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General discussion

Processes running in Task Manager flicker

Dec 9, 2004 1:38AM PST

When I bring up task manager and click on a process to select it, it constantly flickers. This has been happening for about a month. Also explorer.exe has been using lots of cpu's when accesing folders and files making it very slow opening. Occasionally a low grinding noise on computer. Run norton, adaware, spybot, no viruses. Have spysweeper program. Finds no viruses. Any suggestions and help is appreciated.
Thanks,
jbw2

Discussion is locked

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Re: Processes running in Task Manager flicker
Dec 9, 2004 2:07AM PST

jbw2,

Is this still related to your Windows XP SP2 computer? It helps if you give computer info in each post...

Your previous post mentioned "lots" of screensavers. Have you tried disabling your screensaver altogether and running without one? Just to see if it makes a difference?

Start troubleshooting by doing a little computer clean up using the instructions in the links below:

How To Shut Down Unnecessary Start Up Programs

How To Clean Unwanted Files From The Hard Drive

Then run Error Checking/Chkdsk using this link:

How To Run 'Error Checking/Chkdsk' On Win2000/XP

Hope this helps and let us know how it goes.

Grif

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Re: Processes running in Task Manager flicker
Dec 9, 2004 7:26AM PST

I have done all the things you suggested and there is no difference. I don't have any screensavers running. I have a windows xp home edition, 2.2gzh, 256 mb ram.

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Hint: Change the update rate of Task Manager.
Dec 9, 2004 7:27AM PST
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A shot in the dark
Dec 9, 2004 7:53AM PST

When you were asked what you are running, you just said that it is XP Home - correct me if I am wrong.

If not: then what about SP1 and all of the updates which went with that?

And what about SP2, which has apparently done "everything" ... at least until someone unwittingly or deliberately does something to stuff things up. (When I just had SP1, in "add and remove" I used to have heaps of modifiers for XP, but now I have none ... the implication being that SP2 has wrapped it all up.)

If you have kept up to date, then you have some other problem ... but if you haven't and haven't enabled automatic updates, then that is your problem I think.

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Re: A shot in the dark
Dec 10, 2004 6:00PM PST

I would like to chime in:
I have all WinXp/SP2 updates and get the same flicker. Grif may be right here. So, I am curious to try myself. I have 19 running tasks, which is about the norm I believe.

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Re: A shot in the dark
Dec 11, 2004 9:56AM PST

Funkid,

Shutting down unnecessary start up programs and services will always help a computer run smoother and can stop some of the various "flutters" that occur..Follow those procedures first....

But, did you try the suggestion by Bob Proffitt. It's simple to check. Press "Ctrl-Alt-Delete", then click on the "Task Manager" tab. When that opens, click on the "View" tab, select "Update Speed", then choose something higher. Usually, the "Normal" setting is fine, but some computers may need to update faster.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Re: A shot in the dark
Dec 11, 2004 10:45AM PST

Using XP/SP2..Mine flickers here and there..Seems its the ones that are in use (i thought) at the time.and beside each one under "CPU" the numbers change,back and forth then back to zero...Highest CPU at the bottom shows "6"..
Only have 4 items in my "Startup": 3 are related to "PestPatrol" and the other one is my "Nav"..