NT Kernel & System using 100% of CPU

Anonymous
2009-04-02T00:19:32+00:00

Hi,

I just bought a new laptop with Window Vista Basic. The laptop has 3 Gb ram. I was just reading an article on line and then I start to hear the laptop fan running like crazy. then I went to the Resource Monitor and there was an image/program that was using 95% of my cpu and it was my system with description of "NT Kernel & System". It has been going on for over 30mins. Other than restarting the computer, what can I do about this "NT Kernel & System" eating up 95% of my CPU?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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Anonymous
2009-07-06T17:17:59+00:00

I've been having the same problem on my HP desktop running Vista home for a couple weeks. I read that someone fixed the same problem by updating some hardware firmware, so I opened Resource Monitor and started unplugging all my hardware one at a time. The instant I unplugged my Belkin USB network adapter, NT Kernel & System dropped down to 0% and my computer unfroze entirely. The same adapter has been causing me a lot of grief for months- it wouldn't respond every time my computer came out of standby. I'll be updating the driver and firmware to see if that helps - otherwise that garbage is going in the trash. I recommend disabling/unplugging hardware (especially if you have any with odd behavior) until the problem stops, then replacing or updating that hardware.

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Anonymous
2009-04-02T10:03:09+00:00

Hello Dtsai,

Thank you for posting.  What you just described seems to be some form of mal-ware trying to mascuerade as a legitimate windows service.  Windows does have NT Kernel and also System, but they never show up together as one service, program, or file. 

I highly recommend that you use your favorite anti-virus and anti-spyware program and do a full scan of your PC. 

Please try the scan and let me know if this helps you

Zack

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-04-20T13:02:41+00:00

    I to had this issue. I formatted and reloaded system software 3 times. I researched everywhere and tried everything suggested.  No solution. 

    I discovered my issue and I hope it might help others.  The NT Kernel & System only started using CPU after the system restored from a power down "Sleep".  Evidently, the NT Kernel is trying to wake up a part of the system that is not responding.  I prevented the system from "Sleeping" and solved the problem.

    Hope this helps!

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-05-24T01:59:29+00:00

    I have the same "NT kernel and system" hogging resources, except in my case it's only when Vista first starts.  From a cold start it takes perhaps thirty seconds to get the desktop, then typically ten to fifteen minutes of the kernel taking about 50% of cpu time and one svchost fluctuating around 30%-50% of cpu time.  During this time I can do nothing, the system is effectively locked;  clicking any programs gets a brief hourglass but nothing else til the kernel has finished whatever it is doing ...then any programs I clicked open all at once.

    Working at home, and being the impatient type, my solution has been to only turn off the computer when absolutely necessary.

    This started a couple of years ago and doesn't seem driver related, isn't internet related, isn't malware, indexing has been disabled for years.  Once the kernel has finished monopolizing the system everything seems to work normally ...but this startup period seems to be getting longer.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-05-28T17:17:51+00:00

    I just figured out what was causing my PC to use the System process continuously - it was the new Sapphire HD5450 graphics card I installed.  This is not a very high spec card.  Nonetheless, I took it out and - voila - the problem is solved.  I figure it has something to do with the Sapphire driver.  Doesn't look like it is Microsoft's fault.

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