CPU usage!

[The51]

Ok,

I'm working on my Dad's Dell (P4 2.4ghz, winxp home, 512mb ram, AGP nvidia geforce4) and whenever I'm using a program the CPU usage bounces up and down from about 100% to about 10% and it changes depending on which program I'm using. I ran Spybot and Ad-Aware(both updated) but they didn't find any running processes and I sort of glanced through the task manager and I didn't find anything either, any suggestions?

Sorry about the confusion...

 

[tribalsun]

That's normal and nothing is wrong with the PC. CPU usage will always spike when using certain programs. The reason it changes depending on the program is due to the size and resources needed for different programs.

To give you an idea of how CPU usage can jump up and down, do this simple task. Open task manager, now click and hold a scroll bar on a web page and move it up and down fast. You'll see a 10% to 50% jump in CPU usage just from scrolling! Unless your crashing and burning after each spike I'd say nothing is wrong.

 

[The51]

I know this but it jumps and then stays at 100% all the time after you switch programs.....that's not normal

 

[talldude123]

maybe too many programs are on the pc. Try to install older versions of the programs. www.oldversion.com may help you!

 

[SkyHi]

It might just be the program your using, mind saying which ones?

-SkyHi