100% CPU usage

[Chad Huskey]

I've got a PC that is staying pegged at 100% and I can't figure out how to resolve it. The machine is running XP Pro. Two of the processes that are constantly using cpu are lsass.exe and task manager. I have task manager open obviously when I checking this, so I don't know if it is using cpu when I don't have it open or not. Even when it's not open though the pc is extremely sluggish and unresponsive.

Windows won't let me stop the lsass.exe process because it's a critical process.

Here's what I've tried so far:

Run a complete scan with AVG 8.0 free

Run a complete scan with Rogue Remover Free

Installed latest Windows Updates (SP 3)

Logging in as different users to the machine.

Rebooting numerous times.

Both AVG and Rogue Remover found a couple of issues and removed the problems, but it hasn't corrected the cpu usage issue.

I'm running a scan with AVG in safe mode right now and I'm waiting to see the results.

Anyone run into anything remotely similar to this and if so how were you able to get it resolved.

Thanks.

[Hb_Kai]

Are you able to post the whole list of Task Manager's processes? You may have something wuauclt.exe or similar which is what I had, that does the same thing and it looks like wuaclt.exe which is the Windows Update.

Edit:- Or rather, just click mem usage twice or until the largest processes are at the top, and then post the largest ones. (Until they go into 3 digits, i.e 456K)

[Slyke]

Check for a second lsass.exe, maybe the one that is using your CPU is an impostor.

Are you using XP or Vista?

[Hb_Kai]

Here's a bit about lsass.exe and they have a free scanner for such viruse problems if it's that.

http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintas...slibrary/lsass/