cpu usage when windows is idle

[minimus]

My CPU fan starts to work hard when I leave windows 7 idle. Windows has
really no reason to keep the CPU work because many of the services are
disabled and no program is running in the background. The moment I touch a
key or mouse button cpu usage declines immediately and cpu fan stops working
hard. I don't undserstand what keeps my cpu busy when I am away from the
computer.

 

[Bruce Hagen]

My CPU fan starts to work hard when I leave windows 7 idle. Windows has
really no reason to keep the CPU work because many of the services are
disabled and no program is running in the background. The moment I touch
a key or mouse button cpu usage declines immediately and cpu fan stops
working hard. I don't undserstand what keeps my cpu busy when I am away
from the computer.

You're going to have to find what program is eating up the CPUs first via
the Task Manager | Processes Tab.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

You're going to have to find what program is eating up the CPUs first via the
Task Manager | Processes Tab.

Such as Indexing Service and Norton Internet Security.

Neither seems to use much CPU time on my system, but the OP's MMV.

Both can slow a backup down, however. Norton has a setting that helps,
but Indexing seems to come back after I've turned it off on my backup
drive. My next experiment: use the BU drive without a drive letter...

 

[minimus]

You're going to have to find what program is eating up the CPUs first via
the Task Manager | Processes Tab.

Cant do that: the moment I touch the computer cpu usage slows down and cant
see it in the process tab. When I open the process tab and then leave the
computer idle, then it does not use the CPU as it would if I had not opened
the process tab. So it leaves me no chance to see what is eating up the cpu
when the computer is idle.

 

[minimus]

Such as Indexing Service and Norton Internet Security.

Indexing is diable and I use AVG and AVG has no automatic updating or
whatsoever.

 

[Marty]

Don't know what version of AVG you are using but version 9 has
a process that scans all hard drives and builds a cache of programs
on the system each time you start your system. This scan can't be turned
off or disabled so even though you may not be doing anything yourself
AVG is running in background.

Also, all versions of AVG have various computer scans turned by default.

Marty

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Indexing is diable and I use AVG and AVG has no automatic updating or
whatsoever.

Note that I used the phrase "such as"... It's up to you to find the
*actual* offender(s) on your system.

Since you mentioned it: of what use would an antivirus program be if it
doesn't do automatic updating? That could allow your computer to get
infected by new malware, no?

 

[Char Jackson]

I use AVG and AVG has no automatic updating or whatsoever.

AVG Free auto updates daily, and the paid version can be set to update
itself even more frequently. I don't think that's taking any
appreciable level of CPU, though, so keep looking.

 

[Ophelia]

Note that I used the phrase "such as"... It's up to you to find the
*actual* offender(s) on your system.

Since you mentioned it: of what use would an antivirus program be if it
doesn't do automatic updating? That could allow your computer to get
infected by new malware, no?

I wish I could see when my cpu was active. My new laptop has no light
showing any activity

 

[Dave]

AVG Free auto updates daily, and the paid version can be set to update
itself even more frequently. I don't think that's taking any
appreciable level of CPU, though, so keep looking.

I used AVG for a while and agree with your assessment, but like another
poster pointed out, it is constantly creating a database of some sort. This
is only done in the background when system is idle; I'm at a loss for the
name of that feature though. You can start the creation manually, let it
create the db, then it should only do an update incrementally, which I
wouldn't think would take a lot of time. On initial install there is a
separate icon for this feature but you can switch it to merge with the AVG
icon and you never see the icon for the db creator again.
I'm not positive this is what's going on but I would suggest to the op to
try shutting this feature off and see it that solves their problem.
Dave
PS Another option is MS Security Essentials, which is a free antivirus and
is rated as one of the highest, even higher than AVG. Does automatic
updates, auto-scan and warns you if you forget to do a scan for a while.
It's not a suite though so if you need those features it won't fit the bill.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Ophelia.

Try Start | All Programs | Desktop Gadget Gallery - and double-click CPU
Meter.

This will install a small gadget with 2 dials. The larger one shows CPU
usage, the smaller shows RAM usage.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64

 

[Ophelia]

Hi, Ophelia.

Try Start | All Programs | Desktop Gadget Gallery - and double-click CPU
Meter.

This will install a small gadget with 2 dials. The larger one shows CPU
usage, the smaller shows RAM usage.

Oh Coool) thank you very much RC)

 

[Char Jackson]

Oh Coool) thank you very much RC)

Don't you explore the various menus and see what things do? I must be
a lot more curious than you.

 

[Al Smith]

I used AVG for a while and agree with your assessment, but like another
poster pointed out, it is constantly creating a database of some sort.
This is only done in the background when system is idle; I'm at a loss
for the name of that feature though. You can start the creation
manually, let it create the db, then it should only do an update
incrementally, which I wouldn't think would take a lot of time. On
initial install there is a separate icon for this feature but you can
switch it to merge with the AVG icon and you never see the icon for the
db creator again.
I'm not positive this is what's going on but I would suggest to the op
to try shutting this feature off and see it that solves their problem.
Dave
PS Another option is MS Security Essentials, which is a free antivirus
and is rated as one of the highest, even higher than AVG. Does automatic
updates, auto-scan and warns you if you forget to do a scan for a while.
It's not a suite though so if you need those features it won't fit the
bill.

I took a look at Security Essentials and decided against it. It
phones home to Microsoft, and you need to join the little
Microsoft purity club in order to get it, so I took a pass.

-Al-

 

[Al Smith]

...so?

and you need to join the little Microsoft purity club

...you mean you must be running a Genuine Copy of a Windows OS huh?
Oops!...LOL!

so I took a pass.

Too bad, cause for Windows, it is the best available.

I run Avast antivirus, Ad-Aware for malware and adware, and the
Comodo firewall. I'm behind a router. I don't feel particularly
insecure. Microsoft is a bigger threat than most malware -- the
recent security update that hosed so many computers is an example.

-Al-

 

[Stephen Wolstenholme]

I took a look at Security Essentials and decided against it. It
phones home to Microsoft, and you need to join the little
Microsoft purity club in order to get it, so I took a pass.

All virus scanners that keep up to date must phone home.

Steve

 

[bb]

Oh Coool) thank you very much RC)

Then also check out the "All CPU Meter"
http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=587ef54f-e121-418b-b258-e583e105a0d6&bt=1&pl=1

Shows Memory and Usage by CPUs - our Core7 shows 8 CPUs!

 

[bb]

Cant do that: the moment I touch the computer cpu usage slows down and
cant see it in the process tab. When I open the process tab and then
leave the computer idle, then it does not use the CPU as it would if I
had not opened the process tab. So it leaves me no chance to see what is
eating up the cpu when the computer is idle.

Instead of the task manager, maybe try the 'Resource Monitor'? Much
more detailed - try leaving it open.

It shows what's going on in the CPU by Process, Memory by program, Disk
by writes/read, and Network activity.

Just type 'resource' in the start menu to find it.

 

[LouB]

Instead of the task manager, maybe try the 'Resource Monitor'? Much
more detailed - try leaving it open.

It shows what's going on in the CPU by Process, Memory by program, Disk
by writes/read, and Network activity.

Just type 'resource' in the start menu to find it.

Thx

 

[Ophelia]

Then also check out the "All CPU Meter"
http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=587ef54f-e121-418b-b258-e583e105a0d6&bt=1&pl=1

Shows Memory and Usage by CPUs - our Core7 shows 8 CPUs!

Thank you, bb I will have a wee lookie at that one too