1. Welcome Guest! In order to create a new topic or reply to an existing one, you must register first. It is easy and free. Click here to sign up now!.
    Dismiss Notice

What's using my CPU?

Discussion in 'General Malware And Security' started by Mikek, Apr 1, 2008.

  1. Mikek

    Mikek Guest

    When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see that
    my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the history
    shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal height.

    If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
    intervals but no more than 5%.

    I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what is
    using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second but the
    processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
    generally seems to be:

    iexplore.exe
    System
    Helphost.exe
    helpsvc.exe

    I am using XP and IE7
    I run McAfee Security centre.
    I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.

    How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
    knowledge?

    If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
    talking to an idiot when you reply.

    Thanks
    Mike
     
    Mikek, Apr 1, 2008
    #1
  3. Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna

    Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna Guest

    You have some approximation already.

    iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This is
    a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
    arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some CPU
    time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System' fake
    process entity was invented.

    --
    V.
    This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    rights.
    "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
    > that
    > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
    > history
    > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
    > height.
    >
    > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
    > intervals but no more than 5%.
    >
    > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what is
    > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second but
    > the
    > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
    > generally seems to be:
    >
    > iexplore.exe
    > System
    > Helphost.exe
    > helpsvc.exe
    >
    > I am using XP and IE7
    > I run McAfee Security centre.
    > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
    >
    > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
    > knowledge?
    >
    > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
    > talking to an idiot when you reply.
    >
    > Thanks
    > Mike <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
    Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna, Apr 2, 2008
    #2
  4. Mikek

    Mikek Guest

    Yes I think I follow that.
    However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
    negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work being
    done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.

    Or am I missing a point here?

    Mike

    "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
    <!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > You have some approximation already.
    >
    > iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This is
    > a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
    > arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some CPU
    > time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System' fake
    > process entity was invented.
    >
    > --
    > V.
    > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    > rights.
    > "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    > news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
    > > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
    > > that
    > > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
    > > history
    > > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
    > > height.
    > >
    > > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
    > > intervals but no more than 5%.
    > >
    > > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what is
    > > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second but
    > > the
    > > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
    > > generally seems to be:
    > >
    > > iexplore.exe
    > > System
    > > Helphost.exe
    > > helpsvc.exe
    > >
    > > I am using XP and IE7
    > > I run McAfee Security centre.
    > > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
    > >
    > > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
    > > knowledge?
    > >
    > > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
    > > talking to an idiot when you reply.
    > >
    > > Thanks
    > > Mike <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
    >
    >
    > <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
    Mikek, Apr 3, 2008
    #3
  5. Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna

    Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna Guest

    IE might have addons which actually can be malware. Try to launch IE without
    add-ons and observ the CPU usage. To launch IE withoiut addons, type in cmd:

    iexplore.exe -extoff

    --
    V.
    This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    rights.
    "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    news:32FD4CD3-3BC9-44ED-B53B-FCA6EE6114D6@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > Yes I think I follow that.
    > However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
    > negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work being
    > done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.
    >
    > Or am I missing a point here?
    >
    > Mike
    >
    > "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
    ><!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
    >> You have some approximation already.
    >>
    >> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This
    >> is
    >> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
    >> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some
    >> CPU
    >> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System'
    >> fake
    >> process entity was invented.
    >>
    >> --
    >> V.
    >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    >> rights.
    >> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    >> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
    >> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
    >> > that
    >> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
    >> > history
    >> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
    >> > height.
    >> >
    >> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
    >> > intervals but no more than 5%.
    >> >
    >> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what
    >> > is
    >> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second
    >> > but
    >> > the
    >> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
    >> > generally seems to be:
    >> >
    >> > iexplore.exe
    >> > System
    >> > Helphost.exe
    >> > helpsvc.exe
    >> >
    >> > I am using XP and IE7
    >> > I run McAfee Security centre.
    >> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
    >> >
    >> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
    >> > knowledge?
    >> >
    >> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
    >> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
    >> >
    >> > Thanks
    >> > Mike<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
    >>
    >>
    >> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
    Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna, Apr 3, 2008
    #4
  6. Mikek

    Mikek Guest

    Interesting.

    Firstly, thanks for this help.
    Wasn't paying too much attention earlier but the usage today has been
    peaking at 20% rather than the 30% that it was doing on Tuesday.

    Anyway, when I disabled the add-ons the usage dropped to about 10% which is
    the same as I see if nothing other than the Task Manager is running. When I
    reopen IE as normal it goes back to 20%.

    How would I know if any of the add-ons were malware?

    Should I be right to worry about that 10% usage when IE is not running as I
    don't see similar on any other machines. Having said that this machine has a
    broadband connection to the internet and the other machines connect to the
    net through this one.

    Mike


    "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
    <!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > IE might have addons which actually can be malware. Try to launch IE without
    > add-ons and observ the CPU usage. To launch IE withoiut addons, type in cmd:
    >
    > iexplore.exe -extoff
    >
    > --
    > V.
    > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    > rights.
    > "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    > news:32FD4CD3-3BC9-44ED-B53B-FCA6EE6114D6@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
    > > Yes I think I follow that.
    > > However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
    > > negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work being
    > > done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.
    > >
    > > Or am I missing a point here?
    > >
    > > Mike
    > >
    > > "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
    > ><!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
    > >> You have some approximation already.
    > >>
    > >> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This
    > >> is
    > >> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
    > >> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some
    > >> CPU
    > >> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System'
    > >> fake
    > >> process entity was invented.
    > >>
    > >> --
    > >> V.
    > >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    > >> rights.
    > >> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    > >> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
    > >> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
    > >> > that
    > >> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
    > >> > history
    > >> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
    > >> > height.
    > >> >
    > >> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
    > >> > intervals but no more than 5%.
    > >> >
    > >> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what
    > >> > is
    > >> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second
    > >> > but
    > >> > the
    > >> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
    > >> > generally seems to be:
    > >> >
    > >> > iexplore.exe
    > >> > System
    > >> > Helphost.exe
    > >> > helpsvc.exe
    > >> >
    > >> > I am using XP and IE7
    > >> > I run McAfee Security centre.
    > >> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
    > >> >
    > >> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
    > >> > knowledge?
    > >> >
    > >> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
    > >> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
    > >> >
    > >> > Thanks
    > >> > Mike
    > >>
    > >>
    > >> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
    >
    >
    > <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
    Mikek, Apr 3, 2008
    #5
  7. Mikek

    Mikek Guest

    Previous post may be a little misleading.

    The broadband connection is normally constant but I have just noticed that
    if I disconnect then the CPU usage peaks drop to less than 5%.

    Have I been worrying over nothing, or do you think that there still may be
    cause for concern.

    Mike

    "Mikek" wrote:
    <!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > Interesting.
    >
    > Firstly, thanks for this help.
    > Wasn't paying too much attention earlier but the usage today has been
    > peaking at 20% rather than the 30% that it was doing on Tuesday.
    >
    > Anyway, when I disabled the add-ons the usage dropped to about 10% which is
    > the same as I see if nothing other than the Task Manager is running. When I
    > reopen IE as normal it goes back to 20%.
    >
    > How would I know if any of the add-ons were malware?
    >
    > Should I be right to worry about that 10% usage when IE is not running as I
    > don't see similar on any other machines. Having said that this machine has a
    > broadband connection to the internet and the other machines connect to the
    > net through this one.
    >
    > Mike
    >
    >
    > "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
    > <!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
    > > IE might have addons which actually can be malware. Try to launch IE without
    > > add-ons and observ the CPU usage. To launch IE withoiut addons, type in cmd:
    > >
    > > iexplore.exe -extoff
    > >
    > > --
    > > V.
    > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    > > rights.
    > > "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    > > news:32FD4CD3-3BC9-44ED-B53B-FCA6EE6114D6@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
    > > > Yes I think I follow that.
    > > > However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
    > > > negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work being
    > > > done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.
    > > >
    > > > Or am I missing a point here?
    > > >
    > > > Mike
    > > >
    > > > "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
    > > >
    > > >> You have some approximation already.
    > > >>
    > > >> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process. This
    > > >> is
    > > >> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
    > > >> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes some
    > > >> CPU
    > > >> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the 'System'
    > > >> fake
    > > >> process entity was invented.
    > > >>
    > > >> --
    > > >> V.
    > > >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    > > >> rights.
    > > >> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    > > >> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
    > > >> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can see
    > > >> > that
    > > >> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that the
    > > >> > history
    > > >> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of equal
    > > >> > height.
    > > >> >
    > > >> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same time
    > > >> > intervals but no more than 5%.
    > > >> >
    > > >> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see what
    > > >> > is
    > > >> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1 second
    > > >> > but
    > > >> > the
    > > >> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and taskmge.exe
    > > >> > generally seems to be:
    > > >> >
    > > >> > iexplore.exe
    > > >> > System
    > > >> > Helphost.exe
    > > >> > helpsvc.exe
    > > >> >
    > > >> > I am using XP and IE7
    > > >> > I run McAfee Security centre.
    > > >> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
    > > >> >
    > > >> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine without my
    > > >> > knowledge?
    > > >> >
    > > >> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume you are
    > > >> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
    > > >> >
    > > >> > Thanks
    > > >> > Mike
    > > >>
    > > >>
    > > >> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
    > >
    > >
    > > <!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
    Mikek, Apr 3, 2008
    #6
  8. Delta

    Delta Guest

    A good idea would be using "hijackthis" (a program) and post the log here.
    We can find out the problem better.
    maybe its a malware disguising as windows system file, but it has to be
    loaded somehow.
    And thats why you should use "hijackthis".
     
    Delta, Apr 4, 2008
    #7
  9. David H. Lipman

    David H. Lipman Guest

    From: "Delta" <bla@bla.net>

    | A good idea would be using "hijackthis" (a program) and post the log here.
    | We can find out the problem better.
    | maybe its a malware disguising as windows system file, but it has to be
    | loaded somehow.
    | And thats why you should use "hijackthis".

    No HJT logs posted in any Microsoft news group or posted to Usenet at large.

    --
    Dave

    Multi-AV -
     
    David H. Lipman, Apr 4, 2008
    #8
  10. Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna

    Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna Guest

    Sounds strange. So, you want to say, that if you have network connection,
    your CPU usage is usually approximatly 20 %, and when you disconnect the
    cable, it is below 5 %?

    Do you have any network services installed? CPU load can be caused by
    applications which are sending / or recieving the packets aggresivly, so
    that the network stack get's busy. High CPU usage can also be explained by
    incoming SMB packets - they are handled in kernel mode, in the 'System'
    context.

    --
    V.
    This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    rights.
    "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    news:BE74E08F-30D9-42A3-B061-C3C250A6006D@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > Previous post may be a little misleading.
    >
    > The broadband connection is normally constant but I have just noticed that
    > if I disconnect then the CPU usage peaks drop to less than 5%.
    >
    > Have I been worrying over nothing, or do you think that there still may be
    > cause for concern.
    >
    > Mike
    >
    > "Mikek" wrote:
    ><!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
    >> Interesting.
    >>
    >> Firstly, thanks for this help.
    >> Wasn't paying too much attention earlier but the usage today has been
    >> peaking at 20% rather than the 30% that it was doing on Tuesday.
    >>
    >> Anyway, when I disabled the add-ons the usage dropped to about 10% which
    >> is
    >> the same as I see if nothing other than the Task Manager is running. When
    >> I
    >> reopen IE as normal it goes back to 20%.
    >>
    >> How would I know if any of the add-ons were malware?
    >>
    >> Should I be right to worry about that 10% usage when IE is not running as
    >> I
    >> don't see similar on any other machines. Having said that this machine
    >> has a
    >> broadband connection to the internet and the other machines connect to
    >> the
    >> net through this one.
    >>
    >> Mike
    >>
    >>
    >> "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
    >><!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
    >> > IE might have addons which actually can be malware. Try to launch IE
    >> > without
    >> > add-ons and observ the CPU usage. To launch IE withoiut addons, type in
    >> > cmd:
    >> >
    >> > iexplore.exe -extoff
    >> >
    >> > --
    >> > V.
    >> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    >> > rights.
    >> > "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    >> > news:32FD4CD3-3BC9-44ED-B53B-FCA6EE6114D6@microsoft.com...
    >> > > Yes I think I follow that.
    >> > > However, when I look on other machines I have here, the CPU usage is
    >> > > negligible if there are a couple of IE pages open but no other work
    >> > > being
    >> > > done yet on this machine CPU usage is peaking at 30% every 5 seconds.
    >> > >
    >> > > Or am I missing a point here?
    >> > >
    >> > > Mike
    >> > >
    >> > > "Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
    >> > >
    >> > >> You have some approximation already.
    >> > >>
    >> > >> iexplorer takes the most CPU time. System is actually not a process.
    >> > >> This
    >> > >> is
    >> > >> a collection of system threads which are running in kernel mode. Any
    >> > >> arbitrary thread which is spawned using PsCreateSystemThread takes
    >> > >> some
    >> > >> CPU
    >> > >> time, and this time has to be summed somehow, that's why the
    >> > >> 'System'
    >> > >> fake
    >> > >> process entity was invented.
    >> > >>
    >> > >> --
    >> > >> V.
    >> > >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
    >> > >> rights.
    >> > >> "Mikek" <Mikek@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
    >> > >> news:C71C7240-B179-4D28-BE2A-AA12DD48D95C@microsoft.com...
    >> > >> > When I open the Task Manager and look at the Performance tab I can
    >> > >> > see
    >> > >> > that
    >> > >> > my CPU usage fluctuates between 0 and 30% every 5 seconds so that
    >> > >> > the
    >> > >> > history
    >> > >> > shows a graph line similar to a mountain range with mountains of
    >> > >> > equal
    >> > >> > height.
    >> > >> >
    >> > >> > If I disconnect from the internet there is CPU usage at the same
    >> > >> > time
    >> > >> > intervals but no more than 5%.
    >> > >> >
    >> > >> > I have looked at the Processes tab (sorted by CPU) to try and see
    >> > >> > what
    >> > >> > is
    >> > >> > using the processor and the order of usage is changing every 1
    >> > >> > second
    >> > >> > but
    >> > >> > the
    >> > >> > processes at the top apart from System Idle Process and
    >> > >> > taskmge.exe
    >> > >> > generally seems to be:
    >> > >> >
    >> > >> > iexplore.exe
    >> > >> > System
    >> > >> > Helphost.exe
    >> > >> > helpsvc.exe
    >> > >> >
    >> > >> > I am using XP and IE7
    >> > >> > I run McAfee Security centre.
    >> > >> > I have run scans with both SpyBot and AdAware.
    >> > >> >
    >> > >> > How can I find out what it is that is running on my machine
    >> > >> > without my
    >> > >> > knowledge?
    >> > >> >
    >> > >> > If you are able to give any clues or information, please assume
    >> > >> > you are
    >> > >> > talking to an idiot when you reply.
    >> > >> >
    >> > >> > Thanks
    >> > >> > Mike
    >> > >>
    >> > >>
    >> > >>
    >> >
    >> >
    >> > <!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
    Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna, Apr 4, 2008
    #9

Share This Page