Windows 7 has High CPU Usage and slow performance

Anonymous
2009-11-18T04:59:29+00:00

Hello all,

I've searched the forums, but was unable to find anything relevant.  I recently upgraded to Windows 7 from Vista.  It was running fine for about a week then all of a sudden everything started running very slow.  I checked the the processes tab in task manager and I am constantly running at 70-80% CPU usage.  I think this is very high considering the computer is only a few months old.  It seems like others are having this problem as well, but no real solutions.

I have turned off file indexing as well as disabled the HD audio device. 

Please help!

Here are my hardware specs:

AMD 9550 Quad-Core

64-bit

6GB Ram

Thank you in advance for your help.  I am ready to toss this thing from my second story window.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2010-01-02T19:29:42+00:00

I think the answer might be the Windows Media Player and Windows Media Network Sharing Services as zxypher suggested.  The fix for that is to adjust were the Windows Media Player services search for media files. 

It seems to be a bad problem for me as well upgrading from Vista to Windows 7.  The default search location for media is set to C:\Users\ instead of down in the My Music folders.

Go into Media Player.  From the menu -> File -> Manage libraries -> select each library (music, video, pictures, recorded tv [if you have]) and check the paths that it is managing and make sure it is not too close to the root of the C: drive.  For example, it should be something like c:\users\Jim\Music and c:\users\Public\Music BUT NOT **** c:\users as they will cause the whole directory tree to be re-indexed over and over (when you surf the web or change any files in your profile).

If you have multiple users who login to the computer, you may need to repeat the process for each user if all users have added managed folders which are actively changing on a regular basis.

If this is your issue and you do it correctly, then the high CPU should drop in minutes (or seconds down to nothing).

This is the CORRECT way to adjust the WMNSS/WMPNetwk.exe process issues.

A little more information can be found here:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7performance/thread/2fe4901b-2eaf-4a99-b487-e6a6213b10b3/

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-02-24T18:55:40+00:00

    I am sure that I am having the same problem with media player and libraries. Am operating at 99% cpu all the time now and can't make anything go smoothly.

    When I upgraded to Windows 7 MUCH of my music was DOUBLED because Windows 7 wants to put things in "libraries" instead of "my music." I don't know how to fix this. One person said to go into "files" in media center but on my Windows 7 that doesn't exist.

    HELP!

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-02-13T00:56:56+00:00

    virus buster,

     Your advocating that this will fix the problem? when I visited the site it doesn't recommend many of the main poular purchased Anti-Virus programs or poular firewalls, so I wonder how good your scanner is?? I use Norton Internet Security 2012, I have used their products for 12 years without failure. It is this progran that flags my High CPU usage, as well as task manager or resource manager. I have used Norton products before during and after i mover to Windows 7 Home Premium, as 32 bit then moving to 64 bit, which makes me skeptical of your scanner. Is it one of those that tell you you have so many infections, fixes 2 then ask for $$$ to fix the rest?? I use System Mechanics to keep my PC's clean, a programs that has just won PC User Choice award 2 years running. How is yours doing?

    For one I believe this to be a Microsofr issue and refuse to pay third party's for a repair. I wll grin and bare rather than pay for a fix, I have almost got it under control, so I will trust my own instincts, rather than unrecognised PC scanner?

      Pisces

      IT Tech Cert. 3

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-02-12T22:11:46+00:00

    internal conflicts. use free kingsoft PC Doctor (early free online scanner)to solve this.

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-02-12T20:56:36+00:00

    I was having the same problem and changing the libraries away from C worked for me.  I tested it several times to make sure.

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