High load on the processor. Resolving High CPU Usage on Cisco Routers

After a long use of the system, it starts to slow down, various kinds of problems arise that users are not always able to solve. One of the main reasons for a slow PC is 100 percent CPU usage. And here it is not always clear because of what this problem arises.

There are two reasons - hardware and software. The second, of course, appears much more often, so let's start with it. There may be viruses, and unknown processes, anything. In this article I will try to help you deal with the processor load at 100%.

If there is a suspicion that the processor is loaded at 100 percent

Go to device manager (keyboard shortcut Esc+Shift+Ctrl) and go to the tab "Performance". In the CPU section, there is, like a graph that will make it clear how much the processor is loaded, as well as the line "Usage". If the load is still 100 percent, then it is worth taking action.

Program type problem

When you open the task manager, you need to find the process that is loading the processor. This can be any program installed on a PC, or a virus. Perhaps you did not find anything worthwhile in the "Processes" tab, then go to the tab "Details", it shows all running processes, and try to find the one that uses the most CPU. If you do not know what to complete, I recommend contacting an experienced specialist.

Of course, with the help of the task manager it is not always possible to find the desired process, then a third-party utility comes to the rescue. Process Explorer. Run it and sort the processor by load (CPU) and see what it gives us.

Download Process Explorer: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb896653.aspx

Sometimes, the real culprit of the load may be shown, and then you can close it without problems, but there is another situation when it is the system process that loads the CPU. Often this can be a system interrupt process and getting rid of this is not always easy. Of course, sometimes a simple reboot helps.

System interruptions can occur for several reasons: viruses, problems with the hard drive and drivers, problems with printers, scanners, and any other devices connected to the computer.

Drivers

You can check if the reason is really in the drivers as follows: boot into safe mode and check the CPU usage, if not 100%, then the drivers are definitely naughty. You can try to remove the video card driver and check the load, if unsuccessful, then you will have to remove everything altogether. Although this is a rather risky process, which in the end still involves reinstalling the system.

Virus problem

Viruses are capable of a lot, and CPU usage is no exception. They can even hide under the guise of a system processor, so the average user will not even understand. Try to use several utilities to check your PC for viruses, I will give some links to such programs and how to use them.

Hard drive problem

In general, this does not happen often, but I will also describe this item for safety net. There are two modes of operation in hard drives − DMA and PIO. The first involves working directly with RAM, and the second is outdated and uses the processor during operation. Naturally, if your hard drive is working in PIO mode, then you need to switch. I this article describes how to do it.

Problem with peripherals

The easiest way to check if peripherals are the culprit in CPU usage is to disable everything in order. Also, go to Device Manager and check if drivers are installed on all devices. If a yellow triangle or a red icon is lit there, then due to the lack of drivers, such a problem may have occurred.

You can get into the device manager like this: press the keys Win+R and enter the command there devmgmt.msc .

If you see the absence of drivers on some devices, update them directly from the device manager, or use third-party utilities.

Hardware issues with CPU usage at 100%

Dealing with hardware problems is a little more difficult than software problems, especially for an inexperienced user. But we will try.

Often the fault of the load is overheat. What do you think is causing it? Most likely due to a bad cooling system or dust.

First, let's check with AIDA64 or any other similar processor utility. In AIDA64, open the tab "A computer" and go to section "Sensors".

In this case, it would be wise to first check the processor cooling system. Open the computer or laptop case and, preferably, clean all components. Use a brush and a vacuum cleaner for cleaning. Cleaning often is not necessary, but at least 2 times a year is necessary. On the processor, be sure to change the thermal paste, about once every 3 years.

Of course, the described methods do not fully solve the problem with the processor. Hardware problems can even include damage to the processor, which is rare, but the only recommendation in this case is to replace it. On a laptop, this can be problematic, as they often cannot be replaced. In general, explore and if you have questions, ask them in the comments.

You have a need to load the computer processor by 100%! For example, you need to test it in extreme conditions, or check how efficient the cooling system is and how it copes with overloads. There are two ways. The first is to download and install a special program like CPU Stress Test (CST). And the second is to load the processor yourself, using only the Windows operating system. That's about this scenario, I'll tell you now!

In order to accomplish our plan, we only need a standard Windows notepad. We open it and write:

It looks like this:

Let me explain a little - you and I wrote a program code that will launch the simplest loop from the While loop for a standard Visual Basic handler. Now we need to save the file:

Yes, not just, but with a different extension. To do this, in the line "File name" you need to write its name "loop.vbs".

Please note that the file name must be specified in double quotes in the string. Otherwise, it will have a .txt extension, and we need it to be .vbs . The result should be a file like this:

To load the processor at 100%, you will need to start it. But first - open the task manager on the "Performance" tab:

This is where the CPU usage graph is displayed. Since now most modern processors are multi-core, in order to load it to the maximum, i.e. 100 percent, you need to see all the cores. To do this, right-click on the chart and select the menu item "Change chart">> "Logical processors". I got it like this:

You may have more or less graphs depending on the CPU model. Well, then in order to maximize the load on the processor, you need to load each core. To do this, run our tricky script several times in turn and look at the result in the graph.

After the desired result is achieved, it will now be necessary to do the opposite - to unload the system.

To do this, in the same place, in the Task Manager on the "Processes" tab, find each task "Microsoft Windows Based Script Host" and remove it.

Overloading the processor of a computer or laptop can be caused by a number of reasons - from technical obsolescence of hardware to viruses that load the system.

By itself, high CPU usage is not a problem. All resources can be used up when running games, ultra-high quality videos, video editing applications, archivers, antivirus checks. First of all, you need to check whether the processor is really overloaded or if other problems have caused the slow operation.

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager and click on the CPU column to sort. You can also get into the dispatcher by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del and selecting the desired item in the menu that appears.

Normally, the to-do list should look something like this. When the load is high, one or more tasks will take up most of the processor time. If one of the applications takes 50-100% of the power for itself constantly, this may be a symptom of a problem.

For example, in the screenshot, almost half the power of the i5-2500k processor is occupied by the "Task Manager" and system interrupts, which should not be.

Hardware causes of overload

Despite the common misconception, it is rarely the cause of processor overload. The processor is more likely to take the system into a reboot or freeze completely than to work at 100% power for a long time. However, such cases sometimes occur and the user needs to know how to protect themselves from them.

Legacy equipment

The most common cause of processor overload is the obsolescence of a PC or laptop. The software does not stand still: if five years ago a single-core processor with a couple of hundred megabytes of RAM was enough for comfortable work of Google Chrome, now several heavy tabs can use the resources of several cores and several gigabytes. In 2018, a 4-core processor with 6-8 gigabytes of memory will be required for comfortable work.

If there is no money for new hardware, try to follow these tips:

• do not run multiple applications at once. This not only makes it difficult for the processor to work by itself - RAM filled to capacity creates additional load;
• use older versions of programs whenever possible. Yes, it can be inconvenient and insecure, but older versions of applications will be much less demanding;
• disable unnecessary services and programs in startup. This can be done in the "Startup" and "Services" tabs of the "Task Manager";
• try to avoid situations in which the processor will be loaded at 100% unnecessarily. For example, don't open a lot of browser tabs or 4K videos on a small laptop screen.

Overclocking

The next situation that can cause overload is overclocking or overclocking. There is nothing wrong with overclocking the characteristics of devices in itself, all major manufacturers provide programs for adjusting the frequencies of the processor and video card. However, exceeding the allowed limits for the processor can lead to:

• overheating;
• image artifacts;
• application errors and crashes;
• freezes;
• 100% CPU usage for trivial tasks.

Here, for verification, you should use diagnostic utilities that write the results to the log. For detailed statistics on all components, MSI Afterburner is suitable.

CPU overheating

By itself, high temperature rarely causes overload directly, much more often it disables the processor or triggers mechanisms that reduce frequencies and voltage on the device to protect it. on the sensors can be viewed in AIDA64.

How to solve the problem with overheating?

• clean the case of the system unit from dust. Pay special attention to the heatsink and CPU fan. For a laptop, the cleaning procedure should be carried out at least once every one and a half to two years;
• If the computer has been in use for two years or more, remove the thermal paste between the fan and processor cover. Apply a new even layer;
• in the case when standard cooling does not cope or the cooler does not work - replace it with a more powerful one. Preferably with a massive aluminum heatsink with copper tubes;
• do not block the ventilation holes of the system unit when replacing it.

Note! The normal temperature of a working processor is about 40 degrees, at 70-80 degrees the BIOS protection mechanisms are activated.

Software overload causes

It is much easier to get 100% load on the processor by software than by hardware - you just need to make a mistake in the antivirus check settings or download a program that is incompatible with the new system.

Antiviruses and viruses

Of the entire list of causes of possible problems leading to 100% CPU usage, most often problems arise with antiviruses. Real-time file checks are a resource-intensive task that, if not properly configured, can take forever.

On weak computers, installing a cloud-based antivirus, like Panda Cloud Cleaner, will help. It is much more demanding on the quality of the Internet, but the load on the processor is minimal.

In Windows 10, you can use the built-in Defender, which is quite enough for home tasks.

The other side of the coin is viruses on an unprotected PC. Malicious programs can use your computer for mining or as a gateway for DDOS attacks. For a one-time cleaning of existing problems, use Dr.Web Cureit!

Automatic update

An overload can be caused by an unsuccessful update of the operating system or drivers. Such problems happened in 2015 for users of beta versions of Windows 10. To solve the problem, try installing different versions of drivers, rolling back updates through a system restore point, or disabling them completely.

In Windows 10, disabling updates has no visible effect of overload protection.

Background apps

A number of programs to support their functionality runs in the background. For example, Skype and LibreOffice are constantly in RAM for fast loading. In some situations, this can become a problem - for example, when a program hangs in the background, which takes up from half to all of the computer's resources.

You can also disable a background application in the "Task Manager" if you hover over the selected running application with the mouse cursor and use the "End Task" button.

Video - CPU usage 100 percent, what to do on Windows 7,8,10?

1. Open Task Manager. To do this, use the keyboard shortcut ++, and then select "Open Task Manager".
2. In the window that appears, select the "Processes" tab and sort the list by clicking on the heading of the "CPU" column.
3. If no work is currently running on your PC, then none of the processes will have a high load on the processor. Thus, try to find the process that is loading the processor. If this is not found in the list, then most likely there is a virus on your computer, since malware can hide from the task manager.
4. Run a scan with a virus scanner to find the virus.

High CPU usage due to startup programs

It is possible that programs that automatically start with Windows provide a high load on the CPU.

1. Repeat the first and second steps from the previous paragraph to open Task Manager under the Processes tab.
2. Find the processes that use the CPU the most.
3. Press the +[R] keys and enter the "msconfig" command in the window that opens.
4. Go to the "Startup" tab and see if there is a process there that is currently heavily loading
5. You can exclude it from the list of programs that automatically start when Windows starts by unchecking the box to the left of the process name. But be careful: you cannot remove anti-virus software and a backup utility from the number of automatically starting programs. However, of course, sometimes they will take a significant part of the performance of your computer.

High CPU usage due to svchost.exe

Due to incorrect installation of libraries in AppData, a meaningless but CPU-intensive process can start: svchost.exe. It should not be confused with svchost.exe, which belongs directly to Windows.

1. Repeat the first and second steps from the previous paragraph.
2. If the process "svchost.exe" is at the very top, do the following.
3. Press the +[R] keys and enter the command "%appdata%" in the window that opens.
4. Find the folder called "dll" in the "Explorer" window that appears and delete, if it exists, the "svchost.exe" file.
5. Alternatively, you can download the WinFuture program, since high CPU usage can be caused by errors in the operating system updates function.
6. Help in this matter is offered by the WinFuture Update Pack utility, which you can download both in the full version and as an upgrade.

Ultimate exit: more performance thanks to the new CPU

If all the above tips didn't help, chances are your CPU is simply too old and weak for Windows 7. In this case, you need to consider purchasing a new CPU.

• Of course, it should not be immediately Intel i7 for 80,000 rubles. In ours you can find good entry-level processors that cost even less than 2000 rubles.
• For gamers and graphics users, it makes sense to take a closer look at mid-range models. Among them is, for example, which costs less than 15,000 rubles.

To get even more information about the processes running on your computer, you can use the Extended Task Manager utility. In addition, before you start looking for a solution to the problem, you should check if the “Balanced” or “Power Saving” modes are selected in the “Power Options” instead of “High Performance”.

A photo: manufacturing companies

Working on a personal computer requires quite a lot of effort from the user. But this is only if the main goal is to create a productive device. If the PC slows down, then a variety of reasons can contribute to this.

One of the most common options is CPU overload. If the user begins to analyze the current situation, he may note that the fault lies with completely incomprehensible applications and running processes.

Strange loading of the central process is a problem that many users face. This also applies to the most modern processors. Therefore, the cause must be looked for other than outdated equipment.

In some situations, you can reinstall the operating system. Also a popular method is to update and install the necessary drivers. This real problem needs to be dealt with using effective techniques.

Finding out the reasons

The relevance of this issue is very great. Users need to first find out which program is to blame for such a negative situation. A similar problem is quite common, so many users are interested in it.

To assess the degree of CPU congestion, you need to open the Task Manager. After that, go to the tab with all the applications that are running on the personal computer. Next, all objects are sorted according to certain parameters. You can do this by name or by load.

The problem can occur even when the user has closed the application, but it is still in the active list. As a result, they load the system. And the user may not even be aware of this, because he is sure that he closed the program, the game.

If failures begin, then you can reboot your personal computer. In some cases, this helps, because, in this way, downloaded programs will still be closed. You can also use the task manager. With it, you can close all the necessary objects even faster.

At the time of processing the result of all displayed processes that are in the download, the user should conduct an analysis. Some applications may be dangerous. If they are not eliminated in time, then users will experience a gradual or sharp decrease in device performance.

Help from a professional

A situation may arise when all programs are closed, but the CPU load is quite high. Such situations are also not uncommon. In this case, you can not do without the help of specialists. It is not necessary to carry the device to the master. You can use the Process Explorer utility.

The application will help you to see all hidden downloads. As soon as the list appears on the screen, you can sort out unnecessary services. You should also find out if there are any suspicious objects in the device. It is necessary to use this particular software product for this, since the Task Manager is not always able to display all the elements.

Active wrestling

The most common cause of the problem is the lack of necessary drivers. Users need to boot the device using safe mode. Immediately after that, you can evaluate whether there is a load on the processor or there is no such problem.

In most cases, the reason lies precisely in the drivers. The surest way is to reinstall the OS. It is better to entrust such actions to a specialist. Only after installing the system, it is necessary to carefully load the drivers. These components must be installed one at a time.

Users need to be very careful. It is better to download directly from the official website of the manufacturer of your used device. In this case, the risk of problems is reduced to zero.

In second place are viruses. It is these pests that can negatively affect the operation of the processor. Some of these objects can extract files. Also, pests simply steal personal data and other important components. The appearance of banners is also the influence of malware.

Troubleshooting is a very simple process. It is enough just to install a high-quality anti-virus service. First of all, it will start the process of scanning the system. An effective utility is able to identify all pests of different types and types. After that, it will be possible to eliminate all threats and begin to eliminate problems that arose due to viruses.

The performance of the device may also decrease if the HDD operation mode is activated. It is important to ensure that the hard drive works exclusively in DMA mode. Any other option will lead to all sorts of problems and failures.

You can also check the impact of all connected objects. To do this, simply turn off the mouse, USB flash drive, if it is a laptop. If the work is carried out with a stationary computer, then the user must also turn off the monitor and keyboard.

You should pay attention to the Device Manager. If yellow or red icons are displayed next to some devices, this may mean incorrect operation or lack of drivers. So users need to be sure to study all the displayed information.

Based on this, conclusions can be drawn about the state of each element. So you can immediately download missing drivers or update outdated versions. If necessary, users can entrust some problems to real masters who will certainly help solve all problems professionally.

Another common cause is the presence of dust and dirt. Some users do not keep the device clean. Therefore, the result of such a negligent attitude is overheating of the device. The cooler starts to work much faster just to cool down the personal computer.

Also changeover differential in operation mode. The device can work either stronger or weaker. Also, spontaneous reboot and shutdown of the PC is no exception. All these failures can be fixed by users themselves.

It is important to constantly monitor the temperature of the device. To do this, you need a special utility. The application will be able to estimate the optimal performance indicator. When it reaches a critical level, a notification will be shown. So the user needs to instantly identify the cause and try to eliminate it as soon as possible.

Dust removal should be done at least twice a year. Each user can do it on their own. Also, during the cleaning process, you should replace the thermal paste. This is a fairly simple process. You should first read or watch a video on this topic.

Each of the considered troubleshooting options is really effective. It is enough for users to find out the reason in order to choose the right technique. If it is difficult to decide to implement any process, then you can simply reinstall the operating system. This is a win-win.