# CPU is constantly at 100%.



## mlkeepe (Apr 24, 2010)

Hello,
I have a Dell Dimension 8200 (desktop)
Pentium (R) 4 CPU 2.00 GHz running XP Home edition SP3.

Computer is running painfully slow. CPU is constantly at 100%. I downloaded Process Explorer and found that something called Deferred Procedure Calls fluctuates between 40-60% all the time (but system idle always remains at 0). I don't know what's causing this, or what to do, Please help!

Mike


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

Hi,



> Deferred Procedure Calls (DPCs) are a critical Windows mechanism which allows high-priority tasks to defer required but lower-priority tasks for later execution


They normally use about 10% or less so there is definitely something wrong with your system.

Download the installer from here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...59-8d9d-4c22-89c4-fad382eddcd1&displaylang=en

Then unzip it to anywhere -> run the *setup.exe* and stick with the default settings.

Once installed go *Start* -> *Run* -> *cmd.exe*

Then type in these commands *exactly* (note the position of the spaces):

```
[B]cd\[/B]

[B]cd program files\krview\kernrates[/B]

[B]kernrate_i386_xp.exe -m -s 60[/B]
```
It will immediately output the initial results, *wait 60 seconds* for it to output fully, then right click in the window -> *select all* and press *enter* (which will copy the results to the clipboard).

Then open a new .txt file and paste the results -> upload it to your next post.


That is what the results should look like:

```
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\XPMUser>cd\

C:\>cd program files\krview\kernrates

C:\Program Files\KrView\Kernrates>kernrate_i386_xp.exe -m -s 60
 /==============================\
<         KERNRATE LOG           >
 \==============================/
Date: 2010/04/22   Time: 12:54:00
Machine Name: NOT AVAILABLE
Number of Processors: 1
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE: x86
PROCESSOR_LEVEL: 6
PROCESSOR_REVISION: 1706
Physical Memory: 512 MB
Pagefile Total: 1246 MB
Virtual Total: 2047 MB
PageFile1: \??\C:\pagefile.sys, 768MB
OS Version: 5.1 Build 2600 Service-Pack: 3.0
WinDir: C:\WINDOWS

Kernrate User-Specified Command Line:
kernrate_i386_xp.exe -m -s 60


Kernel Profile (PID = 0): Source=, Time,
Tried Using Kernrate Default Rate of 25000 events/hit, Actual Rate= 19531 events
/hit
Starting to collect profile data

Will collect profile data for 60 seconds
===> Finished Collecting Data, Starting to Process Results

------------Overall Summary:--------------

P0     K 0:00:01.141 ( 1.9%)  U 0:00:00.150 ( 0.3%)  I 0:00:58.724 (97.8%)  DPC
0:00:00.060 ( 0.1%)  Interrupt 0:00:00.821 ( 1.4%)
       Interrupts= 12412, Interrupt Rate= 207/sec.


Total Profile Time = 60016 msec

                                       BytesStart          BytesStop         Byt
esDiff.
    Available Physical Memory   ,       237076480,       239898624,         2822
144
    Available Pagefile(s)       ,       984002560,       987721728,         3719
168
    Available Virtual           ,      2132766720,      2131718144,        -1048
576
    Available Extended Virtual  ,               0,               0,
  0

                                  Total      Avg. Rate
    Context Switches     ,         7999,         133/sec.
    System Calls         ,         5231,         87/sec.
    Page Faults          ,          313,         5/sec.
    I/O Read Operations  ,           52,         1/sec.
    I/O Write Operations ,           74,         1/sec.
    I/O Other Operations ,          274,         5/sec.
    I/O Read Bytes       ,         1804,         35/ I/O
    I/O Write Bytes      ,       280899,         3796/ I/O
    I/O Other Bytes      ,         5819,         21/ I/O

-----------------------------

Results for Kernel Mode:
-----------------------------

OutputResults: KernelModuleCount = 107
Percentage in the following table is based on the Total Hits for the Kernel

Time   6066 hits, 19531 events per hit --------
 Module                                Hits   msec  %Total  Events/Sec
hal                                    6009      72162    99 %     1626365
     0    6009  72162    99 %     1626365
ntkrnlpa                                 42      72162     0 %       11367
     0      42  72162     0 %       11367
win32k                                    6      72152     0 %        1624
     0       6  72152     0 %        1624
vmsrvc                                    2      72152     0 %         541
     0       2  72152     0 %         541
RDPWD                                     1      72152     0 %         270
     0       1  72152     0 %         270
rdbss                                     1      72152     0 %         270
     0       1  72152     0 %         270
netbt                                     1      72152     0 %         270
     0       1  72152     0 %         270
tcpip                                     1      72152     0 %         270
     0       1  72152     0 %         270
Ntfs                                      1      72162     0 %         270
     0       1  72162     0 %         270
CLASSPNP                                  1      72162     0 %         270
     0       1  72162     0 %         270
atapi                                     1      72162     0 %         270
     0       1  72162     0 %         270

================================= END OF RUN ==================================
============================== NORMAL END OF RUN ==============================

C:\Program Files\KrView\Kernrates>
```
Also, if at all possible:


tallin said:


> Immediately when the above happens, go to:
> 
> * Start
> * Settings
> ...


Regards,
Reventon


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## mlkeepe (Apr 24, 2010)

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Mike>cd\

C:\>
C:\>cd program files\krview\kernrates

C:\Program Files\KrView\Kernrates>
C:\Program Files\KrView\Kernrates>kernrate_i386_xp.exe -m -s 60
/==============================\
< KERNRATE LOG >
\==============================/
Date: 2010/04/27 Time: 16:12:50
Machine Name: CHRISTINE
Number of Processors: 1
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE: x86
PROCESSOR_LEVEL: 15
PROCESSOR_REVISION: 0204
Physical Memory: 384 MB
Pagefile Total: 728 MB
Virtual Total: 2047 MB
PageFile1: \??\C:\pagefile.sys, 384MB
OS Version: 5.1 Build 2600 Service-Pack: 3.0
WinDir: C:\WINDOWS

Kernrate User-Specified Command Line:
kernrate_i386_xp.exe -m -s 60


Kernel Profile (PID = 0): Source= Time,
Using Kernrate Default Rate of 25000 events/hit
Starting to collect profile data

Will collect profile data for 60 seconds
===> Finished Collecting Data, Starting to Process Results

------------Overall Summary:--------------

P0 K 0:00:00.734 ( 1.2%) U 0:00:00.406 ( 0.7%) I 0:00:58.859 (98.1%) DPC
0:00:00.187 ( 0.3%) Interrupt 0:00:00.015 ( 0.0%)
Interrupts= 34101, Interrupt Rate= 568/sec.


Total Profile Time = 60000 msec

 BytesStart BytesStop Byt
esDiff.
Available Physical Memory , 107184128, 115396608, 8212
480
Available Pagefile(s) , 329613312, 328982528, -630
784
Available Virtual , 2132647936, 2131599360, -1048
576
Available Extended Virtual , 0, 0,
0

Total Avg. Rate
Context Switches , 29173, 486/sec.
System Calls , 764959, 12749/sec.
Page Faults , 433, 7/sec.
I/O Read Operations , 1379, 23/sec.
I/O Write Operations , 1013, 17/sec.
I/O Other Operations , 668, 11/sec.
I/O Read Bytes , 165644, 120/ I/O
I/O Write Bytes , 147436, 146/ I/O
I/O Other Bytes , 3574, 5/ I/O

-----------------------------

Results for Kernel Mode:
-----------------------------

OutputResults: KernelModuleCount = 179
Percentage in the following table is based on the Total Hits for the Kernel

Time 23794 hits, 25000 events per hit --------
Module Hits msec %Total Events/Sec
intelppm 23405 60000 98 % 9752083
0 23405 60000 98 % 9752083
ntoskrnl 223 60000 0 % 92916
0 223 60000 0 % 92916
hal 123 60000 0 % 51250
0 123 60000 0 % 51250
nv4_mini 17 60000 0 % 7083
0 17 60000 0 % 7083
win32k 8 60000 0 % 3333
0 8 60000 0 % 3333
USBPORT 7 60000 0 % 2916
0 7 60000 0 % 2916
dot4usb 2 60000 0 % 833
0 2 60000 0 % 833
rdbss 2 60000 0 % 833
0 2 60000 0 % 833
dne2000 2 60000 0 % 833
0 2 60000 0 % 833
srv 1 60000 0 % 416
0 1 60000 0 % 416
mrxsmb 1 60000 0 % 416
0 1 60000 0 % 416
tcpip 1 60000 0 % 416
0 1 60000 0 % 416
usbhub 1 60000 0 % 416
0 1 60000 0 % 416
usbuhci 1 60000 0 % 416
0 1 60000 0 % 416

================================= END OF RUN ==================================
============================== NORMAL END OF RUN ==============================

C:\Program Files\KrView\Kernrates>




No Red x

Hope I did this correctly.

Thank you for your help.
Mike


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

Hi,

The leading cause of the DPCs is *intelppm.sys* which is Intel's Powermanagement driver a.k.a. a system idle process

There have been reports of newer intel drivers causing havoc with older processors such as yours but I believe that the cause here is far more likely a 3rd party application that is confusing the intelppm driver into causing DPCs. (_see: http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=309324 for an example of this_)

I have a bit more investigating for you to do, but first I need to check whether the CPU was at 100% (or close) during that test. If it wasn't then the results are basically meaningless.

Also, given the age of your system it is likely that it is underpowered for running modern applications.
What do you use it for?/How many apps do you usually have running at once?

Regards,
Reventon


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## mlkeepe (Apr 24, 2010)

It is running at 95.39 to 96.92 right now.
I am usually using word, checking email through outlook and gmail, and occasionally use hulu to view shows which are so choppy that I can't watch amy more. I took my computor in a few months ago because I couldn't even log on to the internet any more. They said I had around 13 viruses at the time. After that my wife logged onto yahoo and a pop up screen said we had a virus and to download something. We just restarted the computer and since then we have had these problems. I do own a shot gun and was thinking of putting this out of its missery. Your help is very much appreciated.


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

mlkeepe said:


> They said I had around 13 viruses at the time. After that my wife logged onto yahoo and a pop up screen said we had a virus and to download something.


Hi,

Please post in the security forum so we can be sure that there aren't still viruses on your machine.

Make sure you follow THESE STEPS carefully before posting.

If you still have problems once they have cleared you then come back here and I will continue troubleshooting.

If they do find something and get rid of it, please post back here saying so - I like to know how things turn out.

Regards,
Reventon


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