How can CPU be used, but not used?

[Killer42]

Process Explorer will break it down to the .01% per task for you.

I notice that Task manager is scrolled off the screen and can take 4% of the CPU (all these are out of 100%).

I'll have to have a look when I get home - can't open the link at work.

[Motoma]

The way you describe it is pretty much the way I understood it, too. However, I can guarantee that the "ALWAYS" is not correct. Because I have recently seen many examples where they added up to somewhere around 150%. That's what this thread was about.

Consistently? Or for brief periods? If you have a lot happening on your computer, then the System Idle Process numbers will be slower to catch up.

[bartonc]

Yes, I was reading about this not too long ago. It's basically the process which does things in the background when the processor is idle, like turning things down to save power.

The way you describe it is pretty much the way I understood it, too. However, I can guarantee that the "ALWAYS" is not correct. Because I have recently seen many examples where they added up to somewhere around 150%. That's what this thread was about.

Hey, Killer. I think that you may have missed the fact that Robbie jumped in on this tread. Some replies were to him.

[Denburt]

I think you nailed it when you said spy stuff (hope not though)... Try taking a look at spectorsoft.com I have a teen and this runs in the background, as much as I know about P.C.s I wouldn't know it was there except that I installed it and like you said the processor is humming along taking snapshots of the desktop copying keystrokes etc.

[Cyberdyne]

spectorsoft.com excellent tool for a nazi admin =)

[Killer42]

Hey, Killer. I think that you may have missed the fact that Robbie jumped in on this tread. Some replies were to him.

No, I was aware of that. I'm just a blabbermouth - can't help myself. :)

[Dököll]

before you do anything, would it not be a good idea to get service pack 2 on your machine?

Good idea, Service Pack 1 is no longer secure. Load Service Pack 2.

CAUTION: Back up your system before you do this (I mean it). Windows Update will tell you to do so but only half way through the download of Service Pack 2. By that time you would have downloaded for 10 minutes tops already. Not fun.

Going forward, not certain this is would solve the problem at hand, neither am I sure why you're having this problem. It gets pretty critical when your processes show 90/100%. When in doubt however, and I this may be late in coming, reboot your system, even forcefully. That's seems to take care of most machine problems:-)

[Killer42]

Good idea, Service Pack 1 is no longer secure. Load Service Pack 2.

To quote myself (earlier message in the thread)... Work PC, one of thousands. Not my call.

...
Going forward, not certain this is would solve the problem at hand, neither am I sure why you're having this problem. It gets pretty critical when your processes show 90/100%. When in doubt however, and I this may be late in coming, reboot your system, even forcefully. That's seems to take care of most machine problems:-)

What I have isn't actually a problem - merely a curiosity. It wasn't worth a reboot, and only seems to show up occasionally.

[Dököll]

To quote myself (earlier message in the thread)... Work PC, one of thousands. Not my call.

Well since it is work, they'll be happy to hear you want to help out. Clone the Service Pack 1 machine, if you can, with permission, then run Windows Updates to grab Service pack 2. As for "System Idle Process" shows over 90%, it is pretty normal, your machine is running, that's all. You can worry when nothing else is open and Task Manager tells you something is in fact running, even at 4 to 51%. Adobe Reader 8 for example is a big problem with IE7, watch out for that one.

[Killer42]

Well since it is work, they'll be happy to hear you want to help out. Clone the Service Pack 1 machine, if you can, with permission, then run Windows Updates to grab Service pack 2. As for "System Idle Process" shows over 90%, it is pretty normal, your machine is running, that's all. You can worry when nothing else is open and Task Manager tells you something is in fact running, even at 4 to 51%. Adobe Reader 8 for example is a big problem with IE7, watch out for that one.

This one's really not worth worrying about, I was just a bit curious.

The 90%+ on the idle process doesn't both me - I love to see that. What does bother me a little is when Idel proces shows 98%, and CPU usage at the bottom shows 54%. Just seems a trifle odd, don't you think?

[Dököll]

This one's really not worth worrying about, I was just a bit curious.

The 90%+ on the idle process doesn't both me - I love to see that. What does bother me a little is when Idel proces shows 98%, and CPU usage at the bottom shows 54%. Just seems a trifle odd, don't you think?

Oh, it's odd alright..And I am glad you find it amusing:-) Still, I think you're ok. For instance, and you don't seem to have the time to fiddle through stuff like this:

(1) But if you to close everything else you ahve running
(2) Load this web site, then bring up your task manager
(3) Scroll down to your 98% mark
(4) Keep an yer on your CPU usage
(5) Notice it fluctuates 2% to almost 8 or 12%
(6) Move your mouse, in this case, I used my scroll bar on this site
(7) CPU read 70% even up to 80% for me

For the life of me I do not why a simple mouse movement uses up so much. But I did not build this thing, know what I mean!

My guess is if you have anything else running, and CPU is going wild, soemthing is definitely up and working behind the scenes.

[Erazrhead]

This one's really not worth worrying about, I was just a bit curious.

The 90%+ on the idle process doesn't both me - I love to see that. What does bother me a little is when Idel proces shows 98%, and CPU usage at the bottom shows 54%. Just seems a trifle odd, don't you think?

I just found this thread thru Google and have the same problem(?) you describe. In a nutshell, it seems the task manager is unresponsive to actual system usage. I have installed another processor usage program and it confirms my system is running properly. Did anyone come up with any ideas about this?

[bartonc]

I just found this thread thru Google and have the same problem(?) you describe. In a nutshell, it seems the task manager is unresponsive to actual system usage. I have installed another processor usage program and it confirms my system is running properly. Did anyone come up with any ideas about this?

If you didn't get Process Explorer, I highly recommend it. It's free and will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about what software is running on you machine.

Good luck.

[Erazrhead]

If you didn't get Process Explorer, I highly recommend it. It's free and will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about what software is running on you machine.

Good luck.

I did get Process Explorer and you are right, it is an excellent program. And it seems to show everything is as it should be. I am just curious about why task manager is misbehaving in this way and slightly concerned that this might be an indication of other problems. Btw it's an Intel Core 2 Duo processor...

[Killer42]

I did get Process Explorer and you are right, it is an excellent program. And it seems to show everything is as it should be. I am just curious about why task manager is misbehaving in this way and slightly concerned that this might be an indication of other problems. Btw it's an Intel Core 2 Duo processor...

Actually, it's not hard to trace the source of the bug in Task Manager. If you pull down the Help menu, then select About Task Manager, about half-way down the subsequent dialogue box you'll see a string "Copyright 1981-2001 Microsoft Corporation". Bingo!