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Question

Older PC CPU keeps maxing out

Jan 5, 2014 1:19AM PST

I have an old, Micron computer with an Intel D850MV motherboard, running a P4 2.00GHz processor and 1GB RAM. I know it's pretty slow by today's standards, but it goes to 100% CPU use often, causing it to slow to a crawl until the CPU bounces back. It seemed to be gradually getting worse, so I reinstalled Windows XP., but no improvement. I checked my Startup items using msconfig, and there are very few items loaded at startup. Any ideas?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Tell us about your use of canned air...
Jan 5, 2014 1:23AM PST

... and thermal paste.

Dafydd.

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??????
Jan 5, 2014 1:43AM PST

I haven't made any hardware changes since it gradually started slowing down. I only use canned air on my keyboard Wink.

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The suggestion about canned air...
Jan 5, 2014 1:47AM PST

...was to remove the cover & use canned air to blow out the air ducts, heat sink, and dust bunnies that build up inside a computer over time. Ideal is every 6 months, but I usually do it about once a year. With a P4 2.0 GHz I'm sure your PC is a good bit older than a year.

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Yuck!
Jan 5, 2014 12:40PM PST

It was pretty bad! I've Shop Vaced out the case before, but it's been a few months. The fans were all pretty dusty, as was the CPU heat sink, GPU, and other nooks and crannies. I didn't pull the heat sink off yet to check the thermal paste, but will when I get some to replace it.

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The amount of crud...
Jan 5, 2014 1:52AM PST

... that builds up in a computer is phenominal. Also thermal paste dries out. I suggest you do this work first if you want to resurrect this computer.
It's cheap to do and in my opinion the first job in diagnosing problems like this.

Google for guides on how to do this.

Dafydd.

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Answer
I'd try Linux or get a new PC
Jan 5, 2014 1:31AM PST

The Ubuntu and Mint versions of Linux make less demands on a PC than Windows does, so you might want to try them. They're both designed for Windows users, having a similar user interface. XP slows down over time due to all the updates with take more and more resource. Also I hope you understand that MS is going to pull the plug on the last remnants of XP support in April, so staying with XP is going to get very risky if you go on the internet.

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Linux, etc.
Jan 5, 2014 1:48AM PST

I know Linux is a lighter operating system, but I'm not interested in learning another OS right now. I just installed a clean copy of XP (though I did install a whole slew of updates, as required). Thought the computer with a clean OS install wouldn't feel THIS slow out of the gate, but maybe it's just that there are such high requirements nowadays. Just thought maybe there was some kind of setting I needed to change to trick the CPU into running more efficiently.

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Answer
Practical ram installs
Jan 5, 2014 1:42AM PST

I take it you've also updated to SP3 or similar. Doing so and being updated, that on a 1gb of ram maybe having too much internal house cleaning tasks that hoard ram during their operation. I have found XP with 1gb to be not enough and adding more ram is about the only cure, excluding any s/w issues. The other poster offered to "re-paste the CPU" it maybe time if for anything else, you did it.

If your PC is lagging, allow it some time. Maybe, after few mins. it improves, then there are tasks being done not immediately apparent that due to the rush of initial start do get done. If it does improve then add ram that is allowable for possible fix, again that depends on your mtrbd. based chipset, maybe 2gb or better.

Sadly, XP has seen better days, time to move on. If you do everything possible, maybe even swap out the cpu itself to possible 3.0 or at least 2.4 or better if supported by bios and chipset as the last gasp before tossing PC. I've seen too many XP based, super-tuned for best performance and still lag, so take that IMHO mode.

tada -----Willy Happy

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Updates
Jan 5, 2014 12:57PM PST

Yes, I updated to SP3. Adding more RAM doesn't SEEM to be the issue, as it runs in a fairly acceptable usage level (according to Performance under manager). Boot time is actually faster than my three year old work desktop, so I so I don't think it's just getting processes out of the way. Really, anything like a virus scan kicking in makes it practically unusable... CPU goes to 100%, and the party's over Happy. It may be that it's just time to bite the bullet and replace the guts (I like the nicely made aircraft hanger case though). The motherboard has only USB1, PATA HDD support, yadda, yadda, yadda. I thought I'd wait a bit longer to go the route of a complete rebuild, but will consider it sooner rather than later. I was planning on rebuilding it eventually, using my newer Dell E6530 i7 quad for intensive tasks, and the old desktop for basic internet/word processing, but I guess having a fast computer for some things makes it hard to go back to the old desktop Wink.

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you can set most virus scanners to work in background
Jan 5, 2014 1:09PM PST

You may also want to check the performance settings for Windows, size of page file. Check any RAM settings in BIOS shared to integrated video.

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Performance settings
Jan 5, 2014 9:14PM PST

I dug up an article that walks me through setting up the performance options and we'll see how that works (once I get the thermal paste and CPU reseated, and Humpty Dumpty back together again).
Thanks

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Automatic runs
Jan 6, 2014 3:26AM PST

Review any backgrd. running tasks to see if they can be either scheduled for another time or not done automatically. You can still run these in manual mode or toggle when you feel you need to. AV pgms. tend to hog resources and if you have a full suite installed, it maybe running everytime you boot and then releases resources when done. Further, if other tasks start from the boot cycle, check again if those can't be disabled, too much going on is certainly going to lag the system. Again, ram will help if that's the case up to a point, it just will. I did mention a cpu replacement could help also because better P4 that have large int. cache will handle duties better. Of course, if you want to do this it maybe the last gasp sorta thing before tossing it.

I still have my 2.0mhz Celeron and it seems to hang but really is doing something. It also has 1Mb of ram but here I use it only for scan/fax duties due to XP based s/w. I'm just patient with it, it too will go once I have a replacement of junk parts but newer ones to build from. AND yes, I have turned-off all automatic functions and any online updates and such because it takes too much time before release.

tada -----Willy Happy

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This and that...
Jan 6, 2014 5:42AM PST

My AV program (ESET) used to really kills it when it started a scan, so I'm going to make sure it's scheduled for a time when the computer is free. I will probably not use it much beyond Internet and word processing, but I do have a nice, older Epson scanner that doesn't have Windows 7 drivers available, so would like to use that on this machine if possible. The problem is resource hungry websites Wink. Memory and CPU upgrades are tough, since parts are scarce, and for RAM (it's Rambus), it's expensive for an old box. I ordered some Arctic Silver with cleaner, so we'll see how re-seating the CPU helps, along with blowing out those cobwebs.

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Compatibility Mode for Older Software
Jan 7, 2014 1:07AM PST
" I do have a nice, older Epson scanner that doesn't have Windows 7 drivers available, so would like to use that on this machine if possible. "

Right clk on the Epson printer install files for XP or Win2K or Vista and choose to install in "Compatibility Mode" and it should work OK in W7.

I gave away and older computer to someone with dialup and the modem in it had no driver files for the vista I put on it, but compatibility mode allowed the drivers from earlier windows version to work whereas trying to run the install file without doing it that way failed.
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New CPU
Jan 7, 2014 1:13AM PST

Is it worth trying to track down a faster P4 CPU? I haven't found any new yet, but a few cheap on Ebay. Of course I have no way of knowing if they're any good. If I have it right, I need a socket 478 P4 for my Intel D850MV motherboard?

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Look at...
Jan 7, 2014 3:21AM PST

Socket 478, well that seals it, I wouldn't NOW go that route, its a dead end for sure. If this was socket 775, some practical life would come back. Of course, if you find a decent deal and cost is reasonable, why not try it. I would check Craigslist and post there in the WANT section or check the COMPUTER 4-sale and see what you find, that could very well be local to you. You can also check for a entire different PC that maybe cost effective as "used" and start over getting what you want rather than leaping along with too old of a PC.

tada -----Willy Happy

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CPU transplant
Jan 7, 2014 6:56AM PST

Found a p4 2.8 GHz on Ebay for a whopping $15.00. Would the bump from 2.0 to 2.8 be that noticeable? I figured for the price, I might as well swap for something faster, as long as I'm going to the trouble of re-pasting/seating the CPU. This is the only work and money I'm going to sink into this config. Like you said, it's a dead end. I've never built a computer before, so thought swapping CPUs would be good experience with little downside.





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Yes....but not dramatic. Better to put any new $$ toward a
Jan 7, 2014 10:02AM PST

new PC. Rambus was a killer and the perhaps the motivation for adopting DDR. Think I've still got some around somewhere....some high-end PC1066.

VAPCMD

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IMHO, I wouldn't
Jan 7, 2014 1:07PM PST

But, that's me as I see some improvement and if possible add the ram, again if all this is cost effective. Once this is done you have really done all you can and while some improvement will be had, its not super leaps and bounds. It all up to you now if you want to proceed. All already posted applies, so if you want to step to a socket 775, you probably can swap everything over but the cpu and ram if not compatible. Those same online sources offer decent deals overall.

Again, I wouldn't put anymore into a socket 478 PC, I'm already junking those I come across.

tada -----Willy Happy

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Answer
Just for yuks
Jan 8, 2014 12:37AM PST
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I'll check it out
Jan 8, 2014 3:07AM PST

Thanks for the tip, Bob. I'll definitely check my drive setting when I get the beast back running.