- 1). Run a scan of your system using your security software. If you do not have security software on your computer, several exist to find viruses and spyware and get rid of them for free. Spybot Search & Destroy and Lavasoft's Ad-Aware (see "Resources") are some of the software applications that can do this for you. Once you have downloaded and installed the software, run a scan of your system for viruses and spyware, which can cause CPU usage problems.
- 2). Click your "Windows" key and your "R" key on your keyboard. Type "msconfig" (without the quotes) in the field. Click your "Enter" key on your keyboard. Hit the "Start-up" tab. Remove the check marks of the programs that launch at start-up that you do not want to start automatically. These programs can make your computer run at 100 percent CPU. Close the window and restart your computer.
- 3). Hit your "Ctrl," "Alt" and "Delete" keys on your keyboard at the same time. Click the "Processes" tab. These processes are all the applications, programs and processes working on your computer taking up CPU. Highlight an item and click the "End Process" button.
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