When Idle Time occurs -- and usually about 5-10 minutes after the actual set time in NIS occurs -- NIS takes over the cpu via ccSvcHst.exe - SYSTEM. Runs at about 50% constantly (100% of one cpu?). Also, HDD activity at about 1- HDD "blink" a little less than every second. Lsass.exe - SYSTEM also has some (relatively small) HDD activity. Once in a while, ccSvcHst.exe - Toshiba will use some cpu -- 2 to 6%. Everything else is quiet.
Seems like this thing could run forever. I let it go last night for 2-hours. Just constant. Had close to 150GB of I/O Reads on the HDD. All this just *can't* be good for the cpu nor HDD.
What the heck is NIS doing?? Nothing in "Norton Tasks" is running. "Idle Time Scan" is OFF. "Idle Time Optimizer" is OFF. No "Full System Scan" is scheduled (I do Full Scans manually, excluding SVI and F: -- did one last week. 6-hours to scan an 80GB HDD that only has about 24GB on it!! That's another issue.).
I searched the Forum here for similar problems. Seems like this is *not* an uncommon issue. Some say un/re-install NIS to fix. Maybe use NRT, etc. Yet, some tried all that and it didn't work.
when you move the mouse or press a key, does the issue goes away?
By the way, if not NIS, but Windows' idle time process will use your CPU, as it can not be stopped while the PC is on.
Hi,
Tks for reply. No, moving the mouse, etc, does not stop the heavy cpu activity. In fact, while this is going-on, most of the time the computer is "frozen." Nothing works. Sometimes it will accept a command -- after a quite long delay. Generally, the only thing I can do to stop it is "Shut-Down" -- and sometimes can only do that with "7-sec power button Off."
Didn't know Windows had an idle time process. I'm running XP SP3. Could you tell me more about this? Maybe that's my problem?
A good laptop in its time (<gdr>) but underpowered by today's standards (I know the feeling) so I wonder how much free space you have on that hard drive?
Have you thought of replacing the hard drive with a larger one -- it's going to fail one of these days .... -- since they are not expensive. I put a new WD 250GB SATA hard drive in a Compaq about a year ago in place of the 80GB original and the drive cost me $40 and it's pretty easy to do provided you get the correct match of SATA or IDE (I assumed it was old enough to be IDE and it wasn't so had to have the store swap the drive).
I then put the old drive after reformatting into a $10 case to convert it to a USB connected external drive ......
1.5GB RAM is not bad for XP but again it might be worth increasing if the RAM of that generation is not too expensive?
A good laptop in its time (<gdr>) but underpowered by today's standards (I know the feeling) so I wonder how much free space you have on that hard drive?
Have you thought of replacing the hard drive with a larger one -- it's going to fail one of these days .... -- since they are not expensive. I put a new WD 250GB SATA hard drive in a Compaq about a year ago in place of the 80GB original and the drive cost me $40 and it's pretty easy to do provided you get the correct match of SATA or IDE (I assumed it was old enough to be IDE and it wasn't so had to have the store swap the drive).
I then put the old drive after reformatting into a $10 case to convert it to a USB connected external drive ......
1.5GB RAM is not bad for XP but again it might be worth increasing if the RAM of that generation is not too expensive?
Hi Hugh, as I mentioned above, I'm only using about 24GB of my main 80GB C-Drive. And, it takes NIS 2011 6-hours to scan it!! Can't figure out what's causing this lengthy scan time. Had posted to this Forum, before, on such things -- w/2010 (about same results). No resolution yet. May try and work on the problem some more, when I get the time.
So, anyway...I can't imagine how long it would take for NIS to scan a larger HDD. Presently, I just don't need much HDD space. If I get some big image files, etc, (I do astrophotography), I load them off on a DVD, etc. Same for my music files.
Max Ram is 2GB on this model (Satellite P25 - S526) -- unless you know of some trick to make it more. To go to 2GB, I would have to throw away the 512MB module. Not my favourite thing to do. But... maybe, if a real need. Memory costs are not too bad, as I recall -- can't remember exactly how much, now, but did a Google on it several years ago.
This old 2004 Toshiba has been a real work-horse. Everyday, all-day long, for 7-years. Not bad. Only once has it failed (which I still think was due to malware -- maybe a rootkit -- which I may still have).
The dual-core 3.2GHz was really something else -- like you say -- in it's day. Still does pretty good on my image processing s/w -- very computationally intensive.
And, yes... I think I could do an install of a new HDD. Am an ex-engineer (aero), and installed a drive on a d/t once, about 10-years ago. But, like I say... don't really have the current need -- and, quite concerned about how NIS would respond. <G>
Sorry I missed the free space. Dual core is advanced! That's what I have on my desktop (self built about a year ago) .
It sounds like something holding it back although the very first full system scan can be slow -- after that it skips files that have not changed.
You don't have any other security software installed -- or traces from before your current installation?
Oh yes -- something that has just come up in another thread here: check your power settings (Control Panel?) and make sure they are on High Performance and that you are scanning with NIS when plugged into the line and not on battery .......
If that drive is 7 years old make sure you have an image of it! It should have crashed as soon as the warranty ran out! <g>
If you shop around you can get 3 to 5 year warranties on hard drives, depending on the make and whether it is a so-called retail or OEM etc
Sorry I missed the free space. Dual core is advanced! That's what I have on my desktop (self built about a year ago) .
It sounds like something holding it back although the very first full system scan can be slow -- after that it skips files that have not changed.
You don't have any other security software installed -- or traces from before your current installation?
Oh yes -- something that has just come up in another thread here: check your power settings (Control Panel?) and make sure they are on High Performance and that you are scanning with NIS when plugged into the line and not on battery .......
If that drive is 7 years old make sure you have an image of it! It should have crashed as soon as the warranty ran out! <g>
If you shop around you can get 3 to 5 year warranties on hard drives, depending on the make and whether it is a so-called retail or OEM etc
Yeah, like you pointed out -- this was some kind of computer in it's day, dual core and all. As I recall,it cost nearly $3000 back then. A gift -- from a rich cousin. <G> Wow. Yours is self-built. Way cool.
And no, I don't have any other protection s/w -- just NIS 2011. Disabled Windows Firewall. Never used anything but Norton, since about 1998. Yet, have installed a lot of NIS s/w over the years. Also, having GHOST 14 problems (yes, I do have an "image"of my old HDD <g>).
Probably should do an uninstall/NRT and reinstall of all this stuff. May be source of my "Constant CPU" issue. And, GHOST problems. Yet... such a hassle to do NRT/reinstall, etc. Right now, I'm doing "work-arounds."
On the "first scan" thing ... maybe so. But, had similar problems with 2010 -- even after having done several scans w/it. So.. dunno.
Oh -- Hugh -- I forgot to respond to the "Power" issue you brought up in your immediately prior post. I did find something in Control Panel. Clicked on it, and it said to disable Windows Power Management and use Toshiba Power Management. So, I said OK. But, when that came up, everything is "grayed-out" -- maybe b/c I don't have my battery in. I never use anything but AC power.
Oh -- Hugh -- I forgot to respond to the "Power" issue you brought up in your immediately prior post. I did find something in Control Panel. Clicked on it, and it said to disable Windows Power Management and use Toshiba Power Management. So, I said OK. But, when that came up, everything is "grayed-out" -- maybe b/c I don't have my battery in. I never use anything but AC power.
Have you tried putting the battery in and fully charging it? -- some notebooks dislike not having the baattery in since there is interactive circuitry.
I don't know what tahe default would bve without a battery in -- you might try turning off the Toshiba PM, which seems to be the case, and making sure that Windows PM is set to the High Performance.
What exact model of Toshiba is it -- full ID not just Protege Satellite or whatever. I know someone who does support on the Toshiba Forum -- conicidentally operated by the same host as here!
Oh -- Hugh -- I forgot to respond to the "Power" issue you brought up in your immediately prior post. I did find something in Control Panel. Clicked on it, and it said to disable Windows Power Management and use Toshiba Power Management. So, I said OK. But, when that came up, everything is "grayed-out" -- maybe b/c I don't have my battery in. I never use anything but AC power.
Have you tried putting the battery in and fully charging it? -- some notebooks dislike not having the baattery in since there is interactive circuitry.
I don't know what tahe default would bve without a battery in -- you might try turning off the Toshiba PM, which seems to be the case, and making sure that Windows PM is set to the High Performance.
What exact model of Toshiba is it -- full ID not just Protege Satellite or whatever. I know someone who does support on the Toshiba Forum -- conicidentally operated by the same host as here!
Hugh, it's a Toshiba Satellite P25 - S526, 17" laptop. I can give you the Serial # and Part # if you need it. So... I put my battery in, and it's charging. Appreciate the help.
Some slowness can be happen if the HDD is not defragmented / optimized. You can try running a defragmenter program as well (windows' own, or 3rd party /eg. Auslogics/).
When your battery is fully charged I'd check out the power settings both for Windows and for the Toshiba utility making sure only one is activated and that whichever is on the High Performance setting.
With a dual core CPU and enough RAM it really should not be slow so far as I can see.
Some slowness can be happen if the HDD is not defragmented / optimized. You can try running a defragmenter program as well (windows' own, or 3rd party /eg. Auslogics/).
I had defragged my HDD. Something else going on. Appreciate the thoughts though.
I've asked my contact at Tosh8iba if he knows of anything that would be messed up by not having the battery in. I'll let you know if I hear anything.
One reason I keep a battery in is that it then acts as a UPS ......
OK, tks Hugh. I don't get many power interruptions, but maybe a plus. Reason I took mine out was concerns over discharge/charge life. Only have so many of these cycles, I understand. Since I don't ever use it, thought why leave it in to degrade.
The batteries are self-destructing! Their rated life -- for Lithium anyway -- is 1 - 2 years and in practice that has to include the shelf life from the time the battery is manufactured.
So if yours is the original battery from 7 years ago I'd be surprised if it would hold much charge -- when you get it fully hcarged and have tested out the power management, pull the powerplug and see how long you get before it shuts down ....
The batteries are self-destructing! Their rated life -- for Lithium anyway -- is 1 - 2 years and in practice that has to include the shelf life from the time the battery is manufactured.
So if yours is the original battery from 7 years ago I'd be surprised if it would hold much charge -- when you get it fully hcarged and have tested out the power management, pull the powerplug and see how long you get before it shuts down ....
Ran on batty for about 1hr, 20-min before it hit 10% warning. Doing regular Web stuff, some YouTube, Google, etc. Not too bad I guess for a 7 y.o. batty. Ran it at "Normal Power" though, not "High."
Yet, still don't think I should keep the batty in when I'm not going to be using it. Toshiba user's guide says, "Disconnect the AC adapter when the battery is fully charged. Overcharging makes the battery hot and shortens life." This seems to say if you're going to use AC all the time, keep the batty out?
BTW, this computer may *not* be a dual-core system. Swear I read that somewhere, but can't find a cite on it now. Talks about "Hyper-threading" of a single 3.2GHz Intel 4 core that emulates a dual core, at times. Yet, the danged thing has (3) fans and heat sinks -- 2 on each side and one in the middle. Lots of cooling for a single cpu?
I had a reply from another support person on laptops, not the specific Toshiba guy, who says he runs a tosh without a battery -- in his case there is something wrong with the battery monitor and it rapid discharges the battery --
That's not bad life for a battery and from what you say the CPU could be a standard, non-laptop version and so heavy on power and so on heat!
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with HT Technology 3.2GHz4
512KB L2 cache integrated on die
800MHz Processor System Bus
I still think it worth checking the Power Management settings to make sure they are on High Peformance when the battery is not in place.
Have you checked recently to see if there any Tosh updates for our model -- I see one for the ConfigFree Utility
This version is updated to support Windows XP SP2 which might be worth making sure you have it plus some BIOS updates. I'm not sure where PowerManagement would fit in.