Me and my problems again... curse mirco$soft to hell! (Actual problem solved)

[Ishmael]

Yesterday my new laptop turned a weird effect: It started to get extremely hot in just a few minutes, and the computer seemed like 3MHz machine. Programs and games (AGS, Doom3) ran fine, like on my old 266MHz laptop. But normal use, like brosing the start menu, was HELL.

I looked into it, and what do you know, all 1.6GHz CPU used all the time (it wouldn't have probably even heated up if ony the 800MHz that the processor speed automatically drops to if there's no need for that much CPU). I looked into what uses it all, and I discover that a SYSTEM process called "spoolsv.exe" uses it. Normally, with winamp on, the usage would be something like 4% maybe, but this thing was draining nearly all the time 99% of the capacity. I tried closing, and XP told me it's going to shut itself down in a minute. I've reasterd the computer like ten times, always the same problem.

I tired to look through the microsoft homepage for support, and after finally finding a support link, I was asked for the product ID, and getting it was hell as I had to open up the laptop and seek the number from the system properties window. Well, I write down my PID to the ms support page where it's asked, and bam, "No free support is available for you". So I go to the HP page (my laptop's a HP) and search through the support... and WinXP support nowhere to be found.

IF A MICROSOFT SUPPORT MANAGER DUDE HAPPENS TO READ THIS; SCREW YOU! And if someone who knows a microsoft support manager dude happens to read this, the that microsoft support manager dude to screw himself.

Not only that the XP look hangs the computer every time I open winXPized folder (like Network or Control panel) thus I am forced to use the classic look, now this!

Anyone got any ideas on what I could do? I'm getting desprate(sp?)...

[Ishmael]

Hmm.. that's what I suspected, but never brought myself to accept it... yet. I gotta try to run F-Secure...

Yes, I'm from Finland, how so?

----- EDIT -----

Erhm... nevermind.

[Barbarian]

Spoolsv.exe is the Spooler service which manages spooled fax and print jobs. I run Windows XP on a Compaq Laptop and don't have any such problems with Spoolsv.exe adversely affecting the system. For me it only ever seems to take up around 580K of memory.Ã,  However, there are many viruses, trojans, spywares and such that like to "masqarade" as if it was a part of Windows operating system. For example: If the name of the file was actually "Spoolsrv32.exe", then your computer has the W32.HLLW.Gaobot.AG worm virus.

Or it's possible something newly added is conflicting and causing the problem. Did you try doing a System Restore yet? It might fix you problem. Usually you can get to System Restore by clicking on: Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Then choose "Restore my computer..." and from the little "Calendar" option that comes up, try and find a Checkpoint to before when you started having you problems and when you computer was still working fine.Ã,  Ã, If all goes well, it will load in the information, then it does a restart, then after Windows loads in again it may pause for a minute as it's doing some system checking / configeration type of stuff. If all goes well, you'll get a message saying that the System Restore was successful.

How much memory (RAM) does your main board have, and how much RAM does your graphics card have?Ã,  And an overheating problem seems really strange to be cause by "software problem", but it's possible. You may have a fan that is not working properly, the battery-pack may be defective or some other hardware problem, or you may have a virus that may be shutting down fans, or causing various other resources to be used unneccessarily.

If you already have a virus infecting your computer, then trying to install an anti-virus program and scan for a virus may already be too late to be of much help. Of course, it's always wise to use an up-to-date anti-virus program, anti-spyware protection, and have a firewall enabled.

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ has a free online virus scan that can scan your computer remotely and let you know if you have some virus and then you would have a better idea of what steps to take next if so.

Spybot Search and Destroy provides a good free utility for scanning for and removing most known Spyware: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

XP has a built-in firewall option, however you may have to turn it on yourself. One way to do this: Double-click on your Internet-Connection Icon as if you were going to connect to the internet. Then click on "properties", then the "Advanced" tab and make sure the "Internet Connection Firewall: Protect my computer..." box is Checked then apply and ok it.

Or optionally you can use one of many firewall programs (many free ones to select from too): A good free one is ZoneAlarm which you can find over at: http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp?lid=zaskulist_download

Is you computer still under warrenty? If so, and if you're not able to resolve the problem, you might try to take it in to get them to fix it.

Or, if not, and after trying various options to solve your problems, and if you have the original Windows XP CD, as a last resort it might need to come down to reformatting the HardDrive and reinstalling Windows again.. I know, bummer.

Anyways, I hope some of my suggestions may have been of some help. If I can offer any more advice, just ask.

[Ishmael]

Thanks.

I never thought of system restore, thus I've done it a couple of times on this (a winME) machine. I'll try that next.

The problem is in the software. a process called "spoolsv.exe", ran by SYSTEM, using > 4000k of memory, is alltime running at the max CPU it can. It's most likely a virus then...

I think it's got 512 mb of DDR-RAM and 32mb video card memory. The video card fan don't turn on very often, or atleast not alone, always during the processor fan is on.

The thing with the processor is that normally it's running at 800MHz, and does not warm much, and if it does, the fan starts up and runs for a while. If more CPU is needed, the processor automatically doubles it's speed to 1.6GHz. Running at full speed heats the processor up pretty good, so the fan must be activated. Normally the fan is not on for a long time - because normally the processor is not alltime in full use - and restarts soon if needed. Now, after a couple of minutes of the computer being on, the processor fan starts, and won't stop untill the computer is shut down.

I have an antivirus/firewall program installed, and it's quite effective... actually, before this incedent I started getting virus alerts from a file in a folder that does not exist. I didn't mind it back then. Now if I try to scan, it goes on a file in in 1.5 secs rate, so I'll be done in two complete days... which is obliously too much for the processor.

[Pet Terry]

I found this while searching Google with 'spoolsv.exe':

spoolsv.exe hogging 99% of cpu - the fix. Here's the fix. First, get some breathing room - go to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services and stop the Print Spooler. Turn off the printer. Now go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS and delete the files there. I found '00020.SHD' and '00020.SPL'. Now turn your printer back on and restart the service. Check task manager, spoolsv.exe should be at 00%. Whew!

If that works, then it's probably not a virus.

[LGM]

It's not microsoft's fault that you downloaded a virus/exploit. Why does everyone feel the need to use them as a scapegoat?

[Ishmael]

I tried system restoring, no effect. I tried cheking for viruses around the place, took ages and didn't find anything...

Pete, if that works, you'll be hero, once again.

lgm: I got pissed off at the support system.

----- EDIT -----

It goddamn worked... it friggin goddamn worked... thanks..