.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[jlanka]

oh, I didn't realize you did a fresh install.

Then it sounds like a hardware problem. Stuff like that doesn't "just happen" on a fresh install. I've installed XP many many times, never seen anything like that. Check RAM, etc.

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

 

[rubikian]

Yeap, mine fresh install is fine as well...

I'm thinking that, it might be the setting in the BIOS such as ECC checking or something that keep the processor busy. Not sure though...

Maybe you should try another fresh install again... If all esle fail, then get win2K...

 

[HammerBot]

The computer runs W2K without any problems whatsoever! So I guess its a design flaw. BTW, I have also checked for BIOS updates. I have the latest. Today, I tried my GF3 graphics card instead of the TNT. Same problem.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[rubikian]

What about winXp without SP1? Does it also swamp your processor? It cannot be that your system can only run in win2K and not winXP.
I do not have that problem on my winXP.
I'm using a P4 1.7GHz, 256MB PC800 RDRAM, ASUS P4T mobo, 64MB Abit Siluro GF4 Ti4200, Creative SB Live!5.1 DE, TDK 48x24x48x CDRW and 40GB Maxtor Diamond max 7200rpm. Oh Yes and a motorola modem.

 

[HammerBot]

What about winXp without SP1? Does it also swamp your processor?

Yes, it does. It tried installing WXP without SP1 and installed SP1 afterwards. I also tried installing a slipstreamed XP. SP or no SP, CPU usage is at 100% all the time!

It cannot be that your system can only run in win2K and not winXP.

Thats what Ive been trying to say all along. It's sad but true.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[rubikian]

I think nothing much left that we can troubleshoot since it's a fresh installed OS. The only thing that come to my mind now could be your PSU. I checked your system specs, your P4 is using the 340W PSU and you have 2 HDD with a thermal take fan, wonder would it be your PSU problem???

 

[jlanka]

The computer runs W2K without any problems whatsoever

that doesn't rule out a hardware problem. I'd at LEAST try different RAM or removing one stick at a time (if multiple sticks). And any other componenets you could swap out (I know it's hard if you don't have a basement full of extra crap like I do, I'm lucky I guess ). If you don't want to at least TRY hardware debugging then you might as well give up (this is Tom's HARDWARE website after all )

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

 

[HammerBot]

I checked your system specs, your P4 is using the 340W PSU and you have 2 HDD with a thermal take fan, wonder would it be your PSU problem???

Its not my P4 Im talking about. Its my Dell (system 2, currently listed as running Linux). My P4 is running fine (even with a 340W PSU).

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[HammerBot]

Ok. I try the RAM. However, I would be extremely surprised if that changes anything since the system has been running W2K fine and RedHAT Linux just until recently.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[jlanka]

cool. Personally I'd try as much hardware swapping as possible - check my sig.

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

 

[rubikian]

Good luck then...

 

[HammerBot]

I ran a memory test. Replaced the RAM. But its still the same.
So i started pulling out hardware again. And guess what. After pulling out the NIC, the CPU usage dropped! WHOOT! I allready tried that what's different now?
So just to verify, I reinserted the NIC, but the error didn't come back. WTF! is going on? I then noticed that I didn't reconnect the WAKE-ON-LAN cable that goes from the NIC to mobo. Reconnecting the cable made the error come back.
This is very strange. But for now I just leave the cable disconnected. Im not using it anyway.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>

 

[jlanka]

good job. Pulling hardware has always had a high success rate for me.

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

 

[rubikian]

great to hear that you've finally get it solved...

 

[HammerBot]

Thanks. I just feel so stupid that I didn't spot it the first time I pulled hardware. Perhaps it didn't helped if I only pulled the NIC and didn't disconnect the WOL cable. Anyway, its working now. Thanks for the suggestions.

<i><b>Engineering is the fine art of making what you want from things you can get</b></i>
<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=655" target="_new">My systems</A>