i7-2600k constantly at 100% usage

[Freeley]

Hi all long time no post.
I upgraded to Windows 10 earlier this year and apart from a few randow freezes and restarts when idle it's been ok until now.
However last week it updated itself to the 1607 anniversary edition and my PC's performance has slowed dramatically.
On opening task manager I can see that the CPU is at a constant 100% usage, with various processes taking up much more of the CPU than they should.
As I look at task manager now there are several processes running that are spiking and generally taking up lots of CPU like Malwarebytes anti malware, System interrupts, Windows desktop manager, System, Google Chrome and a few others. They will all spike at upto 60 and 70% and drop back in an endless cycle. Even task manager will suddenly spike up to 90% and then drop again.
I've checked the CPU temp which is running at about 50-55 degrees C.
Most of the time I'm only using Word and reading emails, and watching the occasional film on VLC so can't understand why the CPU should seem so overworked.

I've searched the web and tried various fixes that involve fiddling with windows settings but nothing has made any difference so far.
The main annoyance for me is that when typing a word document or even writing an email it will keep freezing for a few seconds which is incredibly annoying.

Can anyone suggest anything I could do to sort this problem please?

 

[steaky360]

I doubt this will really be helpful but linus tech tips recently reviewed an MSI laptop (I won't post a link as its referring to a competitor but its easy to find its one of the more recent vids) - he was experiencing the same problem where he'd notice 100% CPU usage - although it wasn't constant I don't believe and apparently it was something to do with a setting involving file transfer in the MSI dragon software... I don't suppose you have any third party type applications that monitor stuff like that installed?

 

[ubuysa]

I'm guessing that you did an upgrade in place to the Anniversary Edition? By that I mean you selected to 'keep existing programs and data' and just let Wndows 10 upgrade itself.

Although an upgrade in place usually works of it's very common to find it causes all sorts of niggly issues such as those you're seeing. Certainly, upgrading in place when you have a complex security product like Malwarebytes installed (I assume you mean the paid-for pro version?) is going to lead to problems. This is because security products have lots of hooks into the operating system and an in place upgrade quite often breaks some of those.

By far the best way to install a Windows 10 upgrade is to treat it like a new operating system install (which is what it really is). Always download the ISO file, burn it to a DVD or USB stick and do a clean install from there. Do not keep anything from the old installation. This does mean you'll have to backup and later restore your user data and you will have to reinstall all your third party programs, but this really is the only reliable way to get a stable upgrade installed.

Personally I think your best solution now is to do a clean install of the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition. I'm pretty sure that will solve all your issues.

 

[Freeley]

I'm guessing that you did an upgrade in place to the Anniversary Edition? By that I mean you selected to 'keep existing programs and data' and just let Wndows 10 upgrade itself.

Although an upgrade in place usually works of it's very common to find it causes all sorts of niggly issues such as those you're seeing. Certainly, upgrading in place when you have a complex security product like Malwarebytes installed (I assume you mean the paid-for pro version?) is going to lead to problems. This is because security products have lots of hooks into the operating system and an in place upgrade quite often breaks some of those.

By far the best way to install a Windows 10 upgrade is to treat it like a new operating system install (which is what it really is). Always download the ISO file, burn it to a DVD or USB stick and do a clean install from there. Do not keep anything from the old installation. This does mean you'll have to backup and later restore your user data and you will have to reinstall all your third party programs, but this really is the only reliable way to get a stable upgrade installed.

Personally I think your best solution now is to do a clean install of the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition. I'm pretty sure that will solve all your issues.

Thanks for the replies. TBH I don't remember it even giving me the option about installing the update, all I know is that I went to shut down one night it asked if I wanted to update windows before I shut down, which it often does with updates. I had no idea it was such a major one, thanks windows 10!
Yes it is the paid for pro version of malwarebytes, it certainly seems that a clean install is a good idea in that case, the only problem being I don't have a file of the update to burn off, can I download from the Microsoft website?

 

[Tony1044]

Windows 10 can be downloaded from Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

 

[Freeley]

I don't see windows 10 anniversary edition downloads on the Microsoft website, only standard windows 10 and anniversary edition as a separate download.
I'm guessing I'll have to do windows 10 as a clean install then update prior to reinstalling all my stuff?

 

[ubuysa]

I don't see windows 10 anniversary edition downloads on the Microsoft website, only standard windows 10 and anniversary edition as a separate download.
I'm guessing I'll have to do windows 10 as a clean install then update prior to reinstalling all my stuff?

If you use the media download tool that Tony1044 pointed you to you will download the Anniversary Edition. The media download tool always downloads the latest edition of Windows 10.

 

[Freeley]

I've downloaded and burnt onto dvd, currently trying to do a clean install but it's failed a couple of times. Will report back thanks again for the help

 

[ubuysa]

I've downloaded and burnt onto dvd, currently trying to do a clean install but it's failed a couple of times. Will report back thanks again for the help

How did it fail? Chose a custom install and delete all partitions on the system drive, create a single partition the size of the entire drive and install Windows into that.

 

[Freeley]

Didn't see the custom install option?
I chose a clean install, not keeping any files or folders.
It went through the preparing stage, checked for updates and started the installation. It got to 3% then ground to a halt saying the installation had failed.
I was going to try burning the dvd again and if that didn't work try downloading and installing direct from the Microsoft website.

 

[ubuysa]

Didn't see the custom install option?
I chose a clean install, not keeping any files or folders.
It went through the preparing stage, checked for updates and started the installation. It got to 3% then ground to a halt saying the installation had failed.
I was going to try burning the dvd again and if that didn't work try downloading and installing direct from the Microsoft website.

That's because you ran the upgrade whilst Windows was running and that's not the way to do a clean install. Burn the downloaded ISO file to a DVD or USB stick and change the boot order to boot that first. Then you'll see the custom install option and this method will give you a clean install.

 

[Freeley]

Ah ok cheers will try that

 

[Freeley]

Didn't work unfortunately. It started setup but then said "no device drivers were found" and wouldn't continue.
I've been having trouble burning the iso onto dvd with several failures I'm guessing it still hasn't burnt correctly?

 

[ubuysa]

Didn't work unfortunately. It started setup but then said "no device drivers were found" and wouldn't continue.
I've been having trouble burning the iso onto dvd with several failures I'm guessing it still hasn't burnt correctly?

Yes that sounds as though something is wrong with the installation media. If you visit the site Tony1044 pointed you to (https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10) you can download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. Run that and choose the option to download an ISO file for installation on another computer. When the download is complete point the tool at the blank DVD you have inserted or the blank USB stick you have inserted and the tool will create the installation media for you.