High CPU % keeps freezing my PC. Help (PLEASE)

[BP2324]

My 5 year old PC running Windows 7, 64 bit operating sys has been freezing due to high CPU.
Though I know a bit about PCs in general, I am failing to get to the bottom of this is, and find some advise on the net a bit contradicting or asking me to download all types of fixes.

I understand some of the causes of freezing ie running to many applications, poor ventilation or overheating. I don’t think these apply to me.
Not too sure about out of date drivers or indeed if I have insufficient virtual memory. Also suspect virus may be an issue.

Typical CPU figures are with nothing apart from task manager running 50-80% sometimes spiking at 100% and locking up. Processes are 92 and physical memory is around 42%. I have had a look through task manager and nothing jumps out at me as wrong (happy to screen shot if needed) Also not sure what is a high memory figure. Largest usage is 30,856K Does this affect the total CPU %, or does the column CPU usually with a 3,2 1 or 0 in it.

Outlook certainly causes more lock ups then other programs, and about the same time the problems started I noticed Outlook took ages to load up. Outlook using about 34,100K. PC also very slow to start up

I run Microsoft security essentials, malwarebytes and avast (all free editions)

Would be really appreciated if someone could talk me through what I’m looking at in the Task manager and any possible ideas to check what may be causing this.
Cheers Brian

[Pallen77]

Can't really help you to solve the CPU usage by eliminating one process, but my laptop tends to slow down after a year or two. Sometimes little malware/programs are running in the background that have installed themselves when you've installed or downloaded other programs. I now tend to reset my laptop to factory settings. Which to be honest isnt as drastic as it sounds, most reboot procedures that come with windows now gives you the option to save all your data and just reinstall the operating system. I do this with all the kids laptops too every so often, it's amazing how much PCs and laptops slow down over the years but you don't notice until they become too slow. Sometimes you can put all your data into a partition on the hard drive and do a full reset on the other section of the harddrive, it's then basically the same as when you took it out the box.

[JAWS]

Trying sticking with 1 virus protection software , if you have several they will conflict with each other usually and slow down the PC . We use AVG free edition on our PC's . I take it you have already ran disc clean up and defraged the hard drive . I would get the computer checked for viruses and malware . Don't just run a scan using already installed software as that is probably already compromised if you have a virus . There is an online Security and Virus check from Norton available that should be able to help and detect any issues . Other than that my advice to anyone using Windows , switch to MAC ! Good luck .

[JONLITE06]

Recently had similar problems with my Windows 7 machine.................saved all my files that I wanted.......reset to factory settings...........machine now like brand new!

[BP2324]

I have uninstalled 2 virus protection programs and kept 1. CPU running lower already thanks.
Will check out the online Security and Virus check from Norton later.

JONLITE06 and Pallen77, when you mention saving the files that I want before factory reset, is this to an external storage device or on the PC itself?
When factory reset is selected does it clear the documents and photos etc from the hard drive (i.e. as if a brand new PC from the box) (My files saved to eternal drive already )

Thanks for the input all.
Brian

[Andy_99]

Registry does get bloated on machines over time, a re-image & reinstall often does wonders to a machine,
Look through all of the installed SW & remove anything that you don't use or recognise.
Remove any unwanted Outlook Plug-ins, Browser toolbars etc...

As mentioned just 1 AV product as multiples will all use memory & will conflict when performing multiple scans of the same files.

Download a copy of Kaspersky Rescue Disk & run a full scan to see if you have any nasties lurking
http://support.kaspersky.co.uk/4162 This is a verified link

Also may be worth deleting & recreating your Pagefile,sys as this becomes corrupt from time to time.

How much RAM do you have ? The more the better - Recommendations are only ever the minimums to get a machine working once you have a bunch of applications running it's soon eaten up.

[JONLITE06]

All the files that I felt that I needed, were trasferred to an external drive.......ready for installation later.......it worked well!

[Pallen77]

You can save externally but it sometimes gives you the option to save in part of the hard drive on your pc, it then resets the operating system but leaves your selected files/folders alone. I think it's called partial restore.

[danielrichey]

Go into start menu and choose run, type in msconfig, then look at start up items and processes and see what you dont need. Any changes you make can be reversed. I had the same problem with my pc. Hope this helps.