Could be that Norton is doing a scan. Try unplugging from the internet and disabling Norton also and see if the usage continues. Many of the anti-virus and -spyware programs can grab up 50% of CPU usage (usually is explorerwhich you see) for no reason. I have switched to ZoneAlarm Security Suite and SpyBot as the only resident malware cops and no longer have explorer problems.
Do you by any chance have two examples of explorer.exe listed in Task Manager? This can also cause the problem.
Ok I unplugged my internet, then turned off everything in norton. Still no change what so ever in usage. I'm thinking of reformating, but i don't want to spend hours on the phone with dell. No offense I just am not a phone person. I've checked out the explorer.exe problem. Read about it on another website. It's not that.
Do you have more than one copy of explorerin Task Manager?
To see what happens, go to task manager and right click on explorer then select end process. Your desktop should disappear. Wait a minute then click on File then New Task and type in explorer.exe then OK. Everything should come back. Does explorer usage stay low or go back to 50%?
I think I "restarted it" I turned it back on. If that is what you mean. I've rebooted my computer tried it again an again. When I end process my cpu usage drops back down to less than 10%, then I start new task an get 50%+ again.
After 6 days of intensive research and try this-try that..... I was able to reduce the high CPU usage from 100% to 2%. Keep in mind the high cpu on a DELL 4550, P4 2.0 GHZ with 384 mg ram was pulling the 100% usage with no programs running.
The probabliity of this being virus, spy ware etc. related would appear to be high.
The FIX:
F2 SYSTEM SETUP
CPU INFORMATION
IF CPU SPEED IS SET TO COMPATIBLE... CHANGE TO NORMAL
After 6 days of intensive research and try this-try that..... I was able to reduce the high CPU usage from 100% to 2%. Keep in mind the high cpu on a DELL 4550, P4 2.0 GHZ with 384 mg ram was pulling the 100% usage with no programs running.
The probabliity of this being virus, spy ware etc. related would appear to be high.
The FIX:
F2 SYSTEM SETUP
CPU INFORMATION
IF CPU SPEED IS SET TO COMPATIBLE... CHANGE TO NORMAL
i hope this works. i'm going to try it when i get home from work.
i, too, have been having high cpu usage problems, with explorer.exe running at 100% with no programs running.
i must have run norton about 10 times in the past week and am at my wit's end with this... it's almost convinced me my next machine should be an apple :smileyvery-happy:
anyway, you guys are all running much newer machines than my 2 yr old dimension 2400 so you can imagine what a nightmare this has been for me with even less power to work with!
kirkd
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March 18th, 2006 17:00
Do you by any chance have two examples of explorer.exe listed in Task Manager? This can also cause the problem.
1up
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March 18th, 2006 20:00
Ok I unplugged my internet, then turned off everything in norton. Still no change what so ever in usage. I'm thinking of reformating, but i don't want to spend hours on the phone with dell. No offense I just am not a phone person. I've checked out the explorer.exe problem. Read about it on another website. It's not that.
Any other idea's?
msgale
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2.5K Posts
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March 18th, 2006 21:00
kirkd
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March 18th, 2006 22:00
To see what happens, go to task manager and right click on explorer then select end process. Your desktop should disappear. Wait a minute then click on File then New Task and type in explorer.exe then OK. Everything should come back. Does explorer usage stay low or go back to 50%?
kirkd
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March 18th, 2006 22:00
1up
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March 18th, 2006 22:00
Message Edited by 1up on 03-18-2006 06:28 PM
1up
6 Posts
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March 18th, 2006 23:00
1up
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March 19th, 2006 00:00
kirkd
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March 19th, 2006 00:00
kirkd
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March 19th, 2006 01:00
mrrobind
5 Posts
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April 5th, 2006 23:00
After 6 days of intensive research and try this-try that..... I was able to reduce the high CPU usage from 100% to 2%. Keep in mind the high cpu on a DELL 4550, P4 2.0 GHZ with 384 mg ram was pulling the 100% usage with no programs running.
The probabliity of this being virus, spy ware etc. related would appear to be high.
The FIX:
F2 SYSTEM SETUP
CPU INFORMATION
IF CPU SPEED IS SET TO COMPATIBLE... CHANGE TO NORMAL
:smileywink:
mrrobind
5 Posts
0
April 5th, 2006 23:00
After 6 days of intensive research and try this-try that..... I was able to reduce the high CPU usage from 100% to 2%. Keep in mind the high cpu on a DELL 4550, P4 2.0 GHZ with 384 mg ram was pulling the 100% usage with no programs running.
The probabliity of this being virus, spy ware etc. related would appear to be high.
The FIX:
F2 SYSTEM SETUP
CPU INFORMATION
IF CPU SPEED IS SET TO COMPATIBLE... CHANGE TO NORMAL
:smileywink:
mrrobind
5 Posts
0
April 5th, 2006 23:00
FIX FOR HIGH CPU ON A DELL 4550 WITH P4 2.00 GHZ 384 MB RAM IS AS FOLLOWS
PRESS F2 SYSTEM SETTINGS
CPU INFORMATION
IF CPU SPEED IS SET TO COMPATIBLE
CHANGE TO NORMAL
..........................
adjuster_secret
3 Posts
0
May 1st, 2006 16:00
adjuster_secret
3 Posts
0
May 1st, 2006 18:00