CPU Running at 100% don't know if its a game or CPU issue

[sonicwither]

Hey, so I usually run GTA at 80% or so, then Fortnite at 40 or 50% (these are full CPU totals in task manager). Yesterday I ran Fortnite and I got some lag, so I checked task manager and it was making my CPU go at 100%. I ran GTA later and it was at 90%. I did a computer scan and it said nothing bad was found. Can you help me figure out if this is a game or CPU issue? Thanks!

Specs:
i5-6600K CPU
RX 480 strix GPU
Asus z-170e MOBO
16 GBs of RAM.

Please let me know if anything else is needed. Thanks!

 

[lost12345]

This sounds exactly like what I experienced when my NZXT water cooler started leaking.

Setup graphing for your CPU temps (this is a built in option for windows 7, just do a search. Not sure about windows 10 as they want you to buy everything that should normally come with the OS)

Even with air cooling, you may have a bad fan or excessive dust buildup.

In my case it rapidly got to the point that the CPU would stay pegged at 100% on just the home screen before crashing. Turns out all the coolant leaked from the crappy radiator the use on the NZXT kraken radiators.

 

[sonicwither]

I don't think cooling is the problem, I just checked and the temp went at max 50 C when I loaded up then went to 40%.
I use an H100iV2 from Corsair, which is a water cooler.

 

[boju]

Check for other processes in task manager before loading a game. If your cpu usages were fine before then there could be something else taking cpu resources away and loading a game just further adds more. Whats the cpu usage like on idle?

In task manager click cpu or memory header to assort that column highest to lowest % so the largest using processes are brought to top.

In msconfig (type msconfig in task bar) and click startup tab. Here are your startup items, can uncheck or check anytime so when windows boots it wont load whichever you unselected. Usually basic items is fine like audio/usb etc but if there's a program you installed lately try uncheck it or other startup items that may look odd.

If any process or startup item you see you're not sure about, search about it on the net.

 

[sonicwither]

Right now it is at 25% which is way above what is used to. Do you think I might need to apply new thermal paste?

 

[boju]

25% idle?

No, temps has nothing to do with causing cpu usage.

Check task manager / startup items.

 

[sonicwither]

I don't think I have anything bad for startup.
Here is a list:
Discord
DT_Startup
EpicGamesLauncher
ESET Command Line Interface (Security)
Google Update Core
iCUE
Java Update Scheduler
Microsoft OneDrive
Pivot Software Support
pximouse
Razer things
Realtek Audio Manager
Spotify
Steam
Widows Security Notifications
Wondershare Studio

 

[boju]

No, nothing bad but you have a lot going on there actually.

Assort processes to highest in task manager, see which ones uses the most and then unselect it in msconfig then reboot windows.

 

[sonicwither]

Do You mean highest in Processes while running or high in startup impact?

 

[boju]

Startup items are the applications that launch and run in the background when windows loads. Not all of them would be hogging recourses id imagine but some of them might be hense your 25% idle usage.

So check task manager under cpu column, assort to highest by clicking cpu so the processes using the most is assorted to the top of the list so you can see them better.

 

[sonicwither]

I did that and nothing changed

 

[boju]

Did what?

 

[sonicwither]

I restarted my computer after going into startup and disabling some of the apps.

 

[boju]

Some of the apps that were using some cpu? Or did you just uncheck at random?

 

[sonicwither]

Yeah, some that were using some CPU.

 

[Karadjgne]

What exactly was causing the cpu to go to 25%. That has happened sometimes with nvidia drivers and fontprecache.

 

[sonicwither]

I think it was mostly chrome and discord but those were the only noteworthy apps open.

 

[sonicwither]

I also just cleaned out my pc with a can of compressed air and it didn't seem to help with the cpu.

 

[boju]

Nor would it, you don't have temperature issues. What ever is using cpu is to do with software thats installed. Need to isolate what that is.

With the startup items, de-select them all and see if cpu idle usage improves.

Which ever process is using the cpu will show up in task manager. Take more notice of it.

 

[sonicwither]

I deselected them all and it didn't seem to do anything. I tried opening chrome, Fortnite, and Discord, and it still runs at 100%.

 

[sonicwither]

The components in my pc are 2-3 years old at this point I don't know if that info helps.

 

[boju]

What happens if you don't run chrome?

 

[sonicwither]

Around 4-5%

 

[boju]

I meant cpu usage in-game when chrome is not running

 

[sonicwither]

Full CPU is at mid 90%, Fortnite is at 70-80%