PC stays on 100% CPU usage.

[Acternaweb]

My PC seems to stay on 100% CPU usage despite having very little to no applications running. I have cleaned up the start menu the best I know but still no success. Any ideas on why this is happening

Windows XP
512k Ram

[msr986]

Does this usage show on the 'windows task manager'?

On the 'windows task manager' 'processes' tab it will show you how much cpu usage is used by various processes running on your computer. Look for anything running other than 'system idle process' that has an unusually large number in the 'cpu' field.

Do you have this problem in safe mode?

[thing3b]

First, have you backed up lately... Ask questions after that.

Have a look in the windows event viewer / logs if you know how to as they will tell you if anything is going wrong with software.

Is there any other symptoms other than a 100% CPU?

Is the computer accessing the hard drive much when there is a 100% CPU? [some computers have a ficking light at the front]

Is the computer making abnormal sounds?

Have you installed / installed any software recently?

Do you have an up to date virus checker?

Do you have windows firewall or other firewalls on?

How new is the computer?

[2by4]

spyware, that's my first guess. Lots of spyware. Possibly some trojans, backdoors, etc. If your machine is not behind a router, put it behind a router or it will get taken over even worse.

adaware
spybot search and destroy
hijack this

and run a few antivirus products, other than the one you are running now. At least 2 or 3 more.

You probably have some rootkits installed too, those are much harder to detect.

This is a classic symptom. Start menu has nothing to do with this stuff, it's just some shortcuts. taskbar, sometimes, if you let every program you installed put itself there, which if you're like most users you did.

[2by4]

I meant system tray, not taskbar, sorry. But that's probably not the issue.