CPU usage doesn't tally (dual core and XP pro)

[The late XV105]

Lenovo T61 Core 2 Duo running XP Pro SP3.

Normally lightning fast but sluggish of late.
Task Manager shows 43-44% CPU usage at Idle but System Idle Process shows 98-99%.
"Que?", especially given that "Show process from all users" is ticked.

A potentially connected symptom is that memory usage footprint starts off normal for XP pro with no applications running and just my normal startup processes (about 700MB) but then gradually creeps up and up eventually exceeding the physical memory (2GB).

All the symptoms of something running that doesn't want to be found, but Symantec Antivirus Corporate (up to date definitions) and my armada or protection tools that include Spybot and Hijack this all report "healthy system".

Ideas, please?


TVM

[phineas]

Does the memory footprint increase without you starting any application?

Loop through the processes in the task mamnager and Google the names, there is no need to buy an app to tell you what each is. A program may have installed a service that runs in the background which isn't identified as either a virus or spyware. Google had a desktop search facility that indexed your hard drive that could hog process, RAM and hard drive

HTH

[C-N]

gradually creeps up and up eventually exceeding the physical memory (2GB)

sounds like a memory leak to me.
Search the web, on how to check your system if some apps are leaking (but do it mannualy, don't download some software that promises to detect this). Could be a memory leak from some cheap software or apps that are coded by some lousy programmers.

You're using a software that's badly coded and could compromise your safety as it will overwrite your system memory.

hope this helps

[Squawk7777]

You could additionally install Lavasoft's Ad-Aware. Don't ask me why but it does sometimes find programs (Trojans etc.) that are not picked up by anti-virus software. Another option is to scan your system with a special rootkit scan, there's a good one available through Avira.

Provided the problem is due to a malicious virus et al.

[green granite]

Suggest you download and install process explorer from: Process Explorer

It gives you a much better overview of what's running than task manager. You can tell it to open when you use <ctrl+alt+del>

The other thing is to look in the start-up area ( type ' msconfig ' in the run box) and untick all non essential programs, if the problem goes away then re-enable them one at a time until you find the one that causes the problem. If none of them cause the problem then look at your apps one at a time, unfortunately it's a slow process as you need to let each simmer for awhile it could also be the anti-virus software slowing you down after an update.

[The late XV105]

Thanks for the pointers. I already use Ad-Aware as part of my protection arsenal but I will try Process Explorer. A memory leak was my first thought, but I haven't (knowingly!) installed any new software other than Windows updates and Symantec definition updates for some weeks whereas the problem is just a few days old. Yes, the memory footprint changes "by itself" and shutting down all Applications never brings it back below 1GB vs 750MB directly after startup. Something, somewhere, therefore appears to be orphaned or running quietly by itself.

None of this explains though why total apparent CPU usage is not the same as adding up the individual process consumption of CPU.

Cheers.

[Ancient Observer]

I know this isn't JB - I've been shouted to about that in the past, but now that XV's had her/his tips, I have to say that I am much taken by the notion of memory leaks.
Next time my pc is misbehaving, in addition to turning it off/on, and giving it a jolly good slap, and removing Vista, does this mean that I have to lift it up to look for these leaks?
What will they look like - a liquid? Or is it more likely to be bodies of the little men and women that turn the wheels to keep the discs spinning?

[phineas]

Memory leaks an aviation analogy

In a multisector flight you book a group of 6 to the first stop, you must remember to free all the group’s seats rather than the seat occupied by the group leader. If you only mark the seat of the group leader as empty then you have 5 adjacent seats that are free but the booking system sees as being occupied. Repeat this a couple of times the booking system will see the flight as being full when it is not. The memory that is unoccupied but still marked as full on the booking system is said to have leaked away.

This is only an issue with one programming language, however this is most prestigious language and proper memory management is seen as a mark of a good programmer. Since XP has as many as 2^32 seats the odd drip here and there isn’t a problem but well written apps shouldn’t leak.

I'm sure this hasn't helped

[green granite]

Next time my pc is misbehaving, in addition to turning it off/on, and giving it a jolly good slap, and removing Vista, does this mean that I have to lift it up to look for these leaks?
What will they look like - a liquid?

It's a red liquid that slowly drips out, after a while there's a haemorrhage and everything goes tits up

[Saab Dastard]

everything goes tits up

No, this is sillicon we are talking about in computers, so a silicon leak means everything goes tits down - or at least deflated!

SD

[green granite]

Saab .........................

[The late XV105]

Solved

Lenovo's "Think disadVantage" suite was removed out of interest since I don't use any of the features and the problem is solved. Speaking to colleagues reveals similar incidences of trouble, and the specific culprit is believed to be Access Connections (a utility that tries to be clever and manage all network connections, remembering what the appropriate default printer should be depending where you are, and so on).

Anyway, bloatware removed and I've got my fast machine back.

Cheers anyway, and especially thanks for the link to Process Explorer; handy to know for future reference.

[C-N]

you could also send your findings to Lenovo so they can fix the bug and save future and current users also. (but this is optional)

[Ancient Observer]

Thanks for the explanation, and the funnies.

Calling blocked seats, or what might otherwise be called "constipation" a leak is nearly as daft as calling some accidents "CFIT".
Oh, well, I continue to learn...............