Windows 7 Windows 7 x64 Ultimate using only one core of T5600 core 2 duo

[JaCKo]

Hi!

So the issue I'm having is that I recently installed Windows 7 Ultimate (from XP Ultimate) and the computer was working really slowly.

First I opened task manager and found only one CPU was being monitored, there was only one window for one CPU, not two windows with only one firing!

This I found strange, checked the WEI and my processor got a 2.3 rating (its a Core 2 Duo @ 1,83Mhz, a T5600), I then downloaded a tone of widgets to check if they could "see" the other core, nothing. I went into msconfig, the no. of processors box is unchecked, if I check it, the drop down menu only gives me the option of picking 1 CPU.

I found a guy with the same problem using Vista, but I can't seem to be able to use his fix: Link Removed - Invalid URL (bottom of page, can't find the HAL detection checkbox)

I am running Windows 7 Ultimate on an HP nx9420 laptop with 3GB of RAM, a new HDD (250GB), the old one just stopped working really, and the Core 2 Duo T5600 @ 1,83Mhz that is running only one core.

Help is much appreciated, because I've been at this problem for a week, the computer is DEAD slow and I can't find anything online.

THANX!

 

[JaCKo]

What I did was restore system default settings in BIOS and things have become a bit worse! My one core of cpu that is still available is running at 100% flat all the time. Kernel times are slightly slower, at about 70-80%.
This is madness. I've switched everything off completely, went to my daughter's computer to post this and download some BIOS upgrading software that'll hopefully fix the problem.

Will post when I have new news.
Thanks for all the help so far!

This is madness!!

 

[kemical]

Good luck!

 

[JaCKo]

Good news and bad news!

I see two cores in task manager, yuhu!
But they're both running 100%!!! non stop, kernel 70-80% like before!!!
Top processes:
taskmgr.exe (!!)
scvhost.exe (there's 5 or 6 of them)
explorer.exe
and ekrn.exe gets up there which is also wierd since NOD32 is known for its small resource use.

God I can't believe this still isn't over!
Now what ??!!??
I rebooted twice, no effect. The machine is SLOOOOW beyond slow!!

 

[TorrentG]

Type msconfig in the start menu. Hit enter.

Go to the Services tab. Check the box to hide all Microsoft services. Then click Disable all. Click ok. Reboot.

When this works well, you then enable the services one by one until the issue returns. Then you know where the problem is, exactly.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Since it sounds like your BIOS firmware update was successful, it is a common rule of thumb to do a clean install of the Windows after an update is done on the BIOS.

Be SURE to download all the proper 64-bit drivers for you notebook prior to doing the clean install. Store them on a thumb drive or burn them to a CD-RW disc.

Prior to the new clean install, be sure your BIOS is set to "Optimized Defaults" and that your DVD drive is set to "First Boot Device" in the BIOS.

Delete all the prior partitions and create new ones, then begin the install. Windows 7 automatically does a "Quick Format" of the partition during that process.

After install is done be sure to install all the correct drivers and you should be good to go.

This should eliminate the issues you're describing. Remember though that during the first 20 minutes or so after a new install, the CPU and drive will be a little busy rearranging things and getting settled in.

Be sure to do all the updates too, prior to installing the drivers.

 

[JaCKo]

Thanks TorrentG, did that, but it didn't help completely (

It took the system 15 minutes to load and to bring the cpu speed down, its running from 25-35%, spiking to 100% every two minutes.
Taskmgr.exe is running most of the % (20)
dwm.exe
sidebar.exe
do the rest.

I guess a clean install is in order, will do, thanks Nibiru.
What I did the last time was let Windows do all the driver updates. Is that ok, or should I get and install all the specific drivers manually?

 

[TorrentG]

It could either be malware doing this or a bad gadget.

Download and install Malwarebytes. Update its definitions after running it, in the program. Then let it scan and remove everything it finds.

Temporarily close all your gardgets so that they don't startup with Windows.

Reboot and test.

If it doesn't help, a clean install may be the best way to go.

 

[kemical]

I'd go for the clean install regardless. Start afresh making sure your bios is running correct settings for your set-up.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Thanks TorrentG, did that, but it didn't help completely (

It took the system 15 minutes to load and to bring the cpu speed down, its running from 25-35%, spiking to 100% every two minutes.
Taskmgr.exe is running most of the % (20)
dwm.exe
sidebar.exe
do the rest.

I guess a clean install is in order, will do, thanks Nibiru.
What I did the last time was let Windows do all the driver updates. Is that ok, or should I get and install all the specific drivers manually?

Sorry for the late response, I just got home from work a little while ago.

It's always best to get the latest drivers from either the notebook's website or the individual hardware chip makers websites.

Your graphics are ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics controller with 256 MB of discrete video memory
For ATI Radeon Mobile Chipset / Graphics drivers go to: Link Removed

Your notebook uses the Mobile Intel 945PM Express Chipset with 667-MHz front side bus
For Intel chipset and graphics drivers go to: Link Removed

And so on...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The reason is because usually Windows Update drivers will usually always be at least several month older compared to the ones you get from the notebook website or the hardware makers.

 

[JaCKo]

Well, I started downloading drivers and booted win7 from the DVD player, but the installation process is so slow that I don't see the point, its slower than before, when I installed win7 with only one core running??!!

Funny thing is I can't seem to get into BIOS. I get into the computer setup, where I have system information, security, diagnostics and System configuration the closest thing to BIOS is the system information, where I can't change a thing. It shows the right processor, the updated ROM date and ROM BIOS version, but I can't get into BIOS! (I've tried all the F's, delete, Enter, alt and escape)

I'll do the unbelievably SLOOOW clean install and get back, but I'd very much appreciate feedback on the BIOS (never reall pecked about in BIOS so I might be doing something wrong).

 

[kemical]

Jacko could you please list your full system spec?

Ta

 

[JaCKo]

Gladly, but my machine is still installing Windows, so I'll tell you what I know off the top of my head.

- Its an HP, the model is nx 9420
- Mobile Intel 945PM Express chipset
- The processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 (1.83-GHz, 667-MHz FSB, 2-MB L2 cache)
- 17.0-inch WSXGA+ wide viewing angle BrightView display with 1680 x 1050 resolution and 16M colors
- Originally 1GB 667-MHz DDR2 SDRAM, I added an extra 2GB, 4GB is all the motherboard will take though
- ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics controller with 256 MB of discrete video memory
- Originally a 80GB 5400RPM Hard Disk Drive, have since upgraded to 250GB 5400RPM Toshiba, with a WEI rating of 5,3, compared to the original 4,6
- Built-In Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 A/B/G
- HP Integrated Module with Bluetooth 2.0 Wireless Technology
- 8-cell high capacity Lithium-Ion (68Wh)
- DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Double Layer
- Ports: 1x IEEE 1394a Port, 1x Type I/II PC card slot, 1x S-Video TV out, 1x VGA/External Monitor, 1x 7-in-1 Media Reader, 4x USB 2.0, 1x headphone out, 1x microphone in

In case I missed something, everything on it is on this link:
ICEcat.biz
There are many nx9420's with different specs - these are the right ones.

 

[JaCKo]

Its been installing Windows for 3hours now, still nowhere near finishing!!!

Yes, I did format and yes it is a clean install.

 

[kemical]

Have you had windows 7 installed previously and running fine? I only ask because I was looking through the compatibility centre and couldn't find your anything relating to your model.

 

[JaCKo]

Yeah, at one point win7 worked fine with both cores firing, it was great...for a while.
Then one core stopped working, but before I upgraded the BIOS everything still worked fine, but really slowly, with only one core.
Then I upgraded my BIOS, got both cores firing and a mess with 100% cpu usage. I clean installed and now have a system that is beyond slow.

Now I did a completely clean install and in idle, with no updates, no extra programs, no aero, just win7 being installed and in its first run as it were, the system is running between 65%-85%. The main user is svchost at 50%, taskmgr also runs high at whatever else is left.

The only thing I can think of is what Nibiru said about the system settling in...hope this is it. I'll keep it running for a couple of hours longer, but somehow I doubt this is it, because it wouldn't be such a pain in the @ss installing win7 in the first place. That would have been done quickly and it would be figuring out everything else now.

I'm not sure!

 

[Nibiru2012]

Its been installing Windows for 3hours now, still nowhere near finishing!!!

Yes, I did format and yes it is a clean install.

That's a very long time to take to install Windows 7, something's not right here with your system hardware. A Windows 7 install should take at max about 30-45 minutes.

When you added the additional RAM, did you put the 2GB stick in slot #1 and move the 1GB stick to slot #2? The biggest RAM stick should always be in the first SO-DIMM slot.

 

[JaCKo]

I stuck the RAM in the only slot available at the back of the laptop about two years ago and it always worked fine, so thats not it.
30-45 mins sounds about right, thats how long it took to install the first time (that was about ten days ago)...maybe an hour, not sure, but it was ok time wise. AFTER I UPDATED THE BIOS everything went from slow to snail, thats why I don't get it.

Mind you, what you posted earlier might have very well taken all the % out of the cpu. They're running at 6-10% now, spiking to 25-30%, the only process that takes up any cpu (5% or 25% is always taksmgr.exe which is again strange).

...

But then I reboot and we're back to square one with svchost.exe taking up 50%, taskmgr 25%,...

Still don't know how to get into BIOS! The problem has to be there, right?

 

[TorrentG]

Type services.msc in the start menu then hit enter. Disable and stop the Windows Search service. Most enthusiasts do this anyhow and it will calm your pc down.

To get into the bios, try holding down delete while turning it on until it doesn't do anything. Then let go.

Or try this technique with whatever button you'd press before.

 

[kemical]

It might be worth trying the bios update again just to make sure it has updated properly. As for getting into the bios, have you tried:
F2
Delete

I also found a review which talks about the bios key being F10 although you have to be very quick apparently:

''Since this notebook has some extra security options, many can be set in BIOS. There are standard passwords for system and setup, but also additional smartcard, TPM, disk passwords etc. There are also settings for devices like enabled wireless, Bluetooth, serial, parallel, usb, firewire ports. Then things like Fan on AC, dual core support, native SATA, virtualization technology etc. You can use the disk check and memory check + disk sanitizer too. There is also a boot option menu and you can choose what devices can be used for the booting process and in what order.* And of course you can see the system info. No temps or advanced power settings. F10 works only if you are very fast since the enter BIOS option is by default set to 0s. F9 gives you the boot menu''
The full review can be found here: HP Compaq nx9420 Review
Hopefully this is your model?

 

[JaCKo]

I've tried every button I can think of, F10 gets me into computer setup, but not BIOS.
All the others ask which system to boot and only give win7 as an option because its the only one OR I get a choice of booting from hard disk or CD.

I came into BIOS a couple of years ago (on this very computer) setting up Wireless and Bluetooth order of connectivity, haven't been in there since! I can get into the BIOS on this computer (daughter's) with no problem.

I'll try the service.msc and update BIOS one more time and get back to you!