Problems with PCG-K415s

[yacob]

Hey, I hope soemone can give me some advice. I've got a huge problem with the above machine.

Something is consistantly grabbing the CPU at 100% and locking out all the other processes. I re-installed yesterday, and it does it worse now. Seems to be linked to codecs and audio/video/flash content.

Had a couple of folk look through the system processes form me, can't see anything dodgy - Especially as its a fresh install and first thing on was AVAST AV software.

I upgraded the mem from 1/2Gb to 1Gb with crucial a while ago - you think it could be this? it seems a bit odd as a mem fault as I'm not getting exception errors etc.

Anyone seen this before?

[Blencogo]

Hi yacob!

Welcome to Club VAIO Forum?

If you open Task Manager and click on Processes you should be able to see what is using your CPU. Click on CPU and scroll to the bottom. Can you tell me what is using a lot of CPU?

What Firewall are you using?

Have you scanned for Spyware and Adware?

You could download the free trial version of TUNE UP UTILITIES and get it to optimise your system.



EDIT: Go to Control Panel>System. What memory does it say you have installed?

[kee-lo_]

Might be a good idea to download Spybot Search & Destroy too

[yacob]

Ok thanks for the suggestions guys, I've check those things out already.. but thanks all the same - I have tried to answer as best I can below

There is no *one* process that is hammering the CPU. For example (and this is an example other software does the same thing - but it proves the point that there is clearly an issue this core stuff rather an thirdparty piece of software)

There is an online flash game I like to play - I have loaded the website in 3 different browsers (Opera, Firefox and IE) and with all of them after being in the flash for about 4 mins the CPU load climbs until it maxes at 100% and lags every thing else. This does not release until I kill the webpage with the flash content on. The CPU load drops to a more normal 3%ish idle.

Another example, if I view some video content (.avi - probably generic Indeo codec used - not to sure - but the encoding is irrelivant for this example) with VLC (which has its own embedded codecs... it does not use the system based codecs - hence the encoding being irrelevant here) It plays ok for a while then, yupe, same old, CPU load climbs and maxes out. Sometimes it manages to release itself but other wise the audio content generally streams ok, but the imagery completely breaks. Dropped keyframes etc.

This indicates to me that perhaps its the a Graphic Card / mutlimedia issue? I have tried to locate the latest driver (I think the G Card is the Radeon 9200 Mobile) but the pack I downloaded refused to install.

I don't know enough about core processes, but it feels like the system isn't capping the CPU load allowing it to saturate and lock itself up. Is this possible?

(Oh, the full compliment of RAM shows in the OS and I have checked for badguys - spybot etc)

A quick aside - Is there a full bios on this thing? Someone suggested the AGP apeture as a place to look at, and memory timings, but the boot/F2 menu that I figure is supposed to be the BIOS is extrememly limited in options...

Thanks

[kee-lo_]

Is there a full bios on this thing?

Nope, it's restricted

[yacob]

Figures. I flashed it to v8 off the website. Best I can do I guess.

Thanks.