windows 2000 using too much CPU

[Jeff22]

I have a computer that has just been sitting around for a while that I'm trying to get up and running with windows 2000 professional on it.

The problem I am having with it is that it is using too much CPU processing power just while idling and causing the computer to run really slow even just when browsing the net. If I run the task manager it shows 50% of the processor being used even wile the computer is not doing anything other than just sitting on the desktop.

I thought maybe there was another program running that was causing the problem, and since it's pretty much just a spare computer only for internet and email I did a reformat of the drive and fresh install of 2000. It still says it's using 50% of the processor and all it's doing is sitting on the desktop with no other programs even installed. When I open internet explorer and watch the task manager it jumps up to 100% of processor use and surfing the net is slow and choppy, on my XP computer it's fine so it's not the internet connection.

It's a Pentium 4 2.8Ghz processor and 1GB of ram so i know the computer should be more than I need for what I'm using it for. What would be causing the CPU to be working so hard when the computer isn't running any programs other than 2000 professional operating system?

[Ultima]

When you open up the taskmanager, go to the tab sessions or whatever it's called, the one that lists all background programs that are running.

Just find the one that is using the cpu cycles and you know where the problem lies.

[jamesb21222]

yea.. it looks like you have a frozen program somewhere. just look for the one that has the most percentage under cpu usage.