System idle processes constantly using 80-100% CPU

System idle processes in task manager is constantly using 80-100% CPU, what can be causing this?

Thanks

spyware - virus- background process





check all of the above

System idle process keeps tabs on what your computer ISN'T doing. If you're just watching the desktop, SIP damn well ought to be 95% or so.

Links here, here, and here.

I'm looking at SIP using 99% with Firefox open with a dozen tabs here.

lol so true .. thanks jeff i read that quickly and read it...when his system is idle its running at 98 percent..



*wanders off to get those glasses

Thanks for the info, but the 2 replies seem to contradict each other.

I assumed this was a problem since recently my PC has been getting out of memory (no error messages, but somestimes new IE windows start not showing the menu bar or don't open at all, pressing ctrl alt del sometimes does nothing or opens task manager but either as a blank window or with many controls missing from the dialog), closing programs corrects this temporarely but I seem to have to reboot almost every week now when I used to be able to run for 2-4 weeks without rebooting, and still never getting problems like this. I don't seem to have any viruses or spyware but I'll do some thourough scans, could it be anything else? I've never experienced this in XP before, but it did happen daily in the Windows 98 days.

Thanks

Jeffs right.. i miss read your post but my post is what you should check

if i recall you are often being told to clean your machine and check for spyware/viruses....

also are you running out of space at all on c drive?

clean out system files with sfc too.

I am often running low on space, I have 240 GB often with 10-20 GB free since I record a few gigs of TV per day, I try to watch and either delete and/or burn to DVDs as often as possible to keep at least 10 GB free.

I also noticed since about the same time this problem started, when I reply to emails in outlook 2003, I often get an error that word cannot be started to edit emails and I get the basic reply interface with no auto correct or anything.

Install another hard drive.

If you are constantly running low on space on c drive then you will have no virtual memory.

It also can damage the registry and give various errors. So clean out c drive and leave enough space..like in your case min10 gigs at all times.

Although 10 out of 240 is barely 'leaving space', consider that on any drive you need enough space to defrag efficiently otherwise your page and MFT files will be in bits which is an ideal performance killer. Depending on the size and type of files on the drive anything up to 50% of free space is needed to properly defrag. I would agree therefore you do need another drive about 300Gb and keep both drives properly defragged.
Also the SIP as explained is correct mine is usually at 99% (now) and if you open task manager and look down the list of CPU % in use by everything it will add up to 99-100% the SIP maintains the balance so.............I knew I'd get there eventually yours means that if your supposedly idle at the time it's showing say 85% then it's too low and other processes are using CPU cycles and those probably are undesirables, so whilst the answers seem to contadict each other and one was corrected, they are agtually both correct originally, intended or not.

So routine maintenance and more drive space.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mayet

Install another hard drive.

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Agreed - but IMHO u can easily free ~50Gb of drive space by removing "uneeded" temp.
You can remove System restore (or adjust it to lower precentage) the Default setting is 12% of total drive size - which means you are wasing 26GB of your drive space on this (Frankly I have never used system restore).
Internet Explorer 10% of the total drive size - another 24GB.

Also - check under Windows Folder - you can remove all the "blueish" Windows update folder ($NtUninstallKBxxxxxx$) - I do it on a regular basis.


Cheers,
Gabriel

Microsoft says for a complete defrag you need at least 15% free space..for your 240 gb drive, that would be 36gb. Without that space to rearrange files in, windows will only partially defrag the drive. The answers about the system idle are also correct..system idle is just that..the percent of the cpu process ability that is idle..not doing anything. The totals HAVE to add up to 100% of the processor capability. (btw..that 15% Microsoft recommends is just a starting point, and it does NOT include virtual memory space..you need at least 15% above the space for everything on the drive INCLUDING virtual memory.

I believe the basic rule-of-thumb is to have a minimum of 20% free space. It just makes sense. That is what HP recommends on their servers.

As stated above, you need it for Virtual Memory and spool files. HP calls it Transient Disk Space. ;)

Whilst I know you'll probably dismiss this answerto your problem , I figure I'd suggest it anyways. Why not have your computer reboot itself very eraly in the morning or whenever you're sleeping? I was having similar issues with one of my systems and I simply set it to shut down at 4:30am and start back up at 4:45am... It helped alleviate most of the slowdown and memory problems with the machine. Though I wasn't running with that amount of free space... as everyone is suggesting you should really keep more space available. I always try to leave 20% of my drive available at all times...