Video Files use 100% CPU usage!

**steel337** · August 5th, 2005, 07:15 AM

Whenever I play a video file, my computer gets 100% CPU usage when my video player starts to open it (I tried using Windows Media Player 10, DivX Player 6.0). Since it does that, I can't view the file. The only way to make it go back to normal is if I bring up the Task Manager and end the video's process. This started a couple of weeks ago...maybe it's a virus. I tried full system scans, but nothing showed up.

My computer specs are:

Intel Pentium 4 2.4Ghz
1GB DDR400 RAM
XFX GeForce 6600GT 128MB
120GB 7200RPM Hard Drive

I updated everything, the video drivers, etc. I tried using no hardware acceleration and it sort of worked...just that the video didn't show. Any suggestions?

**beastgreeley** · August 5th, 2005, 07:44 AM

Hey steel337, welcome to the forum, this is a common problem among Nvidia cards. Try installing the newest drivers and go from there, it worked for my computer at work.

**GroundZero3** · August 5th, 2005, 07:46 AM

i had this problem with my 6600GT and the latest video drivers. I had to install the older ones to get it working. I couldnt find anything online about this problem so i formatted and then installed those drivers and they worked fine. Not a real great solution but im hoping nvidia will be releasing some new drivers very soon, cause i think the ones they have out right now suck.

**Whir** · August 5th, 2005, 08:21 AM

Hm. I am not having this problem with my 6600GT and the newest Omegas or the newest Forceware. Although AVC video doesn't play as smoothly as it does on my Radeon machine.

What format/encoding were the files you were trying to play? AVC has a lot of CPU overhead, but nothing a 2.4GHz couldn't handle (I do it on a 2500+).

If rolling back your drivers doesn't solve the problem, I'd suggest uninstalling any codec packs you may have installed, reboot the machine (you can comb through the registry and remove codec entries manually as well, but I've generally found it unnecessary), and then reinstall only NEEDED codecs one at a time. Using codec packs like k-lite's mega codec pack, or that ace one is a sure way to fubar your system. I'd also recommend staying away from DivX player and Windows Media Player if you do a lot of viewing. Look for Media Player Classic by Gabest. MPC has all it's own internal splitters, and all audio codecs except AC3 and Vorbis, so you'll only have to install DivX (go with 5.2.1, 6 isn't supported by anyone important yet), XviD (if you use it), and ffdshow with ONLY h.264 checked in the options (if you need h.264 support).

**steel337** · August 5th, 2005, 08:49 AM

Thanks alot guys! The old drivers are working like a charm! You people here at the TechIMO forums are really nice!

(This is a first because the other forums I went to were bad) Thanks!

**zedlips** · August 24th, 2005, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by beastgreeley

Hey steel337, welcome to the forum, this is a common problem among Nvidia cards. Try installing the newest drivers and go from there, it worked for my computer at work.

the newest drivers would be the worst thing you could do, go to omegas site and download his drivers and all will be well, the new 77.77 drivers are complete junk, i installed omegas drivers and all is well now, no more 100% cpu usage

**zedlips** · September 4th, 2005, 03:48 PM

thought i'd give nvidia another chance since the release of 78.01 but i got the same thing again 100% cpu usage, so then i treid the beta 78.03 that nvidia released and again the same thing....so back to OMEGAS drivers...nvidia should be all over this but apparently it's not important to them....my next card will be an ATI because of this