My PC has become downright agonizing to use. It'll take literally 2-3 minutes just to begin to open a program (meaning that long for the hourglass thingy to pop up), and even longer to load said program, if it decides to load at all. I've defragged the drive. I've run my virus stuff. I've run SpyWare programs. Nothing picks up nothing. Ctrl/Alt/Delete says my CPU usage is at 100%: is this good or bad, as in it is functioning at 100% or something is taking up 100% of my CPU, thus causing the slowdown? I have a firewall and virus protection via Earthlink. When I click "scan now", literally nothing happens. It scans nothing, with the 'files scanned' count at zero, and then announces to me the scan is complete. I downloaded another virus program, which ran well enough despite a ridiculous loading time to no avail. Same with spyware. This is all on a (damn-near) brand-spanking new Toshiba Satelllite running XP with 512 RAM. Please....help....me. I'm about to see what its like to take a shotgun to a laptop. Thanks.
uh, that's VERY bad if you're just at the windows desktop doing nothing unless you mean it's the System Idle Process that is taking up 100%. go to the Process tab of the task manager, and sort by the CPU column to find out what program(s) is taking up all your CPU cycles
You need to back up your important files and just format the hard drive and re-install your operating system.
Interesting. I'm running (another) spyware program right now (SpyCatcher, I think). I'll check this when its done. And for anyone else who responds, I'll have to ask that you be gentle in any descriptions. I've been a Mac user my whole life, so PCs are still relatively foreign. And yes, I wish I bought another Mac.
With as slow as the damn thing is running, and with so much of the CPU apparently being used, I really don't know if it would let me. My only option for backup at the moment is burning to DVD. It wouldn't even load an audio CD the other day.
Hmm. Okay. I'll have to do that after work, though. It'll be late tonight or tomorrow before I'm able to do so. I know it isn't SpyWare....That was one more I was going to try before officially going insane. In terms of backing up files, can I get an external HD, copy music, p*rn, etc. (assuming it lets me) and THEN do whatever I have to do, such as reinstall the OS? Or am I just transferring whatever problem is currently going on to the external HD, thus starting over this whole, exciting cycle?
Damn....there's a bunch of crap. Some with my name listed as the user, and others as "System", "Network Service", and "Local Service". The vast majority say either my name or "System". As for the CPU cycle column, damn near all of the values are "00" with a "01" and "02" popping up only occasionally. Does this mean anything to anyone?
all of that is normal what you're looking for in the CPU column is for things that are a high number (anything over 10% or so). you can exclude System Idle Process
you system idle process should be near 100%. 95% is ok if you're running other programs. you should probably see taskmgr.exe having 1-3% as well, and if you're reading this then the browser should have a percentage or two. check your performance, unless you're watching/burning a dvd or playing an game the cpu usage history should also be faily low. a few years ago one of my memory sticks died on me, everything ran slowly. if you are spyware/virus free, i would say try a reinstall (to see if some other program is hidden and jacking your system) and if its not that you may have some bad hardware.
Scratch that....there is one: "elnk_pcc.exe" that is at 99. I'm assuming this is Earthlink....but that's supposed to be a good thing, as that is my firewall and virus protection! My system idle process is at 00.
System idle is at 00. The task manager is within range. I'm typing this on my roommates PC and going back and forth between his and mine. My CPU usage history is also at 100%.
then that's your problem right there you need to find out exactly what elnk_pcc.exe is and why it's using up 99% of your CPU cycles. nothing should do that unless you're playing a game or something, as rodrick said
So should I select "end process"? Uninstall Earthlink? How do I find out what "elnk_pcc.exe" is? EDIT: A quick Googling indicates that "elnk_pcc.exe" is related to my Earthlink software. I still don't know what I should do here....
It's some garbage that it is included with your earthlink software. For now, end the process. It's not essential Go to start-->run and type in msconfig Then go to startup and see if you can uncheck the program. Or alternatively, go to add/remove programs and uninstall it if you can EDIT: I suppose I should say what this program actually is, its the Earthlink Protection Control Center which is ironically an anti-virus/spyware program. Just ditch it and use Norton or whatever anti-virus you normally use. http://www.earthlink.net/software/pcc/
haha, that's hilarious through some more googling, it seems that if you install some updates for this Protection Control Center, that it actually installs some spyware/malware. funny **** lynus, for now just do the steps gee suggested and see how it goes
Actually, I have RoadRunner. My buddy set me up with his ELink account because 1) my buddy with Road Runner doesn't know how to do this stuff and 2) I didn't want to pay for McAffee anymore. Long story short, I'm back on my PC and it is functioning normally. You all fuggin' rock. Many thanks!
EArthlink as a internet provider is just fine....with one caveat DO NOT INSTALL THEIR SOFTWARE. It is not necessary to get online....it is basiclaly their attempt to make email/internet access/computer protection all in one suite.(kinda AOL-like) Lynus, do you access your email thru their software? if not...just uninstall the whole thing and use software from others...Outlook/OE/Thunderbird for email....AVG Antivirus for virus...spyware detector of your choice for those kind of things.
