Full welly cpu

[RED-DOG]

Once in a while, or to be precise, every now and then, my cpu, she go crazy!!!

It runs at 100% and everything just locks up. The only thing I can do is hold the power switch down until the computer switches off.

 

[ifm]

Once in a while, or to be precise, every now and then, my cpu, she go crazy!!!

It runs at 100% and everything just locks up. The only thing I can do is hold the power switch down until the computer switches off.

 

When it happens hit ctrl+alt+del which opens taskmanager, look down the list of processes and see which is hogging the system.
Can't really advise until we know what's doing it.

[RED-DOG]

Once in a while, or to be precise, every now and then, my cpu, she go crazy!!!

It runs at 100% and everything just locks up. The only thing I can do is hold the power switch down until the computer switches off.

 

When it happens hit ctrl+alt+del which opens taskmanager, look down the list of processes and see which is hogging the system.
Can't really advise until we know what's doing it.

Can't load task manager, everything locks up.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Once in a while, or to be precise, every now and then, my cpu, she go crazy!!!

It runs at 100% and everything just locks up. The only thing I can do is hold the power switch down until the computer switches off.

 

When it happens hit ctrl+alt+del which opens taskmanager, look down the list of processes and see which is hogging the system.
Can't really advise until we know what's doing it.

Can't load task manager, everything locks up.

I had a similar issue with a work PC a while back.  I loaded task manager immediately on first booting it to overcome this problem and waited for the problem to occur.  It turned out to be a program called svchost.exe hogging the CPU.  If I used task manager to end it, it fixed the issue.

Your problem might be different, but keeping task manager running in the background should get around your problem of finding out what's causing it to grind to a halt.

[doubleup]

Its just a program hanging or taking an extraordinary amount of time to do what it is trying to do.  Do the ctrl alt delete thing and wait a while task manager might eventually pop up (sry if u have already tried this). 

Also sometimes you'll hear the fan going like the clappers as the wretched machine is building up to a tantrum, so if you get task mngr up at that time you might be able to see what is going on. 

Other than that just keep a note of what is running when it happens and try and work out what prog is doing it. 

I did have a weird thing on processes (can't remember what it was now) that was causing problems and everything still worked ok when I closed it down, so I altered the start-up register using a programme called hijack this to stop it running when I started my pc and everything ok.

[Graham C]

This may be useful for svchost.exe
http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/svchost/

[M3boy]

Tom, stop any unwanted programs from running on startup by using this site :

http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php

It may not solve your problem, but it will help your PC's speed - you get the details by hitting "start" "run" then typing "msconfig" , then click on the "startup" tab . Take note of the "command" column as well as some nasties will clone a normal startup item

I am assuming you are running XP.

If you also get the task manager up BEFORE the problem occurs, and double click on the "cpu" tab, this will show you what programs are using up your CPU in order. This will enable you to see what program is running at 100%.

Poker Tracker can do this if you have a large number of hands importing into a large database.
Anti virus programs are a good cause of 100% cpu useage aswell.

[doubleup]

This may be useful for svchost.exe
http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/svchost/

Yes I think I had the virus version once - it starts up with the pc and almost immediately tries to contact the internet.  So you have to remove it from the start registry and then kill it.  The windows version is I think in a windows directory and associated with various bona fide programs,

[ifm]

Once in a while, or to be precise, every now and then, my cpu, she go crazy!!!

It runs at 100% and everything just locks up. The only thing I can do is hold the power switch down until the computer switches off.

 

When it happens hit ctrl+alt+del which opens taskmanager, look down the list of processes and see which is hogging the system.
Can't really advise until we know what's doing it.

Can't load task manager, everything locks up.

It should open up eventually but as others said just get it up beforehand.
Can you try something?

click start>run and type   msconfig  and hit enter

click on the startup tab and post screenshots of the list of programs.

[RED-DOG]

Once in a while, or to be precise, every now and then, my cpu, she go crazy!!!

It runs at 100% and everything just locks up. The only thing I can do is hold the power switch down until the computer switches off.

 

When it happens hit ctrl+alt+del which opens taskmanager, look down the list of processes and see which is hogging the system.
Can't really advise until we know what's doing it.

Can't load task manager, everything locks up.

I had a similar issue with a work PC a while back.  I loaded task manager immediately on first booting it to overcome this problem and waited for the problem to occur.  It turned out to be a program called svchost.exe hogging the CPU.  If I used task manager to end it, it fixed the issue.

Your problem might be different, but keeping task manager running in the background should get around your problem of finding out what's causing it to grind to a halt.

It happened again. I had task manager open and ready.

svchost.exe is running several times, but showing zero cpu use. it is however using some memory.

[ifm]

svchost is a part of windows don't mess with it!

[M3boy]

svchost is a part of windows don't mess with it!

Ordepends where it is located - many viruses use "svchost" as a name.

The website I posted up will tell you

[RED-DOG]

Ok. This is a screenshot taken while my cpu is being hijacked

[doubleup]

errrr I think the problem thingy must be hidden at the top of the list...................

[RED-DOG]

errrr I think the problem thingy must be hidden at the top of the list...................

Ah yes. Missed 5 from the top. Have to get em next time.