Dell XPS M1730 running slow, 100% cpu for no reason, need help please!?

Question

I own a Dell xps M1730, supposedly the ultimate gaming machine, i have over 350 gigs of memory and 4 gigs of ram, not to metion a duel processor. I am running windows vista ultimate. Usually the machine starts out fine, but if i open any programs, (word, itunes, games,etc...) after a period, say 20min to and hour and a half, my CPU usage will slowly rise to 100%. I have tried turing off the wireless router and internet connection all together, but this only slows the problem. I have heard that windows vista may be the cause and note that out of the box it runs over 90 processes. I have purchised the full version of McAfee. If anyone has had a similar problem or can help I would greatl appriciate it. I have reduced all the extra visual crap on vista to as basic as it can go but I still get the 100% CPU slow down, I am on the verge of downgrading to windows XP. Please help me!

Answer 1

If it is gradual, then you have what is called a memory leak associated w/ a certain process/program. Use task Mgr, look at the processes as stated before for those using the CPU currently. It takes a while using a monitor system (after cleaning out your Windows startup folder properly). Then you turn on 1 application/program at a time and use it noting differences until you isolate the program causing the memory leakage. A lot of what happens is related to software programming errors that can be repaired or patched by a software vendor, but Windows has always had memory leakage problems, most being caused because RAM usage is set aside in blocks as soon as you click to open a specific program, called Ram allocation, sometimes you open a program, Ram get's allocated to be used by that program only, then you realize that you really meant to open a different program and close the program before 90 seconds from opening it has elapsed. Then you open another program. That Ram set aside doesn't release, and just sits there leaking away. The simple cure there, if you open a program accidentally, wait 90 seconds or more before closing it and that Ram will return to being allocatable to other programs more easily upon closure of the "accidentally opened" program.

RAM leakage problems take time and effort to really pinpoint but can be done easily while you do other things, then you simply contact the program vendor and ask them to fix the bug....But you must participate in finding the offending program. A decent fix is to install another hard drive, set up your swap file (maximum size of that swap file should be MAX twice the size of actual physical installed Memory/RAM). IE: Switch swap file to another drive, size the swap file 2GB Installed RAM, 4 GB max-1GB installed RAM=2GB max.

Then you can monitor the swap of data and pinpoint leakage easily while increasing avail memory up to 3 times what you have physically installed.

Right now is Windows managing your swap file? Both XP and Vista will run @ 100% CPU usage as System Idle Process is a true process, but it shouldn't show under Task Manager "performance tab" as running at 100% (that is unless file indexing is running which is a pure memory hog)...which is what Vista's Superduper extra special waste of space and memory Aero Video does as is.

My suggestion...Downgrade back to XP, or simply set up a dual boot to XP system (easy enough to do), until Vista is truly ready for prime time would be my suggestion.

Need further help, e-mail me @ excite.com (same name as here), I'll try to help.

Answer 2

As from the Answer from Dez , it is not just the CPU which defines the performance of your PC. A faster Ram (FSB) A compatible chipset. (Mother Board) Also the HDD data rate. The above are hardware factors. Try some other OS before going for any change. and make sure you have correct and latest drivers for all hardware. Try some thing like ubuntu / windows XP Thanks moments

Answer 3

Try pressing Ctrl, Alt and Del simultanously to bring up the task manager, then click on the processes tab to see which programs are running and end the processes you don't need. Alternatively you could defragment the hard drive to make programs run faster.

Answer 4

Hi. Found this solution on the web "Everytime I see my processor go up 100%, its the Explorer.EXE which takes 99% - so I just kill it and the taskbar vanishes. I run explorer.exe from the New Task on Task Manager and everything comes back to normal." Try it! Also take a look at WindowsCare. One of my favorites and this version is free. http://www.iobit.com/advancedwindowscareper.html

Answer 5

i have a dell xps m1730 always on wifi but i wanted to ask this question first question is what can I do to make my computer faster what do i need to upgrade 2. why everytime at work streaming on espn or any other channel on wifi have my charger plugged in the computer when its full battery i unplug the charger the internet wifi speed slows down

Answer 6

Forget about the Mac smuck.
Are you running limewire or sharebear by chance?
If so, theres your issue. If not, I would change anti-virus software and run a spyware scan.

Answer 7

your problem is mcaffee. it automatically starts scanning files at random. You shouldn't bother with virus scanners that run in real time. Run a virus scan once a week or something instead.

Answer 8

Buy a Mac and join the happy world :)