high cpu usage by System process (ntoskrnl.exe thread)

I installed Windows 10 2004 last week and it's been almost great overall except for this problem, sometimes (1 in 3 boot operations) when I boot up my laptop, usually from Hibernation, the System process begins taking 40%-50% of my CPU and I would need to restart my laptop for it to go back to normal, I tried to see what exactly is using the CPU using a third-party process viewer app and I took a screenshot of the System process properties, and found a list of threads called "ntoskrnl.exe!KeRaiseIrqlToDpcLevel+0x870" that are taking up so much CPU. What does it mean and how can fix it please?
Thank you.

Thank you for your reply.

My laptop is Asus X541NA, CPU is Celeron N3350, and it's roughly 2 years old.

I was using Windows 10 build 1903 before and it had a similar high cpu issue but it was due to a dptf driver, I don't remember what was the thread that was using the CPU most back then but it's definitely not the same one as in this time.

I downloaded the Windows 10 build 2004 ISO from Microsoft website and did a clean install of windows, it wasn't offered to me by Windows Update but windows update assistant said I could upgrade.

Edit: I found a screenshot of the older problem that was happening in build 1903 and the thread was called "ntoskrnl.exe!PsReturnProcessNonPagedPoolQuota+0xbd0".

I already have the latest version of BIOS installed.

I can't predict when the issue will happen so I can't try a clean boot nor safe mode.

dalchina said:

Noted you appear to have a number of Apple-related features e.g.
On this laptop with a wired mouse connected there are 0 interrupts.

Don't really know what that means.

I couldn't find anything related in the Event Viewer.

I tried using the process explorer and it showed the same number at the end of the thread name.

seems like there isn't a known solution for this problem right now, hopefully someone will find one soon.

Thanks for your help.

Hi, I don't mean to highjack this thread, but I have been having a similar issue for a while now. A slight difference on my system, the ntoskrnl.exe System Process consumes about 20% CPU only after a cold boot. It will continue to do this forever until I do a Restart and then everything is back normal. Its is an older system, a Dell Precision M6700 Mobile workstation, but I have all the latest drivers (except for a couple like the IDT sound driver) and of course Dell's most up to date BIOS. I had this same issue almost a year ago and then it just basically went away I think after one of Microsoft's updates, but it returned again a couple of months ago. I am currently running 64 bit Pro 1909. I realize it must be a driver/interrupt issue, but why does the system always go back to normal simply after a Restart. For now, I just Restart after a Cold Boot and its fine until the next Cold Boot. Also, I don't see anything unusual in the system logs, just the usual DCOM warnings, but they show up with and without the high System Process CPU usage. Aren't there any tools to help isolate what's using CPU?

This is a task manager view an hour after cold boot


Task manager view 5 minutes after restart

Hello,
use something like Process Explorer or Process Hacker to view what thread in the "System" process is taking up the CPU when it happens.

I'm not a technician myself but this will help you get closer to the issue.

Good luck.

Are there computer problems related to the percent numbers seen in task manager?
Or is the computer working well?

This is a link for clean boot:
Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts

This is link for safe mode:
Boot into Safe Mode on Windows 10

Hi,

dalchina said:

My reference to my wired mouse and no interrupts suggests a simple situation in which interrupt activity does not occur. It also relates to my recommendation to disconnect any unnecessary peripherals to simplify the situation.

Okay, I got it now.

I do have a wireless usb lan card always connected to the laptop because Microsoft updates breaks the one integrated in the laptop. (I will remove when performing clean boot)

dalchina said:

However you say you don't want to perform a clean boot or boot to safe mode as you don't know when this occurs. How often does it occur? Is there any pattern? You can clearly observe it using Process Hacker.
.

It's happening almost once in three/four boot operations.
So I can't observe it in Process Hacker unless there is a problem. (System process runs perfectly when it doesn't occur)
I will have to clean boot multiple times to make sure if it still occurs or not, will do that and post back.

Thank you.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi,
I have booted to a clean boot 4-5 times and the issue is still here (happened on the fifth boot after setting windows to boot in clean boot), I'm now booting in safe mode to check if it still occurs on not.

I've noticed something and wanted to ask if it's normal or not,
In Task Manager's performance tab, the non-paged pool kept growing from boot to boot (noting that I always use Hibernation and only restart when this problem happens), and on the time the problem occurred now it was 152~MB (I have 4GB of RAM), is this normal?

Thank you.