Excessive CPU Usage

Win XP Media Center SP3
Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11
Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPU 3800+; 2 GHz
RAM 1.00 GB

From the get-go, Internet Explorer takes forever to display a web page, even
though I have cable internet service. And then, after a couple hours of
surfing, it locks up ("not responding"). After terminating the process
iexplore.exe I see in Windows Task Manager that the Performance tab displays
an oscillating CPU Usage range of 64-75%, yet the Processes tab displays
System Idle Process being the main user @ 22-47% CPU with no other process
in the list using greater than 1% CPU.

Several years ago I had *farrr* better performance using Win NT 4 SP5 using
hardware that was only Celeron 466 Mhz with 128 MB RAM. Disgraceful!!

Is there some utility I can get that will automatically diagnose and fix
this darn problem that has persisted for months?

I'd check the Add-ons you may have enabled in IE. Also some of
the security suite products have "Safe Browsing" hooks that would
cause page loads to be slower than expected. As a test you could
load either Opera 10.0.1 or Google Chrome 3.0 and compare the
load times on certain sites with those browsers compared to IE.

"Knack" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Win XP Media Center SP3
> Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11
> Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPU 3800+; 2 GHz
> RAM 1.00 GB
>
> From the get-go, Internet Explorer takes forever to display a web page,
> even though I have cable internet service. And then, after a couple hours
> of surfing, it locks up ("not responding"). After terminating the process
> iexplore.exe I see in Windows Task Manager that the Performance tab
> displays an oscillating CPU Usage range of 64-75%, yet the Processes tab
> displays System Idle Process being the main user @ 22-47% CPU with no
> other process in the list using greater than 1% CPU.
>
> Several years ago I had *farrr* better performance using Win NT 4 SP5
> using hardware that was only Celeron 466 Mhz with 128 MB RAM.
> Disgraceful!!
>
> Is there some utility I can get that will automatically diagnose and fix
> this darn problem that has persisted for months?
>
>

Hi,

Disable COM Addons - Tools>Internet Options - Advanced tab, uncheck "Enable
third-party browser extensions".

Turn off the Phishing filter if you have Anti-Virus or anti-malware
installed and you rate your surfing experience as Moderate (and you know the
sites you visit regularly)

If these test still do not speed up your browser, download the fiddler tool
from http://www.fiddlertool.com and run it without IE open to see the Call
Home traffic from some of your "Windows Startup" list.

Quicktime, GoogleToolbarUPdater.exe (depereciated) and the AOL updater have
been causing problems for ppl.

You can turn off Quicktime auto updates from its control panel. Ditto AOL
updates.

You should not have the GoogleToolbarUpdater.exe in your windows startup
list. Make sure you have downloaded and installed the latest version from
toolbar.google.com (v6).

Regards.



"Knack" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Win XP Media Center SP3
> Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11
> Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPU 3800+; 2 GHz
> RAM 1.00 GB
>
> From the get-go, Internet Explorer takes forever to display a web page,
> even though I have cable internet service. And then, after a couple hours
> of surfing, it locks up ("not responding"). After terminating the process
> iexplore.exe I see in Windows Task Manager that the Performance tab
> displays an oscillating CPU Usage range of 64-75%, yet the Processes tab
> displays System Idle Process being the main user @ 22-47% CPU with no
> other process in the list using greater than 1% CPU.
>
> Several years ago I had *farrr* better performance using Win NT 4 SP5
> using hardware that was only Celeron 466 Mhz with 128 MB RAM.
> Disgraceful!!
>
> Is there some utility I can get that will automatically diagnose and fix
> this darn problem that has persisted for months?
>
>

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these applications running
in the background when you installed IE7?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com


Knack wrote:
> Win XP Media Center SP3
> Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11
> Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPU 3800+; 2 GHz
> RAM 1.00 GB
>
> From the get-go, Internet Explorer takes forever to display a web page,
> even
> though I have cable internet service. And then, after a couple hours of
> surfing, it locks up ("not responding"). After terminating the process
> iexplore.exe I see in Windows Task Manager that the Performance tab
> displays
> an oscillating CPU Usage range of 64-75%, yet the Processes tab displays
> System Idle Process being the main user @ 22-47% CPU with no other process
> in the list using greater than 1% CPU.
>
> Several years ago I had *farrr* better performance using Win NT 4 SP5
> using
> hardware that was only Celeron 466 Mhz with 128 MB RAM. Disgraceful!!
>
> Is there some utility I can get that will automatically diagnose and fix
> this darn problem that has persisted for months?

Avast! 4.8-1335 antivirus
Spybot S&D
No 3rd party firewall

As I recall, there was free trial version of either Norton or McAffee AV on
the machine when it was purchased. I uninstalled it after it expired.
Neither program appears in Contol Panel's 'Add Or Remove Programs' applet.

I'm very careful to close various applications and end various processes
when installing new software.



"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:...
> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these
> applications running in the background when you installed IE7?
>
> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
> machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
> it)?
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
> www.banthecheck.com
>
>
> Knack wrote:
>> Win XP Media Center SP3
>> Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11
>> Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPU 3800+; 2 GHz
>> RAM 1.00 GB
>>
>> From the get-go, Internet Explorer takes forever to display a web page,
>> even
>> though I have cable internet service. And then, after a couple hours of
>> surfing, it locks up ("not responding"). After terminating the process
>> iexplore.exe I see in Windows Task Manager that the Performance tab
>> displays
>> an oscillating CPU Usage range of 64-75%, yet the Processes tab displays
>> System Idle Process being the main user @ 22-47% CPU with no other
>> process
>> in the list using greater than 1% CPU.
>>
>> Several years ago I had *farrr* better performance using Win NT 4 SP5
>> using
>> hardware that was only Celeron 466 Mhz with 128 MB RAM. Disgraceful!!
>>
>> Is there some utility I can get that will automatically diagnose and fix
>> this darn problem that has persisted for months?
>

On 12/3/2009 8:35 AM, Knack wrote:
> Avast! 4.8-1335 antivirus
> Spybot S&D
> No 3rd party firewall
>
> As I recall, there was free trial version of either Norton or McAffee AV on
> the machine when it was purchased. I uninstalled it after it expired.
> Neither program appears in Contol Panel's 'Add Or Remove Programs' applet.
>
> I'm very careful to close various applications and end various processes
> when installing new software.
>
>
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
>> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these
>> applications running in the background when you installed IE7?
>>
>> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
>> machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
>> it)?
>> --
>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>> www.banthecheck.com
>>
>>
>> Knack wrote:
>>> Win XP Media Center SP3
>>> Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11
>>> Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPU 3800+; 2 GHz
>>> RAM 1.00 GB
>>>
>>> From the get-go, Internet Explorer takes forever to display a web page,
>>> even
>>> though I have cable internet service. And then, after a couple hours of
>>> surfing, it locks up ("not responding"). After terminating the process
>>> iexplore.exe I see in Windows Task Manager that the Performance tab
>>> displays
>>> an oscillating CPU Usage range of 64-75%, yet the Processes tab displays
>>> System Idle Process being the main user @ 22-47% CPU with no other
>>> process
>>> in the list using greater than 1% CPU.
>>>
>>> Several years ago I had *farrr* better performance using Win NT 4 SP5
>>> using
>>> hardware that was only Celeron 466 Mhz with 128 MB RAM. Disgraceful!!
>>>
>>> Is there some utility I can get that will automatically diagnose and fix
>>> this darn problem that has persisted for months?


Just because you don't see it in the Add/Remove Programs in the Control
Panel doesn't mean that there still might be registry entries and
services still on your PC. Go to Symantec's website and download the
Norton Removal Tool to make sure that it's completely gone. You can get
it here:

http://service1.symantec.com/Support...hm&lg=en&ct=us


--

Roy Smith
Windows XP Pro SP3

Hi Jacob,

Yep. You have a horked install of the Google toolbar (The version is in the
Help context menu). (Google made a number of changes to their toolbar just
before the IE8 release. One was a fix for the 'Memory read' error you had.

Uninstall your Google toolbar from the Add/Remove Programs applet.

Reboot. !important

If you want to continue using the Google toolbar you can go to
toolbar.google.com and install the latest version(6)

The Google Mail notifier may also cause you problems if you have it
installed and allow auto-login at windows startup. I turn it off and only
log on to GMail manually.

Regards.

"JacobH" <> wrote in message
news:...
> rob^_^ wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Disable COM Addons - Tools>Internet Options - Advanced tab, uncheck
>> "Enable third-party browser extensions".
>>
>> Turn off the Phishing filter if you have Anti-Virus or anti-malware
>> installed and you rate your surfing experience as Moderate (and you
>> know the sites you visit regularly)
>>
>> If these test still do not speed up your browser, download the
>> fiddler tool from http://www.fiddlertool.com and run it without IE
>> open to see the Call Home traffic from some of your "Windows Startup"
>> list.
>> Quicktime, GoogleToolbarUPdater.exe (depereciated) and the AOL
>> updater have been causing problems for ppl.
>>
>> You can turn off Quicktime auto updates from its control panel. Ditto
>> AOL updates.
>>
>> You should not have the GoogleToolbarUpdater.exe in your windows
>> startup list. Make sure you have downloaded and installed the latest
>> version from toolbar.google.com (v6).
>>
>
> That's curious, tried to d/l latest and was told I already have a more
> recent version.
> How do I tell which version of Toolbar I have?
>
> --
> --
> Geoff
> ExploitEd
>
> Wisdom and experience come with age, they say, but I do wish I could
> remember the darn question
>

The Version of Avast installed has *3* vulnerabilities, none Critical:
http://secunia.com/advisories/produc...dvisories_2009

Upgrade it by *right* clicking the Avast icon on the Taskbar and choose
Updating > Program Update.
That will put Avast at Build: Sep2009 (4.8.1368)

In addition, Avast acknowldges a "bad" virus definitions update that
came out yesterday:

Win32elf-MZG false positive issue statement
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=51647.msg436938

VPS version 091203-1 resolves the FP issue.

MowGreen
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked"



Knack wrote:

> Avast! 4.8-1335 antivirus
> Spybot S&D
> No 3rd party firewall
>
> As I recall, there was free trial version of either Norton or McAffee AV on
> the machine when it was purchased. I uninstalled it after it expired.
> Neither program appears in Contol Panel's 'Add Or Remove Programs' applet.
>
> I'm very careful to close various applications and end various processes
> when installing new software.
>
>
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>
>>What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>>subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
>>Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these
>>applications running in the background when you installed IE7?
>>
>>Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
>>machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
>>it)?
>>--
>>~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>>MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>>www.banthecheck.com
>>
>>
>>Knack wrote:
>>
>>>Win XP Media Center SP3
>>>Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11
>>>Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPU 3800+; 2 GHz
>>>RAM 1.00 GB
>>>
>>>From the get-go, Internet Explorer takes forever to display a web page,
>>>even
>>>though I have cable internet service. And then, after a couple hours of
>>>surfing, it locks up ("not responding"). After terminating the process
>>>iexplore.exe I see in Windows Task Manager that the Performance tab
>>>displays
>>>an oscillating CPU Usage range of 64-75%, yet the Processes tab displays
>>>System Idle Process being the main user @ 22-47% CPU with no other
>>>process
>>>in the list using greater than 1% CPU.
>>>
>>>Several years ago I had *farrr* better performance using Win NT 4 SP5
>>>using
>>>hardware that was only Celeron 466 Mhz with 128 MB RAM. Disgraceful!!
>>>
>>>Is there some utility I can get that will automatically diagnose and fix
>>>this darn problem that has persisted for months?
>>
>
>

Norton applications are notorious for not uninstalling cleanly.

1. Download the Norton Removal Tool, saving it to your desktop:
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/englis...moval_Tool.exe

2. Close all open applications (i.e., anything with an icon on the taskbar).

3. Double-click on the file you saved in #1 above to run the utility. Don't
TOUCH your keyboard until the run completes, then reboot.
--
~PA Bear
www.banthecheck.com


Knack wrote:
> Avast! 4.8-1335 antivirus
> Spybot S&D
> No 3rd party firewall
>
> As I recall, there was free trial version of either Norton or McAffee AV
> on
> the machine when it was purchased. I uninstalled it after it expired.
> Neither program appears in Contol Panel's 'Add Or Remove Programs' applet.
>
> I'm very careful to close various applications and end various processes
> when installing new software.
>
>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
>> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these
>> applications running in the background when you installed IE7?
>>
>> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
>> machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you
>> bought
>> it)?
>> --
>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>> www.banthecheck.com
>>
>>
>> Knack wrote:
>>> Win XP Media Center SP3
>>> Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11
>>> Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPU 3800+; 2 GHz
>>> RAM 1.00 GB
>>>
>>> From the get-go, Internet Explorer takes forever to display a web page,
>>> even
>>> though I have cable internet service. And then, after a couple hours of
>>> surfing, it locks up ("not responding"). After terminating the process
>>> iexplore.exe I see in Windows Task Manager that the Performance tab
>>> displays
>>> an oscillating CPU Usage range of 64-75%, yet the Processes tab displays
>>> System Idle Process being the main user @ 22-47% CPU with no other
>>> process
>>> in the list using greater than 1% CPU.
>>>
>>> Several years ago I had *farrr* better performance using Win NT 4 SP5
>>> using
>>> hardware that was only Celeron 466 Mhz with 128 MB RAM. Disgraceful!!
>>>
>>> Is there some utility I can get that will automatically diagnose and fix
>>> this darn problem that has persisted for months?

Your Welcome.

"JacobH" <> wrote in message
news:...
> rob^_^ wrote:
>> Hi Jacob,
>>
>> Yep. You have a horked install of the Google toolbar (The version is
>> in the Help context menu). (Google made a number of changes to their
>> toolbar just before the IE8 release. One was a fix for the 'Memory
>> read' error you had.
>> Uninstall your Google toolbar from the Add/Remove Programs applet.
>>
>> Reboot. !important
>>
>> If you want to continue using the Google toolbar you can go to
>> toolbar.google.com and install the latest version(6)
>>
>> The Google Mail notifier may also cause you problems if you have it
>> installed and allow auto-login at windows startup. I turn it off and
>> only log on to GMail manually.
>>
>> Regards.
>>
>> "JacobH" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> rob^_^ wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Disable COM Addons - Tools>Internet Options - Advanced tab, uncheck
>>>> "Enable third-party browser extensions".
>>>>
>>>> Turn off the Phishing filter if you have Anti-Virus or anti-malware
>>>> installed and you rate your surfing experience as Moderate (and you
>>>> know the sites you visit regularly)
>>>>
>>>> If these test still do not speed up your browser, download the
>>>> fiddler tool from http://www.fiddlertool.com and run it without IE
>>>> open to see the Call Home traffic from some of your "Windows
>>>> Startup" list.
>>>> Quicktime, GoogleToolbarUPdater.exe (depereciated) and the AOL
>>>> updater have been causing problems for ppl.
>>>>
>>>> You can turn off Quicktime auto updates from its control panel.
>>>> Ditto AOL updates.
>>>>
>>>> You should not have the GoogleToolbarUpdater.exe in your windows
>>>> startup list. Make sure you have downloaded and installed the latest
>>>> version from toolbar.google.com (v6).
>>>>
>>>
>>> That's curious, tried to d/l latest and was told I already have a
>>> more recent version.
>>> How do I tell which version of Toolbar I have?
>>>
>>> --
>>> --
>>> Geoff
>>> ExploitEd
>>>
>>> Wisdom and experience come with age, they say, but I do wish I could
>>> remember the darn question
>
> That seems to have changed it!!!
> now shows 6.xxx....
> Version: 6.3.1106.427/en-GB (GGLL)
> Notifier Version: 5.4.4525.1752
> Under Abaht Google Toolbar, which I don't think I saw before.
> Never use Gmail, so don't need that bit. go now check not got toolbar
> notifier.
>
> Than You kind Sir!
>
> --
> --
> Geoff
> ExploitEd
>
> Wisdom and experience come with age, they say, but I do wish I could
> remember the darn question
>