Anniversary Update: Windows 10 CPU usage 100% All the time

davidvkimball · 06 Jan 2017

Geoffxx said:

you guys actually fixed this earlier but then for some reason overlooked it again.

many people have this issue and the most popular resolution is to reset your power plan to balanced default, it sort of makes sense when you consider the issue. If the CPU is set for max performance then every time there is cpu activity (which in w10 seems to be always) it runs the cpu at max even when it is not required - a bit like putting your car in neutral and slamming down the accelerator just to run the radio.....engine (cpu) at max

also it seems that win10 wants to rev this back up after an update so keep an eye on it on certain systems, I have an Alienware Lappy and a very high end desktop and only see this issue on the AW lappy

hope this helps

Y-You were 100% correct...

I restored default power plan settings and it right back to normal usage.

Alright then, is it possible make the monitor stay on for longer than 10 freaking minutes and keep it awake for longer than half an hour without the CPU usage spike?

Geoffxx · 07 Jan 2017

glad you got it sorted, yes you can go into the power plan and set your own custom setting etc, trial and error

Interesting to note that although this solution works in 95% of cases it did not work on my Alienware laptop, I don't use it that often so haven't really sat down and had a real go at sorting it, maybe some day I will starting off with a BIOS reset to default and then start removing various chipset applications - and other software that I don't really need, I am sure one of them is the culprit

69matrix69 · 04 Feb 2018

I had this same thing happen to my laptop. Windows update put a bunch of new options in the power plan settings and if you manually had your setting on high performance it messed with the settings. I really thought my PC was crazy and was reading wrong as what PC is 100% to 110% usage all the time, but mine was until i read this and went in and clicked reset my settings to default and wham my PC went to 1% to 3% usage. I wish i would have read this sooner as my laptop has been struggling away every day for about two months now, but at least its fixed and all i do on this laptop is surf the web before bed anyway so at least i didn't stress it that much. Thanks Geoffxx for your advice as now its helped me two.

Comp Cmndo · 18 Jul 2018

Old thread, but new solution for laptop with Win10-1803
Antimalware Service Executable stayed steady at about 30%.
5 other computers with same release 1803 were at 0%.
Tried all the other "fixes"... nothing worked.
HDMI monitor without sound causes antimalware high cpu usage.
In Control Panel--->Sound
Delete the HDMI sound device.

Within a day, windows 10 long delay opening folders occurred again.
Windows 10 File Explorer opens slow - Microsoft Community

UPDATE
Reset PC is the only thing that really worked. Will never know what the root cause was.
Everything is running faster.