I have noticed that the CPU is also at 99% usage. I looking at the processes, the "System Idle Process" is pegged at 99% most of the time. What does the system idle process do? Why would it be at 90% processing all the time?
The system idle process keeps track of when the CPU is doing nothing i.e. it is idle. Thus, system idle process running at 99% means that 99% of the time the CPU is doing nothing. I doubt that is the cause of your problem.
In further research this afternoon the system idle process is definitely not part of the issue.
Thanks for the info. Any idea on why the hard drive is running continuously. It starts at the user login screen prior to anyone logging on and then continues from there on. The light is always on solid, not a flash like it is accessing data, just solid. Since this laptop is a plugin I would doubt that there is a loose connection.
It has been about a month now and the hard drive light now does not stay on solid. Disk access seems to be normal. This has been the case for the last couple of weeks. I noticed the day after thanksgiving that the light was still on solid and then a few days later it was not. Things seem to be running fine right now.
The issue may be solved or has just gone away and decided to leave me alone for now.
"The newest Mobile drives are moving to using 3.3 volts on the interface lines (from 5 volts on previous models) to reduce power consumption. Systems should be able to properly detect the lower 3.3 volts according to the ATA specification. In your case the system doesn’t seem to be able to properly detect the correct voltage of the mobile drive, that is why it causing the drive activity light to stay on constantly. This is NOT a problem caused by the drive. This is the result of the laptop not being fully ATA compliant in accordance with the power specifications. This will not hurt the drive or the system in any way."
archiek
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November 14th, 2004 15:00
A little more information.
I have noticed that the CPU is also at 99% usage. I looking at the processes, the "System Idle Process" is pegged at 99% most of the time. What does the system idle process do? Why would it be at 90% processing all the time?
- Archie
volcano11
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November 14th, 2004 18:00
The system idle process keeps track of when the CPU is doing nothing i.e. it is idle. Thus, system idle process running at 99% means that 99% of the time the CPU is doing nothing. I doubt that is the cause of your problem.
Steve
archiek
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November 14th, 2004 22:00
In further research this afternoon the system idle process is definitely not part of the issue.
Thanks for the info. Any idea on why the hard drive is running continuously. It starts at the user login screen prior to anyone logging on and then continues from there on. The light is always on solid, not a flash like it is accessing data, just solid. Since this laptop is a plugin I would doubt that there is a loose connection.
I'm at a loss at what to look at next.
- archie
archiek
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December 17th, 2004 12:00
It has been about a month now and the hard drive light now does not stay on solid. Disk access seems to be normal. This has been the case for the last couple of weeks. I noticed the day after thanksgiving that the light was still on solid and then a few days later it was not. Things seem to be running fine right now.
The issue may be solved or has just gone away and decided to leave me alone for now.
:smileyvery-happy:
billw020104
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December 24th, 2004 20:00
Check this thread out.
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_harddrive&message.id=29672
"The newest Mobile drives are moving to using 3.3 volts on the interface lines (from 5 volts on previous models) to reduce power consumption. Systems should be able to properly detect the lower 3.3 volts according to the ATA specification. In your case the system doesn’t seem to be able to properly detect the correct voltage of the mobile drive, that is why it causing the drive activity light to stay on constantly. This is NOT a problem caused by the drive. This is the result of the laptop not being fully ATA compliant in accordance with the power specifications. This will not hurt the drive or the system in any way."
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_harddrive&message.id=30246
My HDD light goes off when I come out of Standby mode but is always on otherwise.
Hope this helps to put your mine at ease. My I8100 is still ticking after 3 years.
--Bill