CRAZY Meltdown...one thing left. HELP!

I got back home a couple hours ago and fired up my notebook. To my surprise, things seemed to be running pretty slowly. Then a few minutes into it I noticed my system meter showing my memory usage at 90%. I then proceeded to restart my system. This time I paid attention to my system resource monitor, I noticed that the memory was increasing by 1% every 2-3 seconds, creating a linear line on the graph. I was baffled, to say the least. I then decided to do a system restore and restored to a few days ago, but that didn't help matters out. I then looked through the resource meter to see if there were any programs doing anything out of the ordinary, and didn't find anything. I decided to end ESET just for the hell of it, to my surprise the linear increasing pattern stopped at 55%. This time I uninstalled ESET and restarted, to my surprise no more memory issue.

I went back to undo the restore, but all the restore points were missing. I am assuming that when you uninstall/install the anti-virus program it deletes restore points or something. So then I started changing back a few things on my pc the way I like them. I also installed ESET and it seems to be fine.

Now, there is one issue still remaining, my hard drive after my system boots keep on spinning for a good 5 minutes. There is nothing running at all, but it just sits there spinning and using up the CPU, which ranges from 5-65%, and then it calms down. Before, after the initial 4-5 seconds after I log in, it stops spinning. Anyone know the cause/solution of this?

If you have any comments about my wacky wacky morning please do share!

 

have you had a chance to run a virus scan? also, what operating system and have you installed any new software recently?

 

I find hard disks sometimes spin randomly. This is probably just my misunderstanding BUT if it's having no effect on your work other than being annoying, I don't see any major cause for concern.

 

I really don't get what you're saying in the second to last paragraph. You say after the system boots up you're waiting 5 mins for the HD to stop spinning. Then you say after you log-in it stops spinning in 405 seconds. Also, by ESET are you reffering to NOD32 anti-virus?

Anyway, go into safe mode by pressing F8 while computer is starting up (I just go crazy with it until it gives me the option to start in safe mode). Then run a couple anti-virus programs and a couple spyware programs to check for baddies. An anti-virus program will NOT erase system restore points. If ESET is NOD32, it could be trying to eliminate the virus which creates an increase in CPU usage (definitely don't quote me on that). Does your firewall tell you anything? For instance, program x is trying to access the internet. Another idea is to open up windows task manager by pressing CTRL + ALT + Delete. Then check to see what's taking up all the CPU and memory usage in the processes tab. If you need more help and I forget about this thread, you can pm me to look back here. I'm usually good with keep track of this stuff though.

 

I am running a virus scan as we speak. If it finds anything I will update my post.

Let me clarify that for you...

Before the issue arose my drive would stop spinning 4-5 seconds after I would log in. Now, it takes 4-5 minutes for it to stop spinning.

By ESET, I am referring to ESET Smart Security.

(I go crazy with the F8 too )

My firewall says nothing. I did that, task manager is listing everything is being ordinary. That's the weird thing, during the 5 minute span that my drive is doing "something," task manager does not show any reason for that activity.

Thank's jin. Thanks to all.

I will finish up this scan and get back to you all.

 

what happens when you switch off your virus scan and make a reboot with "eset" disabled ? is the annoying disk spinning gone ?

seems to me, since you have your virus scan installed again, it´s going to check files on the hdd. most virus scanners would like to make a full system scan, when installed. some do ask you for it, some don´t. Maybe yours is checking the hdd, or at least parts of it at startup.

 

I just ran A^2 deep scan in safe mode, it found nothing.
I tried running eset in safe mode, but it would just stop after a bit. I did run eset in windows itself and it found nothing also.

I tried that Schoko, still there sadly.

Thanks.

 

OH FU(%*.

Memory usage is at 70% and rising..... here we go again.

 

hmm, too bad....

how about checking the system and application protocols ? if there is some software or driver related problem you can find a hint in the protocols.

 

Well, I restarted and it fixed the memory usage issue, without having to uninstall ESET. So I guess it's not the cause of all this.

I don't know man, I am baffled.

How to get to the system/application protocols?

EDIT:

I was wrong... It should be hitting 95% memory usage and then freezing shortly.....

 

the protocols you will find with in the event viewer tab in the adminstration section in the control panel. hope i´ve got the term correct, since i´m working with a german version of windows.

can you actually determine which task / software/driver is having the extensive memory usage ?