NICK - CPU usage with SAS - problem

[louise]

Hi,

I recently purchased SAS and put it on my desktop with real
time protection checked. All seems to be running smoothly.

When I check CPU usage, SAS is using about 35,000k memory
and no CPU cycles.

So I tried it on my portable. SAS, with real time
protection checked, is using anywhere between 17 and 38 cpu
cycles, alternating steadily - therefore, taking a serious
bite out of my resources.

Both machines run Win XP Pro. Both machines use NOD 32.
The CPU usage on the portable happens even when no browser
and no email client is running - in other words, so far as I
can tell, no internet access is happening.

The only difference between the two machines (that I can
think of) is that the Desktop is wired to my router whereas
the portable has a wireless connection to the same router.

Is SAS responding to the wireless connection by constantly
checking and thereby using these resources? Or might
something else be out of wack? And if it is the wireless,
is there any way around this other than turning off real
time protection?

Thanks.

Louise

[Nick Skrepetos]

louise wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I recently purchased SAS and put it on my desktop with real
> time protection checked. All seems to be running smoothly.
>
> When I check CPU usage, SAS is using about 35,000k memory
> and no CPU cycles.
>
> So I tried it on my portable. SAS, with real time
> protection checked, is using anywhere between 17 and 38 cpu
> cycles, alternating steadily - therefore, taking a serious
> bite out of my resources.
>
> Both machines run Win XP Pro. Both machines use NOD 32.
> The CPU usage on the portable happens even when no browser
> and no email client is running - in other words, so far as I
> can tell, no internet access is happening.
>
> The only difference between the two machines (that I can
> think of) is that the Desktop is wired to my router whereas
> the portable has a wireless connection to the same router.
>
> Is SAS responding to the wireless connection by constantly
> checking and thereby using these resources? Or might
> something else be out of wack? And if it is the wireless,
> is there any way around this other than turning off real
> time protection?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Louise

Are the processor speed, memory, etc. of the systems fairly simliar? If
you disable the wireless connection on the laptop do you see the same
processor usage? Are the configurations of NOD32 the same? Do you
notice an actual slowdown, or are you basing this entirely on the task
manager reading?

Nick Skrepetos
SUPERAntiSpyware.com
http://www.superantispyware.com

[louise]

Nick Skrepetos wrote:
> louise wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I recently purchased SAS and put it on my desktop with real
>> time protection checked. All seems to be running smoothly.
>>
>> When I check CPU usage, SAS is using about 35,000k memory
>> and no CPU cycles.
>>
>> So I tried it on my portable. SAS, with real time
>> protection checked, is using anywhere between 17 and 38 cpu
>> cycles, alternating steadily - therefore, taking a serious
>> bite out of my resources.
>>
>> Both machines run Win XP Pro. Both machines use NOD 32.
>> The CPU usage on the portable happens even when no browser
>> and no email client is running - in other words, so far as I
>> can tell, no internet access is happening.
>>
>> The only difference between the two machines (that I can
>> think of) is that the Desktop is wired to my router whereas
>> the portable has a wireless connection to the same router.
>>
>> Is SAS responding to the wireless connection by constantly
>> checking and thereby using these resources? Or might
>> something else be out of wack? And if it is the wireless,
>> is there any way around this other than turning off real
>> time protection?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Louise
>
> Are the processor speed, memory, etc. of the systems fairly simliar? If
> you disable the wireless connection on the laptop do you see the same
> processor usage? Are the configurations of NOD32 the same? Do you
> notice an actual slowdown, or are you basing this entirely on the task
> manager reading?
>
> Nick Skrepetos
> SUPERAntiSpyware.com
> http://www.superantispyware.com
>

Hi,

Thanks for your quick response.

The two computers do not have the same specs. However, I
would expect that the Thinkpad would also be able to run
this without such a drain on the cpu - it's got to be
something else (at least I think so):

Portable - Thinkpad X40, Pentium M 1200 MHz with one gig of
ram. Win XP Pro.

Desktop: P4, 3.2 with 2 gig of ram

The versions of NOD32 are the same and are configured the
same and both are configured to automatically update.

Disabling wireless did nothing to change the pattern. SAS
still goes from about 12 to 55 to 12 to 47 to 14 to 12 to 55
% etc. etc. CPU usage approximately every 2 or 3 seconds.

Another difference between my desktop and my laptop is in
the firewall: desktop uses an old version of Sygate and the
Thinkpad is using Windows firewall. I tried turning off
Windows firewall and for a minute it looked good, but then
it was right back to these wild fluctuations when nothing is
happening.

To answer your question: I am basing this on two readings:
the first is task manager and the second is a utility called
Process Explorer from Sysinternals - they both show the same
thing.

I can't say I've noticed a slowdown while working with the
machine under usual conditions. However, I sometimes use
speech recognition software: Dragon Naturally Speaking.
This software takes a lot of resources. Under these
circumstances, Dragon was slower and less responsive than usual.

Meanwhile, absolutely no such issues on my desktop......

Any thoughts? Any suggestions as to what I might try?

Thanks.

Louise

[louise]

louise wrote:
> Nick Skrepetos wrote:
>> louise wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I recently purchased SAS and put it on my desktop with real
>>> time protection checked. All seems to be running smoothly.
>>>
>>> When I check CPU usage, SAS is using about 35,000k memory
>>> and no CPU cycles.
>>>
>>> So I tried it on my portable. SAS, with real time
>>> protection checked, is using anywhere between 17 and 38 cpu
>>> cycles, alternating steadily - therefore, taking a serious
>>> bite out of my resources.
>>>
>>> Both machines run Win XP Pro. Both machines use NOD 32.
>>> The CPU usage on the portable happens even when no browser
>>> and no email client is running - in other words, so far as I
>>> can tell, no internet access is happening.
>>>
>>> The only difference between the two machines (that I can
>>> think of) is that the Desktop is wired to my router whereas
>>> the portable has a wireless connection to the same router.
>>>
>>> Is SAS responding to the wireless connection by constantly
>>> checking and thereby using these resources? Or might
>>> something else be out of wack? And if it is the wireless,
>>> is there any way around this other than turning off real
>>> time protection?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Louise
>>
>> Are the processor speed, memory, etc. of the systems fairly simliar? If
>> you disable the wireless connection on the laptop do you see the same
>> processor usage? Are the configurations of NOD32 the same? Do you
>> notice an actual slowdown, or are you basing this entirely on the task
>> manager reading?
>>
>> Nick Skrepetos
>> SUPERAntiSpyware.com http://www.superantispyware.com
>>
>
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for your quick response.
>
> The two computers do not have the same specs. However, I would expect
> that the Thinkpad would also be able to run this without such a drain on
> the cpu - it's got to be something else (at least I think so):
>
> Portable - Thinkpad X40, Pentium M 1200 MHz with one gig of ram. Win XP
> Pro.
>
> Desktop: P4, 3.2 with 2 gig of ram
>
> The versions of NOD32 are the same and are configured the same and both
> are configured to automatically update.
>
> Disabling wireless did nothing to change the pattern. SAS still goes
> from about 12 to 55 to 12 to 47 to 14 to 12 to 55 % etc. etc. CPU usage
> approximately every 2 or 3 seconds.
>
> Another difference between my desktop and my laptop is in the firewall:
> desktop uses an old version of Sygate and the Thinkpad is using Windows
> firewall. I tried turning off Windows firewall and for a minute it
> looked good, but then it was right back to these wild fluctuations when
> nothing is happening.
>
> To answer your question: I am basing this on two readings: the first is
> task manager and the second is a utility called Process Explorer from
> Sysinternals - they both show the same thing.
>
> I can't say I've noticed a slowdown while working with the machine under
> usual conditions. However, I sometimes use speech recognition software:
> Dragon Naturally Speaking. This software takes a lot of resources.
> Under these circumstances, Dragon was slower and less responsive than
> usual.
>
> Meanwhile, absolutely no such issues on my desktop......
>
> Any thoughts? Any suggestions as to what I might try?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Louise
>
I

I just began to wonder - I have SAS set to scan startup
locations in the registry. Does this go on, and take SAS
resources for the first 10 to 20 minutes after booting? I
ask because the Thinkpad has not been on and inactive for
about 20 minutes and the endless seeking and spiking cpu
usage seems to have died down completely.

Now, when I open Firefox, my preferred browser, I get a
normal spike to the cpu going to 2 or 3% when I click on a
link and then back down to 0.

Could it be that it simply does this for the first 10 or so
minutes because it's scanning the registry?

Thanks again.

Louise

[optikl]

"louise" <louise@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:4sq850F10prb4U1@mid.individual.net...
> Nick Skrepetos wrote:
>> louise wrote:
> Any thoughts? Any suggestions as to what I might try?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Louise
>
Yes. Have you tried disabling the Automatic Updates service? I've seen this
issue on some laptops, caused by AU. Go to start\run. Type in "services.msc.
Double click the service named Automatic Updates. Change the start up type
to disabled. Stop the service. Reboot and see if this helps. You can always
reverse this, and you will have to when you wish to update your system via
Microsoft Updates.

[David H. Lipman]

From: "optikl" <optikl@invalid.invalid>

| Yes. Have you tried disabling the Automatic Updates service? I've seen this
| issue on some laptops, caused by AU. Go to start\run. Type in "services.msc.
| Double click the service named Automatic Updates. Change the start up type
| to disabled. Stop the service. Reboot and see if this helps. You can always
| reverse this, and you will have to when you wish to update your system via
| Microsoft Updates.
|

I am seeing numerous threads in Microsoft Windows Update and WSUS related News Groups of
high utilization most notable in SVCHOST.EXE. Often it is associated with platforms using
Wireless connectivity.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

[Nick Skrepetos]

louise wrote:
> louise wrote:
> > Nick Skrepetos wrote:
> >> louise wrote:
> >>> Hi,
> >>>
> >>> I recently purchased SAS and put it on my desktop with real
> >>> time protection checked. All seems to be running smoothly.
> >>>
> >>> When I check CPU usage, SAS is using about 35,000k memory
> >>> and no CPU cycles.
> >>>
> >>> So I tried it on my portable. SAS, with real time
> >>> protection checked, is using anywhere between 17 and 38 cpu
> >>> cycles, alternating steadily - therefore, taking a serious
> >>> bite out of my resources.
> >>>
> >>> Both machines run Win XP Pro. Both machines use NOD 32.
> >>> The CPU usage on the portable happens even when no browser
> >>> and no email client is running - in other words, so far as I
> >>> can tell, no internet access is happening.
> >>>
> >>> The only difference between the two machines (that I can
> >>> think of) is that the Desktop is wired to my router whereas
> >>> the portable has a wireless connection to the same router.
> >>>
> >>> Is SAS responding to the wireless connection by constantly
> >>> checking and thereby using these resources? Or might
> >>> something else be out of wack? And if it is the wireless,
> >>> is there any way around this other than turning off real
> >>> time protection?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks.
> >>>
> >>> Louise
> >>
> >> Are the processor speed, memory, etc. of the systems fairly simliar? If
> >> you disable the wireless connection on the laptop do you see the same
> >> processor usage? Are the configurations of NOD32 the same? Do you
> >> notice an actual slowdown, or are you basing this entirely on the task
> >> manager reading?
> >>
> >> Nick Skrepetos
> >> SUPERAntiSpyware.com http://www.superantispyware.com
> >>
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Thanks for your quick response.
> >
> > The two computers do not have the same specs. However, I would expect
> > that the Thinkpad would also be able to run this without such a drain on
> > the cpu - it's got to be something else (at least I think so):
> >
> > Portable - Thinkpad X40, Pentium M 1200 MHz with one gig of ram. Win XP
> > Pro.
> >
> > Desktop: P4, 3.2 with 2 gig of ram
> >
> > The versions of NOD32 are the same and are configured the same and both
> > are configured to automatically update.
> >
> > Disabling wireless did nothing to change the pattern. SAS still goes
> > from about 12 to 55 to 12 to 47 to 14 to 12 to 55 % etc. etc. CPU usage
> > approximately every 2 or 3 seconds.
> >
> > Another difference between my desktop and my laptop is in the firewall:
> > desktop uses an old version of Sygate and the Thinkpad is using Windows
> > firewall. I tried turning off Windows firewall and for a minute it
> > looked good, but then it was right back to these wild fluctuations when
> > nothing is happening.
> >
> > To answer your question: I am basing this on two readings: the first is
> > task manager and the second is a utility called Process Explorer from
> > Sysinternals - they both show the same thing.
> >
> > I can't say I've noticed a slowdown while working with the machine under
> > usual conditions. However, I sometimes use speech recognition software:
> > Dragon Naturally Speaking. This software takes a lot of resources.
> > Under these circumstances, Dragon was slower and less responsive than
> > usual.
> >
> > Meanwhile, absolutely no such issues on my desktop......
> >
> > Any thoughts? Any suggestions as to what I might try?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Louise
> >
> I
>
> I just began to wonder - I have SAS set to scan startup
> locations in the registry. Does this go on, and take SAS
> resources for the first 10 to 20 minutes after booting? I
> ask because the Thinkpad has not been on and inactive for
> about 20 minutes and the endless seeking and spiking cpu
> usage seems to have died down completely.
>
> Now, when I open Firefox, my preferred browser, I get a
> normal spike to the cpu going to 2 or 3% when I click on a
> link and then back down to 0.
>
> Could it be that it simply does this for the first 10 or so
> minutes because it's scanning the registry?
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Louise

The startup scanning is complete by the time the desktop is shown, so
that would not be it. I would take a look at the other suggestions
regarding Windows Updates and the wireless.

I have a hunch this is something else in the system other than
SUPERAntiSpyware that is actually causing the spike.

Nick Skrepetos
SUPERAntiSpyware.com
http://www.superantispyware.com

[louise]

Nick Skrepetos wrote:
> louise wrote:
>> louise wrote:
>>> Nick Skrepetos wrote:
>>>> louise wrote:
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>> I recently purchased SAS and put it on my desktop with real
>>>>> time protection checked. All seems to be running smoothly.
>>>>>
>>>>> When I check CPU usage, SAS is using about 35,000k memory
>>>>> and no CPU cycles.
>>>>>
>>>>> So I tried it on my portable. SAS, with real time
>>>>> protection checked, is using anywhere between 17 and 38 cpu
>>>>> cycles, alternating steadily - therefore, taking a serious
>>>>> bite out of my resources.
>>>>>
>>>>> Both machines run Win XP Pro. Both machines use NOD 32.
>>>>> The CPU usage on the portable happens even when no browser
>>>>> and no email client is running - in other words, so far as I
>>>>> can tell, no internet access is happening.
>>>>>
>>>>> The only difference between the two machines (that I can
>>>>> think of) is that the Desktop is wired to my router whereas
>>>>> the portable has a wireless connection to the same router.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is SAS responding to the wireless connection by constantly
>>>>> checking and thereby using these resources? Or might
>>>>> something else be out of wack? And if it is the wireless,
>>>>> is there any way around this other than turning off real
>>>>> time protection?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>> Louise
>>>> Are the processor speed, memory, etc. of the systems fairly simliar? If
>>>> you disable the wireless connection on the laptop do you see the same
>>>> processor usage? Are the configurations of NOD32 the same? Do you
>>>> notice an actual slowdown, or are you basing this entirely on the task
>>>> manager reading?
>>>>
>>>> Nick Skrepetos
>>>> SUPERAntiSpyware.com http://www.superantispyware.com
>>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Thanks for your quick response.
>>>
>>> The two computers do not have the same specs. However, I would expect
>>> that the Thinkpad would also be able to run this without such a drain on
>>> the cpu - it's got to be something else (at least I think so):
>>>
>>> Portable - Thinkpad X40, Pentium M 1200 MHz with one gig of ram. Win XP
>>> Pro.
>>>
>>> Desktop: P4, 3.2 with 2 gig of ram
>>>
>>> The versions of NOD32 are the same and are configured the same and both
>>> are configured to automatically update.
>>>
>>> Disabling wireless did nothing to change the pattern. SAS still goes
>>> from about 12 to 55 to 12 to 47 to 14 to 12 to 55 % etc. etc. CPU usage
>>> approximately every 2 or 3 seconds.
>>>
>>> Another difference between my desktop and my laptop is in the firewall:
>>> desktop uses an old version of Sygate and the Thinkpad is using Windows
>>> firewall. I tried turning off Windows firewall and for a minute it
>>> looked good, but then it was right back to these wild fluctuations when
>>> nothing is happening.
>>>
>>> To answer your question: I am basing this on two readings: the first is
>>> task manager and the second is a utility called Process Explorer from
>>> Sysinternals - they both show the same thing.
>>>
>>> I can't say I've noticed a slowdown while working with the machine under
>>> usual conditions. However, I sometimes use speech recognition software:
>>> Dragon Naturally Speaking. This software takes a lot of resources.
>>> Under these circumstances, Dragon was slower and less responsive than
>>> usual.
>>>
>>> Meanwhile, absolutely no such issues on my desktop......
>>>
>>> Any thoughts? Any suggestions as to what I might try?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Louise
>>>
>> I
>>
>> I just began to wonder - I have SAS set to scan startup
>> locations in the registry. Does this go on, and take SAS
>> resources for the first 10 to 20 minutes after booting? I
>> ask because the Thinkpad has not been on and inactive for
>> about 20 minutes and the endless seeking and spiking cpu
>> usage seems to have died down completely.
>>
>> Now, when I open Firefox, my preferred browser, I get a
>> normal spike to the cpu going to 2 or 3% when I click on a
>> link and then back down to 0.
>>
>> Could it be that it simply does this for the first 10 or so
>> minutes because it's scanning the registry?
>>
>> Thanks again.
>>
>> Louise
>
> The startup scanning is complete by the time the desktop is shown, so
> that would not be it. I would take a look at the other suggestions
> regarding Windows Updates and the wireless.
>
> I have a hunch this is something else in the system other than
> SUPERAntiSpyware that is actually causing the spike.
>
> Nick Skrepetos
> SUPERAntiSpyware.com
> http://www.superantispyware.com
>
I'll check out everything I can. I'm pretty careful about
watching resource use, if nothing else, it's a way to
"catch" a bad guy. I've not seen this before - but I'll
keep checking because it is strange.

Thanks to all for their suggestions and I'll post back.

Louise

[Steve]

"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
news:wg_9h.11579$oP6.5397@trnddc03...
> From: "optikl" <optikl@invalid.invalid>
>
> | Yes. Have you tried disabling the Automatic Updates service? I've seen
> this
> | issue on some laptops, caused by AU. Go to start\run. Type in
> "services.msc.
> | Double click the service named Automatic Updates. Change the start up
> type
> | to disabled. Stop the service. Reboot and see if this helps. You can
> always
> | reverse this, and you will have to when you wish to update your system
> via
> | Microsoft Updates.
> |
>
> I am seeing numerous threads in Microsoft Windows Update and WSUS related
> News Groups of
> high utilization most notable in SVCHOST.EXE. Often it is associated with
> platforms using
> Wireless connectivity.
>
> --
> Dave
> http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
> http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm
>
>

One session of SVCHOST slows my PC considerably for a long time after
starting. My cure when it P's me off is to kill that particular process
(and not the other half dozen or so). Is there a way to find out what is
running each session of SVCHOST?

--
Steve

[kurt wismer]

Steve wrote:
[snip]
> One session of SVCHOST slows my PC considerably for a long time after
> starting. My cure when it P's me off is to kill that particular process
> (and not the other half dozen or so). Is there a way to find out what is
> running each session of SVCHOST?

yes, process explorer can tell you which services a particular instance
of svchost is hosting... you can get it for free from
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...sExplorer.mspx

--
"it's not the right time to be sober
now the idiots have taken over
spreading like a social cancer,
is there an answer?"