NIS Going Into Idle Time When Not Idle

For the last several days, NIS 2013 has started going into "Idle-mode" (as shown by the "Performance" tab) and doing "Tasks," when the computer is NOT idle at all. (I have Idle set, in "Settings/General," to 5-minutes.) And I'm using the computer continuously, with the keyboard and mouse.

 

In this "Idle" mode it's doing very heavy HDD activity (sometimes quick scans, other times nothing shows-up as active in the Tasks tab -- only shows high cpu usage, and sometimes high HDD activity, in Win Task Manager). Such HDD use is essentially locking-up my computer so much it won't even respond.

 

Any thoughts on why? I'm quite deficient in memory (only 1.5 GB, max 2.0) -- so are HDD "paging" issues maybe causing this?

 

Appreciate the help.

 


yank wrote:

Hi Robby,

 

Is it possible that you have not permitted your system to go into Idle and those "high priority" tasks have been running even though the systenm is not in Idle?  As an example, a Quick Scan is a high priority task that runs when the system goes into Idle following a Virus def download.  If your system is not permitted to go into Idle and the Quick Scan is not permitted to run - it wil go ahead and run (even though not in Idle). 

 

What is confusing to me is why you are actually seeing the Idle time on the graph for the Perfomance Tab.  If you can, hover over the yellow spikes on the graph (while shown in Idle) and tell us which processes are running?  You can also left click on the process and perhaps tell from the details what is running - or cross-referencing the tasks with the History time wise.

 

My now defunct XP system with even 2 GB RAM bogged down frequently.


Hi Yank. Tks for the reply, and sorry for my delayed response.

 

No, I purposely let Idle time come-up, so NIS will do its background tasks. I leave it in that state for at least an hour or more per day. If something like Quick Scan doesn't activate on its own, I'll run it myself in the Tasks tab.

 

And the activity I'm talking about shows nothing going-on in the Tasks tab. So...it's not those. In fact, the heavy HDD (which is the thing that "locks" my computer) doesn't even show in Task Manager at all. Like it's some kind of "hidden" activity. That's disturbing, but I think it might be related to HDD paging b/c of my limited RAM>

 

And yes, seeing that "Idle" indicator on the Performance graph is what has me confused, too. It's like NIS is just getting "lost" on what it's doing. Has happened before. Usually, I do a restart and it's OK. This time, no.

 

I've done the "hovering"-thing on the Performance display. What shows active is just what Task Manager shows -- ccscvchst.exe for SYSTEM and Toshiba. SYSTEM is usually when NIS itself is doing something (like a LU download and install), but Toshiba is nearly always associated with backgroung "Tasks" running. Yet, as I said above, none of those showed-up in the Tasks tab or Task Manager. Very strange.

 

Anyway, it seems to have resolved itself now. Nothing like this for (2) days. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[And yeah, no doubt I need a new computer -- esp with more RAM. Someday. <g>]

 

Again, appreciate your help.

Hi Robby,

 

Thanks for getting back to us and letting us know that all is OK at the moment.

 

Just curious - is there a reason you are still on NIS 2013 (v20)?  I have to wonder if perhaps an upgrade wouldn't put an end to your problem.

 

Also if you do not deisre to upgrade and the situation arises again, have you tried to use Support > Get Support to see if Norton will autofix the installation?

 

You know where to find us if you need us in the future.

Tks Yank, you guys (and gals) are just great. And, on the NIS 2012. v. 2013...kind of a long story, but I might take your advice and upgrade. Depends.

 

Have not tried the "Support"-thing. But, it seems like nearly all of my issues "eventually" go away on their own. NIS (even GHOST) just seem to "fix themselves" somehow.

 

Appreciate all the good info from you and this Forum.

For the last several days, NIS 2013 has started going into "Idle-mode" (as shown by the "Performance" tab) and doing "Tasks," when the computer is NOT idle at all. (I have Idle set, in "Settings/General," to 5-minutes.) And I'm using the computer continuously, with the keyboard and mouse.

 

In this "Idle" mode it's doing very heavy HDD activity (sometimes quick scans, other times nothing shows-up as active in the Tasks tab -- only shows high cpu usage, and sometimes high HDD activity, in Win Task Manager). Such HDD use is essentially locking-up my computer so much it won't even respond.

 

Any thoughts on why? I'm quite deficient in memory (only 1.5 GB, max 2.0) -- so are HDD "paging" issues maybe causing this?

 

Appreciate the help.