whats running in the backround

[pugger]

Not sure if this is the right forum to post so sorry if it isn't.

First off .... I have
Windows Xp Home
Asus p4s333
2 gig p4
256 kingmax 2700
nvidia g4 4200
ect...

Its not A GTA3 problem but ...I first noticed the problem while running GTA3. (yes i have all patches and updated drivers)Every couple of seconds I would get a second or two of slowdown. So I decided to check the task manager to see what (if anything) was running in the backround.I noticed that the cpu usage was spiking every few seconds up to about 35% usage. I can see that "System" in the processes tab is what is running. If I "end process" I get 0% usage; but if I do that other things on my system stops working.

Obviously "System" is controlling a couple of things on my system but WHAT ? Is there anyway I can find out in more detail what each process controls?

I've been trying to fix this for weeks but no good . Things that I tried are...

switching from xp pro to xp home
running all microsoft updates
been to blackviper.com and shut down everything I could
running "adaware" to see if anything is running

if anyone else has seen this problem PLEASE HELP ! TIA !!!

 

[engel59]

I would go to Start > Run; type in msconfig.
In the Startup section you should see what is running and you should be able to see where the program is being running from.
There are programs that are run at startup thru the Registry.
Here are two areas in the Registry you can look:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

That's all I can think of.

 

[Octopus]

I have the same problem but it started when I installed Aliens VS Predator 2...the problem is either from XP ( home or Pro) or from the processor itself ( mine is Intel P4)
you're lucky because yours reach 35..while mine is reaching 100

35 is not that bad..I think GTA needs lot of ram.
here is the good advice..don't run many programs in one time..or your processor is BOOOOOM!

 

[Grandmaster]

I had a problem with the System Idle Process taking up 100% of my processor! The only way I could fix that was with a complete format and a clean install of XP.

 

[pugger]

thanx for the replies guys but I found out what it was .I tried everything such as ...
going into services and turning them off one by one(all the while I had "task manager" running with the performance tab open).
Then I went into "device manager" and started to disable one piece of hardware at a time until I got to ..."photosmart printer card reader (HPH09)" . Once I disabled it all of my cpu usage dropped back to 0%.

So if any of you guys have a hp photosmat p1000 and have the same problems , try to disable it and see what happens.

and yes .. the printer still works.