What is the System Idle Process in XP?

Question

I have this real problem in that my computer sometimes gets VERY slow. Even typing this, my cursor is lagging behind my typing by a few seconds. Anyway, this has happened before and I look at my system process to see what's using my CPU and I see that my System Idle Process is using like 90% of the CPU even when I'm working on the computer! Why is this? Shouldn't the System Idle Process cease when I start doing stuff on it? How can I fix this?

Answer 1

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Computer Slow

Download and then run startup.exe (FREEWARE) at:

http://www.mlin.net/startupcpl.shtml......

Can't live without it and windows...

Then disable and/or uninstall whatever u don't need.

Other things to try:

1 - Disk Cleanup (removal of temp files, cookies, etc.)
2 - Defrag
3 - Registry Cleanup (CAN BE VERY RISKY!)

FROM A HARDWARE PERSPECTIVE THE BEST AND MOST COST EFFECTIVE POSSIBLE UPGRADE (IN GENERAL) IS THE ADDITION OF MORE MEMORY (RAM).

ALL ELSE FAILS - RELOAD YOUR O/S (WINDOWS) AND THEN REINSTALL ALL OTHER PROGRAMS YOU NEED/USE!

Joe...

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Computer Virus/Spyware/Adware/Malware/etc

All FREE...

Download and then run Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classic at:

http://www.free-av.com/

Download and then run Spybot - Search & Destroy at:

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

Download and then run Ad-Aware SE Personal at:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Joe...

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Answer 2

Yeah, your system idle process is when your system is idle. If you have a process besides that which is high, then you have a problem. Could be read/write, could be memory. I could go deeper, but it's hard to do that when I have no idea on your OS or size of your memory.

If you really want to learn how to use Performance Counters (which most people don't even know about) then check the links below. :D

(sorry I couldn't tell you how to find the Performance Counters as have certain services disabled on my machine)

Answer 3

Uggg!
machine do nothing,
is idle.