How up-to-date are your XP security patches?  If I deactivated my firewall
and my CPU utilization went up by 30%, I'd be checking for a worm like
Welchia/Nachi or the new Bolgi, which get in via the same vulnerability
which MS released a patch for in July/August.

  If you can call up the "Task Manager" (on NT and 2K, this is easiest from
a button on the little window that pops up when you press Ctrl-Alt-Del; I'd
expect this to work in XP Pro too), the "Processes" tab will list everything
that's running and some statictics, including how much CPU it's using.  If
something new is using 30% of your CPU, it should be pretty obvious; that
will give you an executable name that you can then research to determine if
it's a worm/virus or something else.

David Gillett


On 26 Nov 2003 at 10:47, Jessi Arcand-Taylor wrote:

> SPECS; HP Pav 2800+(2.08 GHz) AMD Athlon CPU - 1 GB RAM - OS XP PRO
>
> I periodically test my system at 'PC Pitstop.' As a rule my scores are fairly high 2421-2523. However, the last scan I did (11/25/03) fell to 1227! It seems I'm pulling around 25 to 30% CPU! Before I was pulling 0 to 1%.  I can't figure this discrepancy from previous tests done just a few days before. The test results are just showing a yellow flag next to CPU, which is considered 'minor'...but as far as I'm concerned that much pull IS NOT MINOR! My question is how can I adjust my CPU and is it wise to try and
do it myself. Also, I tried to do a system restore after the XP FW messed up my Internet configuration but my S. R. seems to be malfunctioning and will not do a  restore for the highlighted dates : ( ( I since have disabled XPs FW upon advice from users in this forum). Anyway, that's when the high CPU percentages began showing. I'm afraid if this keeps up I'm going to blow a brand new processor! Any advice would be much appreciated. One last question concerning Diagnostic
>  sites; How do I hide my PCs serial #? I've noticed others who test in the forum have theirs listed as private or 00000, etc..... I know you guys must be sick of what seems like my constant carping about something! However, you cannot know how very much I appreciate all the help you have offered me.
> Jessi Arcand-Taylor
>
> P.S. I called HP Support and short of sending the tower back for repair, they suggested I do an HP Sys Restore which will wipe out everything and restore back to factory settings. I'll need to reload. That's fine if that's a last resort, but it seems a rather drastic step for something that is considered"minor!"
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> >From the Desk of Jessi Arcand-Taylor
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