Re: 70% CPU Usage Due to Hardware Interrupt Conflicts

Thanks for the suggestion, but they have updated drivers for my modem,
keyboard, NIC, DVD, Video, and Dazzle Mojave, but not for the VIA USB.

I had already tried the updated Dazzle Mojave, NIC, and video card drivers
from Dell. I'll give the VIA standard USB drivers a shot. Please see the
post prior to yours.

Thanks again.


"Bert Kinney" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I would suggest looking for updated usb drivers from Dell.
> http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
>
> --
> Regards,
> Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
> http://bertk.mvps.org
>
>
> TZar wrote:
> > The short version:
> > My Dell Dimension 8250 with an "as shipped" configuration
> > has a Hardware Interrupt issue which constantly keeps the
> > CPU 70% utilized (as measured by Windows Task Manager)
> > even with no applications/processes actively utilizing
> > the CPU (also as measured by Windows Task Manager).
> > Device Manager shows no apparent hardware conflicts, but
> > a process management tool (Process Manager by
> > Sysinternals) shows that the 70% background CPU
> > utilization is caused by Hardware Interrupts. The
> > details on my devices and associated IRQs are listed
> > further down in this post. Can anyone advise as to how
> > to resolve the interrupt issue and free up the CPU?
> >
> > The Long Version:
> > For several weeks, I've been trying to debug an issue
> > with very slow system performance and constant high CPU
> > usage. I have tried everything from multiple anti-virus
> > tools, multiple anti-adware tools, system restore, using
> > alternate hardware profiles to temporarily disable
> > potentially conflicting devices, MSconfig to temporarily
> > turn off non-essential services and applications, XP
> > recovery console, the MS User Profile Hive clean-up tool,
> > Dell Diagnostics, clearing NVRAM, XP repair install, and
> > eventually a full XP re-install. Nothing has corrected
> > the problem. Prior to the re-install, I was on Service
> > Pack 2 and was fully up to date with any XP updates.
> >
> > With this problem, Windows Task Manager shows conflicting
> > results. The overall CPU usage is always over 70% (as
> > reflected in the lower status bar, in the "Performance"
> > tab, and in the system tray icon of Task Manager),
> > however the at the same time Task Manager "Processes" tab
> > shows that the system is 99% idle (System Idle Process
> > for the CPU is 99%, with no other processes showing any
> > CPU usage over 1%).
> >
> > In addition to the CPU utilization issue, before the XP
> > reinstall, I also had a "blue screen"
> > Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop error.
> >
> > I recently found a tool (Process Manager by Sysinternals)
> > which is similar to Windows Task Manager, which
> > identifies the hidden CPU usage. It identifies that the
> > 70% CPU usage is being consumed by Hardware Interrupts.
> >
> > To simplify the debugging, for the XP re-install, I
> > disconnected any peripherals (e.g. printer, DSL Modem,
> > wireless router) that did not come with the original
> > configuration. I also disconnected the Dazzle Mojave
> > device, but left the associated card in the slot. These
> > were part of a standard Dell "Movie Studio Premium"
> > package.
> >
> > After the re-install, although several devices share the
> > same IRQs, Device Manager shows no apparent hardware
> > conflicts (other than a missing driver for the Multimedia
> > controller resulting from having the Dazzle Mojave device
> > unplugged).
> >
> > I have a Dell Dimension 8250 with the following PCI
> > devices which could be causing the Hardware Interrupt
> > conflict:
> >
> > IRQ 10:
> > - Multimedia Controller (supporting the Mojave Dazzle
> > Device which came with the Dell "Movie Studio Premium"
> > package)
> >
> > IRQ 11:
> > - Intel 82801BA/BAM SMBus Controller 2443
> >
> > IRQ 16:
> > - 64MB DDR NVidia GeForce4 MX 420 w/ TV Out (Dell)
> > - VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
> >
> > IRQ 17:
> > - Conexant HSF v.92 56 RTAD Speakerphone PCI Modem
> > - VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
> >
> > IRQ 18:
> > - Intel Pro/100M Network Connection
> > - Santa Cruz (Voyetra Turtle Beach sound card)
> > - VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
> > - VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
> >
> > IRQ 19:
> > - Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host
> > Controller (also supporting the Mojave Dazzle Device
> > which came with the "Movie Studio Premium" package)
> > - VIA Rev5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
> > - VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
> >
> > The entire configuration that I am working with for the
> > debugging is "as shipped" originally. The only exception
> > is that I unplugged the external Dazzle Mojave device
> > when doing the XP re-install, and tried to add it in
> > later. After the re-install, with the Dazzle Mojave
> > device disconnected, I got rid of the
> > Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop error, but I still had
> > the CPU utilization issue. When I reconnected the Dazzle
> > Mojave device, I get a Driver_IRQL_Not_Less_or_Equal stop
> > error back. I also used the latest driver for this
> > device from the Dell website for the Movie Studio
> > package.
> >
> > I've used alternate hardware profiles to selectively
> > disable potentially offending devices through Device
> > Manager,. The only thing that stops the CPU consumption
> > is systematically disabling the USB Root Hubs first, and
> > then disabling the USB controllers. That stops the CPU
> > consumption; however it renders my USB ports inoperable,
> > and upon re-boot the system hangs.
> >
> > One final note: my BIOS is upgraded to the most recent
> > version. BIOS setup shows different IRQs for the PCI
> > devices than the IRQs shown in Device Manager.
> >
> > My gut tells me that the problem is with the components
> > of the Dell "Movie Studio Premium" package. I've
> > systematically disabled, via Device Manager, all the
> > components associated with it but I still have the CPU
> > utilization issue. I will probably try to uninstall them
> > via Device Manager and/or try removing the card from the
> > slot next to see if that resolves it.
> >
> > Before taking this final step, any recommendations or
> > advice would be greatly appreciated. This debugging
> > process has been an excellent learning tool for me to
> > find obscure techniques in an attempt to resolve it, but
> > I'm ready for it to be over!!
> >
> > Any help would be greatly appreciated!
> >
> > Thanks!
>
>
>
.

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