I've been having a problem with my laptop for about a week now. While running on idle, with nothing but the desktop and vital programs open, my laptop is using 30-80% of my CPU processing power, yet the System Idle Process reads that only 5-15% is being used. I've reformated the hard drive three times over the past week with the hopes that it was just an issue with my install, but once my computer is fully updated, the problem returns. Is there some new, hidden Virus on the most recent Windows XP update? Or is there someway this can resolved, so I can have some amount of peace? I'm hoping that someone else has had this problem, so I know I'm not the only one having it. System Specs:Windows XP Service Pack 22 GB RAMLaptop is approximately a year and a half old, Dell Vostro 1400. If any more information is needed, please let me know and I'll post it.***EDIT***here's a snapshot of the http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa142/loki61089/Misc/TaskManagerProblem-Processes.png processes and the http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa142/loki61089/Misc/TaskManagerProblem-Performance.png performance screens on the Task Manager, during the error.

Hello. No I have not seen this before but I can help you find the cause. Have you had a look at the Processes section in Task Manager? List them by usage and find tou which process is driving the most CPU cycles. Let me know. Bye

Hello. No I have not seen this before but I can help you find the cause. Have you had a look at the Processes section in Task Manager? List them by usage and find tou which process is driving the most CPU cycles. Let me know. Bye The problem is fixed at the moment. It usually goes away for an hour or so after I shut down for about the same amount of time, but picks right back up again. Should the problem return again today, I'll send the information.Thanks for your response, and hopefully this has blown over.

This is Due to Infection or A corrupt application running in the background See the article below on 100% Cpu Usage http://techmowgli.com/viewSearchresult.aspx?sid=56 Thanks Mili

Hello Mini. I don't understand how you come to your conclusion. The screenshot shows 90% CPU idle, 4% Task Manager, and 4% for the BCM process. Loki, did you solve the problem? The 2 pictures you sent seem to be unrelated. On the first the CPU is not overloaded whereas it is on the second picture. If you are still having the problem please let me know and we'll try other fault finding tools. Bye

Hello Mini. I don't understand how you come to your conclusion. The screenshot shows 90% CPU idle, 4% Task Manager, and 4% for the BCM process. Loki, did you solve the problem? The 2 pictures you sent seem to be unrelated. On the first the CPU is not overloaded whereas it is on the second picture. If you are still having the problem please let me know and we'll try other fault finding tools. Bye The images were taken one after the other while the issue was occuring. I took both images and posted them, thinking having both would help. The issue is kind of resolved. So long as I don't play an online game, and have it suddenly interupted while the game is running (ex. another window popping up under the full screen game), it's fine. pretty much, as long as I don't play a game, the issue doesn't occur now. Previously though, it would happen after the computer had been running for about 30 minutes to 3 hours. PS: for the record, on all of the four forums and/or websites I've posted this question on, you're the only second person out of two who've actually noticed the issue on the Task Manager's Processes tab image. It dissapoints me when people try to submit advice when either they have no clue what they're talking about, or don't read everything relating to the original post. Someone actually tried to get me to switch to Ubuntu, thinking the issue was with Windows XP itself. I'm inclined to following up on that, should I have to reformat again, but I'm hopeing I won't have to switch to an OS that I have zero experience with.

Hi. I think switching to Ubuntu you will open another can of worms. Stick with XP. If the problem occurs again try Process Monitor, download it from this link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb795533.aspx It's a matter of seeing which one of the processes / applications is causing the problem, zooming in on the cause and eliminate it. This tool should help if the problem occurs again. Bye