[Dean's World] Andrew Cory: Hidden running processes

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Andrew Cory:
Hidden running processes
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1144019281.shtml


   So, I=E2ve got a problem. As of a couple days ago, my computer started
   using 50-75% CPU at all times. this is a rather major annoyance, as
   you can imagine. When I look at the "Processes" tab on Windows task
   manager, I show that "system idle process" is taking up 99% CPU time=E2
   according to windows, I=E2m not running anything at all. Which means I
   must have a hidden process running somewhere on my system...[1] 50%
   CPU usage, 97% idle...=20

   I=E2ve tried running all the programs listed [2]here, but am coming up
   with nothing. Here=E2s a screenshot of my task manager=E2s process tab, =
so
   that you can see what I=E2m talking about...

   Hm. Another look at the task manager says that it=E2s the kernel eating
   up the cycles. I found a tool called [3]Process Explorer, which tells
   me that my problem is "hardware interrupts". What can I do to fix
   this? I=E2d hate to have to format and reinstall windows...

   And using Process Explorer=E2s "debug" function, I seem to have solved
   the problem. I=E2m not entirely sure what the problem was, mind, but
   there was a problem there and after the computer rebooted itself out
   from under me, it seems to have gone away. I=E2ll just go ahead and
   leave this post up for posterity...

References

   1. file://localhost/files/andrew-screenshot_cropped.jpg
   2. http://www.timeatlas.com/mos/Term_to_Learn/General/Rootkits_and_the_H=
idden_Menace/
   3. http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html