Computer usage

[coolvxss]

Just wondering why my computer usage is so high. It seems to be going slow and it says my computer usage is 100% and it sounds like my computer is working pretty hard. I have attached a list of my processes and stuff. Dont know much about computers so just wondering if any of these processes are causing the 100% usage. cheers

[Spaced]

SVChost seems to be using it all. What programs do you have running?

Download aida32 and run a report on all programs running. And try process explorer from microsoft.

[coolvxss]

What is SVChost for? The only thing i had running was firefox. sorry dont no much about computers.

[Astranomical]

Can you post a HijackThis log?

[coolvxss]

I think that is what you meant? i dono what any of it means

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 12:46:49 PM, on 13/03/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\PcCtlCom.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\slserv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\Tmntsrv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\tmproxy.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\TmPfw.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\PccGuide.exe
C:\apps\ABoard\ABoard.exe
C:\apps\ABoard\AOSD.exe
C:\Program Files\NetComm\NB2\dslstat.exe
C:\Program Files\NetComm\NB2\dslagent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Packard Bell
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SiS KHooker] C:\WINDOWS\System32\khooker.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ACTIVBOARD] c:\apps\ABoard\ABoard.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [pccguide.exe] "C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\Internet Security 2006\pccguide.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DSLSTATEXE] C:\Program Files\NetComm\NB2\dslstat.exe icon
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DSLAGENTEXE] C:\Program Files\NetComm\NB2\dslagent.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE" /background
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/micr...?1205295285094
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/micr...?1205295266250
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{6C6C0840-D7EB-4089-844D-CE73D445BE4D}: NameServer = 210.15.254.240 210.15.254.241
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Central Control Component (PcCtlCom) - Trend Micro Incorporated. - C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\PcCtlCom.exe
O23 - Service: SmartLinkService (SLService) - - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\slserv.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Real-time Service (Tmntsrv) - Trend Micro Incorporated. - C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\Tmntsrv.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Personal Firewall (TmPfw) - Trend Micro Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\TmPfw.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Proxy Service (tmproxy) - Trend Micro Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\tmproxy.exe

--
End of file - 3386 bytes

[coolvxss]

Its weird. now i have heaps of things open and everything going but the computer usage is low? Where as other times i only have one thing open and the usage was 100%?

[jules]

is your hard disk full? my very simple understanding is when that happens windows can't use virtual memory (disk space) and it goes nuts trying to find and locations for and shifting around memory and instructions and stuff.

[coolvxss]

I have 23.8gb left on hard drive. that should be plenty????

[stocky]

i think more virtual memory is needed. cant see any spyware in that report to explain it, and it is definately svchost causing the problem. how much physical memory do you have?

[Bax]

my understanding of svchost is the windows update uses it aswell as other windows services.

if you turn windows update off - and do it manually, i believe it frees up alot.

[levymetal]

by looking at the commit charge in the picture, the second number which is virtual memory... it's usually anywhere between how much ram you have and double it... so i think he only has like 256mb-512mb ram... and if you're using 323mb approx like the first number says then you're using a high percentage of your ram and pagefile which would explain such a high cpu usage (it's sitting there swapping **** between ram and then the virtual memory)! if you experience this problem often, and you do in fact only have 256-512mb ram then i suggest you upgrade, 1gb is BARE MINIMUM and 2gb is normal!

to check how much ram you have go to Start > Control Panel > System and down the bottom it will say "x.xxGHz, xxxMB of RAM"

[coolvxss]

by looking at the commit charge in the picture, the second number which is virtual memory... it's usually anywhere between how much ram you have and double it... so i think he only has like 256mb-512mb ram... and if you're using 323mb approx like the first number says then you're using a high percentage of your ram and pagefile which would explain such a high cpu usage (it's sitting there swapping **** between ram and then the virtual memory)! if you experience this problem often, and you do in fact only have 256-512mb ram then i suggest you upgrade, 1gb is BARE MINIMUM and 2gb is normal!

to check how much ram you have go to Start > Control Panel > System and down the bottom it will say "x.xxGHz, xxxMB of RAM"

It says my computer has 2.79GHz and 448mb ram

[levymetal]

448 (which is actually 512mb minus 64 for onboard graphics) is a bit low! now it's time to figure out whether it's SD or DDR. it should be DDR looking at a 2.79GHz processor. anyway i recommend you should get a stick of 512mb, will make your computer a lot faster and you will notice it!

[coolvxss]

448 (which is actually 512mb minus 64 for onboard graphics) is a bit low! now it's time to figure out whether it's SD or DDR. it should be DDR looking at a 2.79GHz processor. anyway i recommend you should get a stick of 512mb, will make your computer a lot faster and you will notice it!

Where do i get one, and how much? and can i install it myself?

[levymetal]

yeah ram installation is really easy, for 1gb of ddr ram you should be looking at around $80 at the maximum. it's harder to by smaller amounts these days. go to any computer shop, but there are some cheap ones like CentreCom. there is 1 problem though, i don't know if you are running ddr or ddr2 (and i have no good way of explaining to you how to tell the difference). you should probably just take your pc into a computer shop and they will install the correct ram, insist that they do it for free on the spot when you buy it (it's a 1 minute job, not exaggerating).

however if you do want to do it yourself, just buy some ddr (not 2) ram because i'm fairly sure that's what you'd have.

first you want to undo 2 screws at the back of the pc for the panel on the left side. then the panel slides off towards the back (as following)


then locate the ram, it's in stick. here all my slots are used up by ram. to get ram out, push the tabs away from the sticks then lift the ram out holding it by the edges only as like the last picture.


hold your ram like this. notice there are 2 notches in this stick of ram. this is sd ram (i have some laying around, didn't want to take my own ram out ) and i doubt you have it. for ddr ram you should only have 1 notch. ddr and ddr2 both only have 1 notch so it's hard to tell which is which.

[coolvxss]

K thanks for that man Will look into it tomorrows if i have time.

[Tom_1569]

Levy is spot on.
The only way to tell the difference between ddr and ddr2, is that ddr2's centre key (the slot) is closer to the centre of the stick compared to drr. But you can only do this if you have both sticks, and then its not much difference anyway.
Just handle with care, handle the outside, and you shouldnt have much trouble. If you have an ACER or lbrand name computer some of these like to give you the blue screen of death when changing hardware though.

[Astranomical]

Another thing about DDR2 is that DDR2 modules tend to have physically smaller chips than DDR modules. With some DDR2 modules there should also be somewhere on the sticker where it says its DDR2.

This is a photo of DDR RAM:

Image: DDR SDRAM.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And this is DDR2 RAM:

Image: DDR2 SDRAM.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[holdensupporter2005]

Another way of finding out what type of memory your computer can take and how much, is to find
out the model of your motherboard, and look up the specification on it to find out about the memory type and size limits.

There are a few ways of finding out what motherboard model you have.
Method 1.
Open case and look at motherboard, you should see the model number stamped on the board, usually in white ink, or printed on a sticker.

Method 2.
Download Belarc Advisor - Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit
and run the program. This will give you a very detailed list of hardware and software that you have on your computer.
Look under the heading in the report labeled "Main Circuit Board" and "Memory Modules".
Under these headings you will be able to determine what model motherboard you have, and how much memory you have installed and what slots are free.

If you post up the model number of your motherboard we can determine what type and size of memory you will need.

[vlv8vic]

Are you using trend micro for security? recently updated to the newer version?
The newer trend micro was doing this to my system, even crashing it.

[coolvxss]

I have trend micro pc cillin 2006. And it updates prob once a day

[jas89]

ahh good old trend micro...yeh i had the same problem with mine useing HEAPS of memory, f##king up me computer and ****ing me off heaps lol, cant remember what process it was but trend micro reconds its caused because of spy bot search and destroy (if installed) BUT i uninstalled it and well yeh it still did it........anyway that was before i reinstalled windows and now its running good
however in your case im not sure

[vlv8vic]

I have trend micro pc cillin 2006. And it updates prob once a day

I know its a PITA but have you tried uninstalling it to see if the problems stop?