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Resolved Question

CPU idles at 100%

by May 7, 2014 1:49PM PDT

Hello, I'm a long time fan of cnet, but literally joined the website today. I'm quite familiar when it comes to computers in general, and can usually solve a lot of issues on my own, but this one has completely boggled my mind. Beforehand, I can assure you that I've spent many hours trying to find a solution online to no avail, and thought this would be the place to ask.

Windows 7 home premium 32-bit (sp1) on a HP Mini 110 on a completely fresh untouched install, and the CPU runs as it should. As usual, I go along my routine of changing some settings here and there, nothing serious by any means, and it still runs as it did 30 minutes ago from the new install. Next I install AVG, and Firefox, as well as Ccleaner, thats it. Nothing else.

Now the laptop is connected to the internet, and I haven't even launched the browser or ccleaner, but go to the properties on My Computer, and suddenly the CPU skyrockets to 100% and stays there until turned off. Doing anything in the future, be it open notepad to opening firefox, or even after startup, the CPU is always at 100%.

Checked task manager, device manager, drivers, resource monitor, and everything looks in place except for three things. In resource monitor TrustedInstaller.exe is taking up about 50% of the CPU, while svchost.exe -k netsvcs is holding is fair share at 30%, among the many other svchost's which has always been a mystery to me.
Installed MSE on yet another fresh install, and same results. Literally anything new and the CPU has the time of its life.

Tried the latest version of ubuntu and this does not happen. Infact I can even run firefox with 30 tabs loading up at the same time and it goes to 70% for about a minute then a nice and cool 1-4% after everything has loaded. Correct me if I'm wrong but this does not seem to be hardware related if linux runs perfectly fine. Honestly would prefer to have Windows running on it, time for another fresh install..

I've checked hijackthis logs, checked for software and hardware conflicts and can't find any to my knowledge. The only thing wrong is the battery is literally dead, it holds no charge, so the laptop is constantly plugged in during use, but I've already ordered a replacement a few days ago.

Speccy:
Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit SP1
CPU
Intel Atom N270 @ 1.60GHz 60 °C
Diamondville 45nm Technology
RAM
2.00GB Single-Channel DDR2 @ 266MHz (4-4-4-12)
Motherboard
Hewlett-Packard 308F (CPU 1) 63 °C
Graphics
LP101WH1-TLB2 (1366x768@60Hz)
Intel Mobile Intel 945 Express Chipset Family (HP)
Intel Mobile Intel 945 Express Chipset Family (HP)
Storage
55GB Corsair Force LS SSD ATA Device (SSD) 30 °C
Optical Drives
No optical disk drives detected
Audio
High Definition Audio Device
Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit SP1
Computer type: Notebook
Installation Date: 5/7/2014 2:58:01


HijackThis:
Process list saved on 8:46:46 PM, on 5/7/2014
Platform: Windows 7 SP1 (WinNT 6.00.3505)

[pid] [full path to filename] [file version] [company name]
2632 C:\Windows\system32\taskhost.exe 6.1.7601.18010 Microsoft Corporation
2644 C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe 6.1.7600.16385 Microsoft Corporation
2680 C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE 6.1.7601.17514 Microsoft Corporation
3060 C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG2014\avgui.exe 14.0.0.4567 AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o.
3072 C:\Windows\System32\igfxtray.exe 8.14.10.1930 Intel Corporation
3080 C:\Windows\System32\hkcmd.exe 8.14.10.1930 Intel Corporation
3092 C:\Windows\System32\igfxpers.exe 8.14.10.1930 Intel Corporation
3160 C:\Windows\system32\igfxsrvc.exe 8.14.10.1930 Intel Corporation
3392 C:\Windows\system32\ctfmon.exe 6.1.7600.16385 Microsoft Corporation
2536 C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe 29.0.0.5224 Mozilla Corporation
1264 C:\Users\Username\Desktop\HiJackThis\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe 2.0.0.4 Trend Micro Inc.


Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 8:48:16 PM, on 5/7/2014
Platform: Windows 7 SP1 (WinNT 6.00.3505)
MSIE: Unable to get Internet Explorer version!
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\taskhost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG2014\avgui.exe
C:\Windows\System32\igfxtray.exe
C:\Windows\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Windows\System32\igfxpers.exe
C:\Windows\system32\igfxsrvc.exe
C:\Windows\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Users\UsernameHere\Desktop\HiJackThis\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe
C:\Windows\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_UI] "C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG2014\avgui.exe" /TRAYONLY
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Persistence] C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
O23 - Service: AVGIDSAgent - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG2014\avgidsagent.exe
O23 - Service: AVG WatchDog (avgwd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG2014\avgwdsvc.exe

--
End of file - 1804 bytes

Discussion is locked

ilikerhinos has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer
4 Posts
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Best Answer

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I see a Intel Atom N270
by Forum moderator May 7, 2014 2:51PM PDT

In fact I have such a netbook and all too often it is very very busy with tasks that don't show in the task manager. And to be clear there's nothing wrong with my netbook. We had many netbooks but are divesting these for something like a http://www.woot.com/offers/asus-11-6-touchscreen-dual-core-laptop-9?ref=cnt_dly_img which is a few generations later.

Sorry, but since it's a N270, you would have a hard time convincing me it's nothing more than what it is.
Bob

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PS. You didn't reveal which Process eats 100%
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 7, 2014 2:57PM PDT
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process eater
by ilikerhinos May 10, 2014 12:53AM PDT

Sorry for the late reply I've been really busy until today. The processes that both use up 40-50% is TrustedInstaller.exe as well as "svchost.exe -k netsvcs." I've checked all the svchost's and they're in system32 folder. After trying turning off the little button for wifi and plugging in an ethernet instead, the CPU actually drops back to about 70%.
Thank you so much for that link. Read through it and googled a little more. Looks like the wireless device was faulty. Took apart the laptop, removed the device, and CPU is at a steady 1-2% doing nothing. Everything seems to be back to normal.

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Nice find.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 10, 2014 1:00AM PDT

Just sharing I found a lot of bad little WiFi cards over the years. Sadly most were on HP and some on Dells. Not many others but this doesn't mean those makers are that bad. Folk buy a lot of that brand so it's more likely to see the failures there.
Bob

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