Windows 10: Anniversary Update: Windows 10 CPU usage 100% All the time

Hi, I would suggest you need to start from a very basic point.

Check your disks, clean install Windows, and see if you have any problems. Make sure all seems functional. Leave it 'long enough'.

Install one program, see if you have any problems.
Repeat with another program.
Continue until you end up with the problem recurring, and you will need to work from there.

 

I don't know if this has been suggested so far. Try turning off Windows Defender real-time protection for a while a check again. If it works properly, time for replacing WD for another real-time AV. You can also tell WD to still perform regular scans even if another AV is ON.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have read everybody's answer but none of you have pointed out a big error in your setup...

You have 2 X 8GB of Ripjaw ram & 2 X 4GB of Cosair ram fitted...

If you read your motherboard manual you need identical ram of same size/ density / make & mixed ram is something you would do with a 1995 pc were they were so slow it did not matter.

I suggest you take out the 2 X 4GB of ram to re-enable proper dual channel function of the ram ?

 

You might try SuperAntiSpyware Free edition, it cleans up cookies and other little nasty's Malwarebytes and Defender don't show SUPERAntiSpyware | Remove Malware | Remove Spyware - AntiMalware, AntiSpyware, AntiAdware! After downloading and installing, update the definitions and do a full scan. Most times a quick scan is enough, but with problems you've been having with no fix so far, this might find something.

I had trouble before with high CPU (actually realized when temps were too high and my computer wasn't doing anything) use with essentially nothing going on. Running SuperAntiSpyware took care of whatever little piece of malware was causing it.

Good luck *Smile

RoadBlaster has a great suggestion about your RAM, I had an AMD motherboard, and upgraded to another on for my present MB, they both had/have 4 slots for RAM, I used slots 1 (A1) and 3 (B1) (2 x 4G) Computer runs fine, shows 8G RAM.

 

After reading the mobo manual its says if you use different size ram it must be of the same CAS Latency but for best performane use 4 identical rams as it makes no sense to me using different sizes





Also make sure your ram is install as the following picture suggests

 

Great, I tried the program, and it removed lots of spyware and 1 more malicious piece of malware. Thanks. But sadly it didn't fix the problem. Still getting 100% CPU usage problems.

Thanks! I've taken out the two 4GB RAM sticks and left the two 8GB sticks there in the appropriate slots. Still having the 100% CPU usage problem. :/

I may just go for dalchina's suggestion and try that next. Thanks for all of the help and suggestions so far.

 

I read your comments again & you seem to have the problem after re-install of update ?
I am not sure if the 2 different rams you used corrupted your os (just a theory that needs proof)

The first thing to do would be download the latest .iso copy of win10 which has all updates & new drivers on the disk, I did this after that update & the system ran a lot smoother.

I would suggest a full wipe of your ssd adding 0's to it using mini tool 9.1 cd boot software (made with os version of 9.1)

Disconnect your other 2 hard drives from the mobo & ignore them until you have installed a proper Antivirus - fyi - Norton gives you a 90 day trail of their full internet security with no restrictions & if you purchased it they give you the remaining 90 days free on top of that !!!
Makes sure all your driver are the latest that need to be installed

At this point test it for a few days allowing for all updates & the tuning process of your pc then connect your other hard drives one at a time giving them a full scan.

Performance Tune:
Optimize Performance of Windows 10 - Windows 10 Tutorials

W10 Start Menu Tune:
Live Tiles - Turn On or Off for Apps on Start in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Tutorials

Free download Magic Partition Manager Software, partition magic alternative, free partition magic, partition magic Windows 7 and server partition software - Partition Wizard Online

 

Wow thank you, this seems like a great course of action. Do you happen to have a link to the latest version of Windows 10 ISO with drivers and updates? Or is it here with "Update Now" link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/soft...load/windows10

And for the MiniTool, so I need to use a CD or can I use a thumb drive?

Also, is Norton actually any good? I remember it being not so good when I used it years ago.

Thanks again for your help.

 

You need Windows Media Creation Tool - scroll down a little to the link to download the tool - the software will load the right one for your system:
Windows 10

Minitool 91:
Bootable Partition Manager| MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition

Once you have burnt the cd make sure that in bios you have set it to legacy not UEFI, or you wont be able to delete the whole drive, but after you are ready to install set bios to UEFI again.

Norton is in the top 5 rated security systems & think it is the gui interface which performs differently between the top 5

Minitool 9.1 will have to be burnt to CD / Win10 can be CD or USB ?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IF none of the above works then all I can say is Hard Drive or Mobo ?

 

Try this (the quote is from this post https://www.tenforums.com/installatio...questions.html) if you have a UEFI system, courtesy of NavyLCDR

W10 iso only download https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft.../windows10ISO/

When you boot off the USB you've created using the instructions in the quote you boot into Kyhi's recovery tools which has a partition manager program in it. You can use that program to delete all partitions on the disk to prepare for a clean install.

 

Shoot, I don't have a way of using a CD right now.

Thanks for a link to the ISO download.

To be honest I'm very disheartened that I will have to be reinstalling my OS and programs for a third time... I thank you for all of your help but it almost seems like I should just live with it at this point.

 

you guys actually fixed this earlier but then for some reason overlooked it again.


many people have this issue and the most popular resolution is to reset your power plan to balanced default, it sort of makes sense when you consider the issue. If the CPU is set for max performance then every time there is cpu activity (which in w10 seems to be always) it runs the cpu at max even when it is not required - a bit like putting your car in neutral and slamming down the accelerator just to run the radio.....engine (cpu) at max

also it seems that win10 wants to rev this back up after an update so keep an eye on it on certain systems, I have an Alienware Lappy and a very high end desktop and only see this issue on the AW lappy

hope this helps

 

Y-You were 100% correct...

I restored default power plan settings and it right back to normal usage.

Alright then, is it possible make the monitor stay on for longer than 10 freaking minutes and keep it awake for longer than half an hour without the CPU usage spike?

 

glad you got it sorted, yes you can go into the power plan and set your own custom setting etc, trial and error

Interesting to note that although this solution works in 95% of cases it did not work on my Alienware laptop, I don't use it that often so haven't really sat down and had a real go at sorting it, maybe some day I will starting off with a BIOS reset to default and then start removing various chipset applications - and other software that I don't really need, I am sure one of them is the culprit

 

I had this same thing happen to my laptop. Windows update put a bunch of new options in the power plan settings and if you manually had your setting on high performance it messed with the settings. I really thought my PC was crazy and was reading wrong as what PC is 100% to 110% usage all the time, but mine was until i read this and went in and clicked reset my settings to default and wham my PC went to 1% to 3% usage. I wish i would have read this sooner as my laptop has been struggling away every day for about two months now, but at least its fixed and all i do on this laptop is surf the web before bed anyway so at least i didn't stress it that much. Thanks Geoffxx for your advice as now its helped me two.