Why was my CPU at 100%?

[Fure6]

Today i started up my computer and everything was going super slow. So i did conrol+alt+delete and checked my CPU, it was stuck on 100%. So i shutdown my computer and came back 5 minutes later and restarted. Everything was back to normal when i came back.

why was it at 100%?

 

[Jimbob1989]

Apparently its a virus. Sorry mate if it is.

Jimbob

 

[DeerParkWater]

Either that or spyware.

 

[Jimbob1989]

No, the university in my home city have seen of it. Its apparently a virus.

Jimbob

 

[kalson]

probaly a virus , try end processin some programs u dont noe wat it is

 

[Praetor]

Apparently its a virus.

Not neccessarily ... could be damn near anything m8. WindowsXP has a tendency for random bouts of complete lack of performance ... true there are viruses that do have those symptons ... 100% CPU usages is not an absolute viral signiture.

 

[Sophocles]

Some applications, can stop responding and when they do they can use your CPU in its entirety. If you have applications that are not loading properly while booting then they could be the cause. BTW, I'd still check your system for viruses.

 

[Praetor]

1. What are the processes using up all the CPU resources?
2. When you're idling, what are the handle, thread and process counts? (Performance tab in Task Manager)

 

[Fure6]

It hasn't happened since i posted this. i must have made it stop some how.

 

[Blind_Arrow]

whicle your computer is running, press ctrl+alt+delete, and see if accidently you have installed the CPU Idle, or also, I have seen in Windows 2000 specially, the CPU remains reaching tops as when you have put a recent load on the CPU, didnt saw anything such like that in XP (its cool, keeps cool).