Occasional high CPU usage on Windows 10

Hi guys,

Thank you for the responses. I will have a look when I next boot up the windows 10 laptop :)

I'll first go to safe mode and have a look, assuming that core temp and task manager will work in safe mode.

If its fine in safe mode then I shall start by looking at the startup tab. Remember though that this only happens during idle mode, as soon as you actually do something, all is fine, until it idles again.

Above is a photo of the Task Manager (processes running) whilst the weird thing about CPU usage is taking place (this only happens when idle).

The "System" process shouldn't be taking 26% of CPU, should it

Hope that helps!

edit: By the way, if someone could show me how to access safe mode in windows 10, it'd be appreciated. I know that usually, its a case of pressing F8 before Windows loads. However, Windows 10 doesn't have the option before it starts loading (I think?), and this machine is a dual boot machine, so the first thing you have to do is select which OS to use (in my case, Windows 7 or Windows 10).

dalchina said:

Safe Mode: try Shift Restart and then follow the prompts.
4 Ways To Boot Into Safe Mode In Windows 10
Safe Mode - Start Windows 10 in - Windows 10 Forums

You can also add safe mode to your boot options- see Tutorials.
(Could be attractive as you already have a legacy boot menu)

Don't know the implications of dual boot for the above for sure.

It looks like it's installing sthg and Macafee is scanning... so sthg's going on.
(Screen shots are much clearer to read- Win 10 still has the Snipping tool - type snip in the search box)

Hi,

Thanks for the information.

I doubt that having dual boot would cause the high CPU, as I believe that it was doing it before dual booting (it started off with windows 10 preinstalled).

It was installing something - I was checking Windows Update (it automatically installs updates on 10, doesn't it?) and it started updating to the first "big update" for Windows 10 Home (can't remember what version it is). So now it's installing that - currently 32% complete.

Next time I will use screenshots - unless its not possible to use screenshots in safe mode?

Hi,

This is not in safe mode but this is a screenshot of what happens when the CPU thing starts:



I can see when this happens (even without the task manager) because of my CPU gadgets - which use about 2% of my CPU (so the desktop gadgets are not an issue).

Any help would be appreciated.

edit: It does this on battery power too... why does it do this? There's also something called mscorsvw which also uses CPU usage, any ideas?

dalchina said:

Hi, how did cleanmgr.exe start? Did you start it manually?
Or do you have a scheduled task- like this?
Use Windows Task Scheduler to Schedule Disk Cleanup


That's what you see if you launch cleanmgr.exe - it does some disk cleanup activities.
Similar from rt click drive, Properties, General tab...

Please try Safe Mode so we can establish that you can achieve a state where this doesn't happen.

Thanks

Hi, thanks for the help.

I have not used the Task Scheduler at all on this computer, and I did not start it either - has Windows 10 automatically started it? If so then how can I stop this from happening again?

I will restart the computer into Safe Mode and see what happens - do you want ordinary Safe Mode, or Safe Mode with Networking etc?

Edit: I've gone into Safe Mode and it looks as if everything is fine - "System Idle Process" remains at the top, with 99%, followed by Task Manager (using less than 1% CPU). Don't know how to take a screenshot in Safe Mode as I can't access Paint.

Hi,

I still can't find the Snipping Tool under Safe Mode in Windows 10 - if I type "snipping tool" into the taskbar, it doesn't come up with anything (does search not work in safe mode?).

Do I need Safe Mode with Networking, rather than Safe Mode?