How long at 1% vrs how long at 99%????
If you have nothing running the idle process should be taking up the 99%. If there is somthing else taking up time this might be the cluprit. Have you check for spyware?? John
I have an older pentium 200MMX computer, running win95, which I keep only to use while I fix my regular computer. Being only a 200Hz machine, it never was known for its speed. But it was tolerable. After not using it for a couple of months, I started it up the other day. Something has happened that has caused it to become extremely slow on certain routine tasks. On other tasks, it appears normal, like loading apps. Examples of what I'm experiencing:
In Windows Explorer, if I click on the plus sign to expand a folder, I wait 5 to 8 seconds for the folder to expand.
I tried to remove some startup items. I went to start/settings/taskbar/remove item. Just to move down the list, I click and then wait UP TO 30 SECONDS for the cursor highlight to go to the selected folder.
I went to Task Manager and closed everything except systray and explorer. No change. I then opened norton system doctor and saw that with virtually nothing running, CPU usage fluctuated between 1% and 99%.
I defragged the HDD; removed and reinstalled the memory chips; removed and reinstalled the CPU; disconnected/reconnected the HDD cable at both ends. No help.
If anyone can tell me what's going on here; or where to look next; or how to fix this; I'd be most grateful. Thanks.

Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic