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Question

cpu peaking a LOT

Jan 2, 2013 7:53AM PST

I have a Dell Inspiron 531S desktop . . it's *always peaking at/near 100. I imagine that's what makes it hum/buzz.

*I need to know what to do about it.* I don't have money, I had a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm last Jan. and haven't worked since.

A guy at Best Buy said that there's probably something malicious running in the background to make it do that. There aren't any programs running in the task manager and he said that the Processes are all unrelated . . to a possible cause.

The browser I use is Cometbird, I do have IE9 installed. The system was sold with Vista Basic, it now has 7 Premium. (32 bit) It's been working with Microsoft Security Essentials for at least a year.. something different before that. I have System Mechanic 11.5 Professional on it. I downloaded Sophos' free rootkit removal tool - nothing.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
So it's the old version with IDE?
Jan 2, 2013 8:00AM PST

It's quite normal for the CPU meters to spike in Windows. They've done that for years. And as the drives retry due to old age, well that's discussed.

I don't see anything malicious going on here. HUM AND BUZZ are mechanical issues that you solve by replacing the thing that makes the noise or tieing it down.
Bob

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??
Jan 2, 2013 8:13AM PST

I don't know what IDE is..

(not a techie, was going to put Deer in Headlights as my id)

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
System Type X86-based PC
Processor AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 3600+, 2009 Mhz, 1 Core(s), 1 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. 1.0.13, 2/9/2009
SMBIOS Version 2.5
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 2.94 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.62 GB
Total Virtual Memory 5.87 GB
Available Virtual Memory 4.16 GB
Page File Space 2.94 GB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_development_environment - - where / what part do you want to know?

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That's the hard disk drive type.
Jan 2, 2013 8:16AM PST

IDE drives tend to spike the CPU like that for many reasons. Other spikes include having a background image and the list goes on and on without any nefarious cause.

I'm unsure how you can assure someone it's pretty normal until they are exposed to dozens of PCs.
Bob

PS. If you want to scan for more, read Grif's post at http://forums.cnet.com/7726-6132_102-5098912.html?tag=posts;msg5099421

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k..
Jan 2, 2013 8:40AM PST

I'll let you know if I make any progress.

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a couple, but..
Jan 2, 2013 8:43PM PST

it still seems to have (a) problem(s).. still peaking
on the other hand.. I wouldn't have nabbed these 2 without you. Happy

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (Trial) 1.70.0.1100
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: v2013.01.02.10

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 x86 NTFS
Internet Explorer 9.0.8112.16421
New1 :: NEW1-PC [administrator]

Protection: Enabled

1/2/2013 8:46:00 PM
mbam-log-2013-01-02 (20-46-00).txt

Scan type: Full scan (C:\|D:\|E:\|F:\|G:\|H:\|I:\|J:\|)
Scan options enabled: Memory | Startup | Registry | File System | Heuristics/Extra | Heuristics/Shuriken | PUP | PUM
Scan options disabled: P2P
Objects scanned: 346274
Time elapsed: 33 minute(s), 56 second(s)

Memory Processes Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)


Registry Data Items Detected: 2
HKCR\scrfile\shell\open\command| (Broken.OpenCommand) -> Bad: (NOTEPAD.EXE "%1") Good: ("%1" /S) -> Quarantined and repaired successfully.
HKCR\regfile\shell\open\command| (Broken.OpenCommand) -> Bad: (NOTEPAD.EXE "%1") Good: (regedit.exe "%1") -> Quarantined and repaired successfully.

Folders Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Files Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

(end)

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Results of MBAM Scan..
Jan 2, 2013 9:47PM PST

Oh_Deer

Please read #18 of Malwarebytes' FAQ Common Issues, Questions, and their Solutions where it states:

'ISSUE: I keep getting the following detections, even after allowing Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to fix them:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\scrfile\shell\open\command\(default) (Broken.OpenCommand) -> Bad: (NOTEPAD.EXE %1) Good: ("%1" /S)
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open\command\(default) (Broken.OpenCommand) -> Bad: (NOTEPAD.EXE %1) Good: (regedit.exe "%1")

SOLUTION: Most often when these two items return repeatedly it is due to the presence of an IOLO product such as System Mechanic. System Mechanic and other IOLO security products alter these settings from their Windows defaults. If you do have an IOLO product installed, it is best to simply change the security setting in your IOLO product so that it does not change the settings for .reg files and .scr files or that you simply have Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware ignore these particular detections. These entries are not actual infections, just system settings changes that are not set to their defaults, which is something that some infections will do to prevent .reg files and .scr files from executing, which is why Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware detects these items, since it has no way of knowing if the change was made by the user, an infection, or a legitimate software such as IOLO.
'

I would strongly suggest against using System Mechanic, or any registry cleaners (or optimizers) for that matter. You will read throughout the forums, "they have been known to create more problems then they fix".

Best of luck..
Carol

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wow..
Jan 3, 2013 4:11AM PST

thanks Carol.. I think. Wink and I thought I was getting somewhere in this task. I appreciate the heads up about the result. For a newb/plain user or whatever the slang is out there... I love System Mechanic. I just bought the professional version whereas I had the regular a couple years ago.

It does things someone like me wouldn't know to do or look for, gives details about what it's about to do and gives options as far as how to go about completing the listed tasks.