CPU at constant 40-50% (so FS9 hardly runs)

[martinlest2 58]

Hi. I am going abroad in a couple of weeks for work - be there for 1-2 years: a long time to be without FS9!! I decided not to take my FS PC for now, but to use my Dell XPS M1730 (gaming laptop), which used to run FS9 really well. But having reinstalled FS9 the results are pretty shocking.

 

After a bit of analysis, I could see why: the CPU runs at 40% or more all the time, with no applications loaded. Ran MSConfig and tried again, but with the same result. Task Manager shows no CPU usage from running processes, but Process Explorer shows 40-50% under Hardware Interrupts. So been Googling this, but it's all very depressing. No improvements...

 

I checked that my HD is set to DMA mode (5). I had two entries for IDE Primary - following other forum advice, uninstalled both and rebooted twice. both now back and in DMA mode again, but same CPU usage. Not sure what else to do, I feel I am on a wild goose chase.

 

Unless I can fix this quickly I shall be abroad with no FS9!!! Unthinkable really after all these years. If I can solve why the CPU is always running at 50% or so, I am sure FS9 will load and run just fine, as it always used to when it was my main FS machine.

 

Can anyone help please? Thought I'd post here rather than other hardware forums as you FS folks will be sympathetic to what I am suffering here !  B)

 

Thanks,

 

Martin

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

Check your laptop's power settings. They should be set to "High Performance".

[martinlest2 58]

Sorry I omitted a vital piece of information!! This is a dual boot machine with XP 32 and 64-bit, not Win7.  :blush:  Run FS (or trying to!) in 64-bit version of course. The CPU is a Intel Core 2 T7500 (2.2 GHz).

 

I just tried booting into XP 32-bit and the Hardware Interrupts there are minimal - 1% or 'n/a' in Process Explorer This hopefully will provide someone with a clue.

 

M

[Charlatan 68]

I would check for viruses and malware

[martinlest2 58]

Yes, good idea. This is a new installation of both x64 and x86 - and I have run a virus check, but not for malware. Will certainly try, but I think the problem probably lies elsewhere.

 

Thanks

[martinlest2 58]

Ran virus scan & Malwarebytes..  nothing relevant. CPU still constant 40% 

[ryanbatc 12,833]

Java update running? Look at task manager is anything running that looks odd?

 

Could also be a temp issue

[martinlest2 58]

Nothing shows in Task manager as I said. Not a temp issue (or do you mean temporary, not temperature?) as otherwise rebooting into XP x68 wouldn't fix the problem...

[ryanbatc 12,833]

What is in your system tray? My CPU was pegged at 25% - turns out Intel RST was doing something because ACHI was not set in my bios after an OC failure.

[martinlest2 58]

I get this even when  I start the MSConfig utility in diagnostic mode - in that case there's almost nothing in Task Manager or the system tray. Might just try reinstalling Windows (XP x64) and see what happens. Can't see it's a hardware problem, as I say, as if I boot into the x86 O/S all is OK.

 

Thanks

[martinlest2 58]

Think I am going to have to wipe the drive and reinstall Windows. Can't see any other option... :angry:  :(