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  • Some help with my desktop please
  • marcus
    Free Member

    First things first – I’m not computer literate.
    My desk top I use for work has just got slower and slower over the last couple of months, or so. I’ve pressed a few buttons and opened up the ‘Resource Monitor’ tab in 1 of the menus which is indicating I’m using 100% CPU usage and 92% Used Physical memory, including 63 hard faults / sec. – I assume none of this is good, but what can I do to remedy it ? I don’t know the ‘spec’ of the machine, but its only 18 months or so old and generally only used for word, excel and emails (managed through 365). Thanks.

    rossburton
    Free Member

    100% CPU if its sitting idle suggests either a very slow virus scan or similar, or you’ve got malware doing bitcoin mining or something bad.

    I stopped using Windows years ago so hopefully someone else can help more. 🙂

    kelron
    Free Member

    There’s a couple of simple things you can check to start with (I’m assuming Windows 10 here). Click the images for a bigger version.

    The processes tab of task manager will show you what’s running now, how much CPU and memory they’re using. There will be a lot of background processes you don’t recognise, chances are they’re a normal part of your computer’s operation, but make a note of anything that seems to be using a large amount of CPU or memory so you can figure out what they are.

    If there’s nothing obvious here, you also have the details tab. This is less descriptive, typically just showing you the name of the executable running, but you can see the cumulative CPU time it’s taking up. Right click on one of the headings at the top (e.g. name, status) and choose “select columns”. Tick these options:

    You’ll then be able to sort the list by which processes are taking up the most resources and again look for anything out of place. e.g. here I can see “MsMpEng.exe” (Windows built in anti-virus) was earlier using a significant amount of resources but currently isn’t, probably running a scheduled scan or doing updates when I turned my PC on.

    If this doesn’t turn up anything I’d recommend running virus scans, but I’ll leave it to someone else to suggest the best way to do that.

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    hols2
    Free Member

    Also check the Startup tab in Task Manager. This will show you which apps run at startup and let you disable the auto startup. You’ll still be able to launch them normally, they just won’t be constantly running in the background.

    Another thing to check is disk space. Run Disk Cleanup and get rid of junk, that can make a huge difference.

    DezB
    Free Member

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Do what kelron said and report back.

    What antivirus program are you using?

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Also check the Startup tab in Task Manager. This will show you which apps run at startup and let you disable the auto startup. You’ll still be able to launch them normally, they just won’t be constantly running in the background.

    I wouldn’t be advising anyone who self-identifies as “computer illiterate” to be randomly disabling things.

    Another thing to check is disk space. Run Disk Cleanup and get rid of junk, that can make a huge difference.

    It won’t make a fig of difference unless you’re actually running out of space, which is highly unlikely on a modern machine.

    oikeith
    Full Member

    I have to perform IT support for my parents laptop, when it slows down checking and unticking stuff in the start up usually always sorts it

    Cougar
    Full Member

    I don’t know the ‘spec’ of the machine,

    Right-click “This PC” and click Properties. This will tell you, amongst other things, CPU and RAM.

    marcus
    Free Member

    Cheers Guys. The antivirus system running on the machine is Avast, so I’lld started uninstalling Symantec antivirus before some of your responses – That had some massive numbers next to it. After a restart and with Office 365 a a few other things open, the CPU seems to now be at 10%. Showing 61% physical memory used.

    Ram is 8.00GB

    CPU @ 3.70GHz ???

    Do I need 2 antivirus programs ?

    DezB
    Free Member

    Do I need 2 antivirus programs ?

    No, and they won’t be friendly to each other.

    tomnavman
    Free Member

    On Windows 10 I would only recommend using Windows Defender (the built in one) it is perfectly up to the job and no where near as resource intensive as many third party ones, particularly the free ones.

    Multiple anti-virus programs would fight against each other and cause the exact kind of symptoms you are seeing.

    Tom

    Cougar
    Full Member

    What Tom said. Uninstall both of them, Defender should kick in automatically.

    It (at least theoretically) shouldn’t be possible to have two AV solutions installed and running concurrently on a modern system, but if they are then you’re going to have a Bad Day.

    Consider this: Symantec finds something it doesn’t like, and quarantines it. Avast sees the nasty in Symantec’s quarantine, and quarantines it. Symantec then sees the nasty in Avast’s quarantine, and quarantines it. Avast then… you see how this goes?

    DaRC_L
    Full Member

    Or more typically Symantec sees an Avast process and doesn’t like it so quarantines it and starts a scan, Avast notices a process (Symantec) trying to disable its process and starts a huge scan. The 2 scans need the same resources and fight for control.

    rossburton
    Free Member

    I wouldn’t be advising anyone who self-identifies as “computer illiterate” to be randomly disabling things.

    Just last week I had to figure out how to restore the keyboard on Android after my grandmother-in-law had managed to remove the keyboard. Quite frustrating to use a phone without any keyboard…

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