I should have said in my last post that using Windows Task Manager showed the CPU usage to originate in a service host (svchost.exe). As it happens, I've actually substituted Sysinternals Process Explorer, happily a free download, which provides more sophisticated information than WTM. This showed that the host in question was the one that covered, among other processes, Automatic Updates. Sure enough, when I turned AU back on, the freezing started again. So at the moment it's back off again, I've left my antivirus off, and I'm pondering my next move.
The Sysinternals site has loads of other really useful downloads that are worth a look, mainly diagnostic tools. They all come as zip files; these extract to executables that run directly, so no installation is required; this spares the potential for registry foul-ups. I run an iconless desktop, so pin shortcuts for the utilities I run regularly to my Start menu. If you have a pretty black sense of humour, you might also be tempted by their 'Blue Screen' screensaver, which simulates a Windows crash with astonishing accuracy. Best to get it on someone else's computer rather than your own, I think!
Wednesday 23 May 2007
Tuesday 22 May 2007
Getting Started
I thought that I'd start writing about what's going on with my PC. I'm no expert, but I do have a reasonable amount of basic knowledge, and do like to find the solution when I get a problem. Right now my problem is one that is fairly common, once maybe twice a day my computer slows, often freezes for anything between 30 and 90 minutes. Windows Task Manager shows CPU usage at 100%.
My PC is quite old; 450MHz Pentium3, 512MB RAM. I'm running XP Pro SP2. I have four hard drives installed, with my OS and software having their own drive. I also use Linux, but that's another story.
My internet connection is by wi-fi. We have a free public system here; the only downside is that each session is limited to an hour, although I can usually get back in straight away again. But it makes the freeze ups very annoying, particularly when I'm attempting a large download, or want to use Skype.
The freezing is clearly caused by one of the background applications. Others who have the same problem (and there are an awful lot out there!) seem to feel that it is either the antivirus software (I use Symantec) or possibly Windows Automatic Updates. For the past few weeks, I have been running with both turned off, and haven't had any further problems. I do have a good backup system, so am pretty confident that I could survive a virus. But if only for my own satisfaction, I am going to turn one on at a time, try and identify the culprit, and then the reason why this problem has suddenly occurred; I ran for a long time with both on and no problems whatever.
I'll post more when I'm a little further on with this.
My PC is quite old; 450MHz Pentium3, 512MB RAM. I'm running XP Pro SP2. I have four hard drives installed, with my OS and software having their own drive. I also use Linux, but that's another story.
My internet connection is by wi-fi. We have a free public system here; the only downside is that each session is limited to an hour, although I can usually get back in straight away again. But it makes the freeze ups very annoying, particularly when I'm attempting a large download, or want to use Skype.
The freezing is clearly caused by one of the background applications. Others who have the same problem (and there are an awful lot out there!) seem to feel that it is either the antivirus software (I use Symantec) or possibly Windows Automatic Updates. For the past few weeks, I have been running with both turned off, and haven't had any further problems. I do have a good backup system, so am pretty confident that I could survive a virus. But if only for my own satisfaction, I am going to turn one on at a time, try and identify the culprit, and then the reason why this problem has suddenly occurred; I ran for a long time with both on and no problems whatever.
I'll post more when I'm a little further on with this.
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