Articles tagged: CPU

Why Won’t My Program Use More than 25% of the CPU?

Multi-core processors add an additional layer of complexity to software design. Occasionally that can manifest as only a portion of the CPU being used.

What Does “Not Responding” Mean?

"Not Responding" is Windows' way of telling you that a program might have a problem. Sometimes it's benign and sometimes it's a sign of a deeper issue.

Monitoring Your System with Resource Monitor

Here's a helpful system resource tool that doesn't get nearly the press it deserves.

Does CPU Speed Matter Any More?

CPU speed doesn't matter quite as much as it once did. I'll discuss why, and what you should also be looking at.

What is the System Idle Process and Why Is It Using Most of the CPU?

Can a computer really do nothing? Yes and no. When it's doing nothing, it has to do something, and that something is the System Idle Process, waiting for something to do.

Why Is My Fan Running at High Speed?

A fan running at high speed means one thing: heat! The question is how you determine the cause and cool down your machine. It might be easier than you think.

How Do I Find Out What Program Is Using All My CPU?

Occasionally, one program uses all of your computer's processing resources. Using Task Manager, it's easy to figure out which program that is.

Designing My New Desktop

Looking carefully at how I use my computer, and with help from my chosen manufacturer, I've configured my new desktop machine.

Why is Windows Complaining About Unsupported Hardware?

Unsupported hardware because the CPU is too new? It's a scenario some users of older Windows versions can experience. There are a couple of solutions.

Tip of the Day: Put a CPU Meter in Your Taskbar

Windows comes with its own little CPU meter built in. You can access it using Task Manager.

Should I Get a Dual-Core or a Quad-core Processor?

Processors are generally available with what are called "multiple cores". We'll look at what that means, and how you might select which is right for you.

What’s the difference between i3, i5, and i7 processors?

Intel's Core i3, i5, and i7 processors present a headache-inducing combination of characteristics. I'll look at what matters and then dig a little deeper.

Is Moore’s Law over?

CPUs may not be getting faster as quickly as they once did, but Moore's law isn't really about speed; it's about circuitry. We're still improving in many other ways.

Why is only one core on my multi-core processor being maxed out?

You may have a multi-core processor, but not all software can utilize more than one core.

Why Does My Sound Quality Degrade over Time?

The system degrading over time sounds like a software problem. So how do we find out what's using the CPU?

Can I replace my processor with a faster one?

Replacing your computer's CPU will depend on your motherboard. But there is actually another option to get more speed.

Why Is My Computer’s Fan Coming On?

You've checked for dust, but the computer is still running hot. I'll point you in the direction of a few more things that could be causing this heat wave... including a heat wave itself.

Why Is AVG Telling Me IE Has High Memory Usage?

High memory usage by Internet Explorer can result from several different things. I'll review the most common.

Will a new computer burn DVDs faster?

A new computer might burn DVDs faster depending on what's limiting your burning speed now. It could be the CPU, but it could also be something else.