Laptop has CPU usage spikes

I have a Dell Laptop Latitude e6400, windows xp, intel core two duo 2.4 ghz 3.45 gigs of ram. I had a trojan problem which you kind people on these forums fixed. But now the computer has these CPU usage spikes that sap all the processor. I looked in task manager and found a process called agent.exe running at a good average of 30% with spikes up to 70%. also the mem usage is constantly increasing ive seen it with over one million k usage. when i end the process it just starts right back up. when i do end it the computer does start running normally again for a bit. The computer also takes a long to time to startup, I dont know if this is an attribute to the agent.exe or something else. When it spikes it REALLY bogs down the computer to where nothing will respond for up to 10 to 15 minutes. scans on it does not show any virus and Google searching has found that some people have this problem but i cant find a solution to it. Im hoping you guys will have a solution. Thanks for your time and your help!! it is greatly appreciated!!! Dipablo

Hi Dipablo.

Click start -> run -> type msconfig and press ENTER. Select the startup tab and look for anything related to the agent.exe file. Disable it, click OK, and restart the computer. See if you still have the problem?

Agent.exe is too generic of a name to know what it is associated with. Please open My Computer, right-click the C: drive and search for files. Type in agent.exe and then report back here with the location of all occurences of agent.exe (i.e. c:\program files\agent.exe, etc.). This will help us determine what it actually is.

Do you have any of the following installed on your machine?: Roxio, DragonNaturally Speaking, Corel Draw, Acronis, Articulate, They all use a utility called agent.exe to check for updates via FLEXnet Connect. Any of the above applications could periodically be attempting to "phone home" to check on available updates. Depending upon the configuration you have set, either knowingly or simply accepting various defaults, the update process may also periodically download and install available updates. Have a look in your system configuration utility - msconfig - startups to see what you may have running actively. You can generally "disable" all in the Startups list, except your Antivirus and software Firewall. Let us know what you discover. Best Regards

Ok, i do have flexconnect in my startup tab. i turned it off and restarted. agent.exe did not startup and still hasnt come up. the laptop still rebooted slow took a good 2 minutes for explorer to start….and it is faster then before but does seem to be a bit sluggish. here is a screenshot of the process i found that had agent.exe anything look weird?

Not necessarily "weird", just cluttered with stuff you can do without.

Give us a bit more information about when this CPU spiking problem started appearing.
Is it also causing lag (slow-down of applications) /
Additionally, what software might you have installed recently.
Then give us a look at your startupd via CodeStuff Starters.

Please consider running this simple utility that will help you get control of programs and processes that you wish to have running active, or not.

CodeStuff-Starters
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/Starter.html

Download and install, agreeing to the licensing terms and allow to install with all of the default settings as preselected in the installation wizard.

When you finally allow CodeStuff-Starters to run
It will preselect StartUps Tab -

• Click on File
• Select - save as .Plain Text (name the report file - Startups Mar03.txt

In your next reply, post the file as an attached file (use browse and upload buttons – at the bottom-right corner of your topic posting window where you are typing your next reply)

Please do not make any changes with Code-Stuff Starters, until after you post the requested information above and receive recommendations from a helper here.

Best Regards

It started a few weeks ago, early to mid Feb. the only thing i installed recently was minitab and R recently for work. yes it lags really bad, for example ill be in excel and click on graphs and it will take a while to actually pop up, or in firefox sometimes ill click a link and it will start to load then freeze for a bit then start going again, etc. here is the log. thank you for your help

Have you always had McAfee? Did you have it before this problem started?

I don't know what "minitab and R" refers to. Is it part of MS Office Communicator 2005? Do you often use MS Communicator? You can safely disable: AESTFltr.exe IGFXtray.exe igfxpers.exe Sun Java Jusched.exe QuickTime QTTask.exe <– this one put itself back in your startups every next time you use it, so you have to disable it periodically after use. Do you use Language Translation or languages with special characters such as Thai, Mandarin, Japanese ?

minitab and R are statistical programs to do advanced statistical analysis….yes mcafee has always been on the laptop….i use communicator for work. no i dont use any language stuff

I disabled those processes and the computer does seem to be running better. ill see how it does tomorrow too and let you know

Since you don't use special characters and language translation, you may benefit a little bit from turning off CTFmon.exe.
Attempting to disable ctfmon.exe by using System Configuration Utility MSCONFIG – doesn't work.

Here's how to disable cftmon.exe

Open - Control Panel - (double-click on) - Regional and Language Options
Select - Languages(tab)
Press - Details(button)
Select – Advanced(tab) - Place a checkmark/tick in the box in front of "Turn off advanced text services"
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You may benefit even more from turning of "Indexing Service"

Open - My Computer
Navigate to C:\
Right-click C:\ next Select Properties
On the C:\ Properties panel - remove the checkmark/tick near the bottom of that panel, in front of "Allow Indexing Services to index this disk for fast searching"

"removing indexing" can take quite a while, even more than an hour.
You will also be challenged by windows stating that certain files cannot be removed from indexing…
that's OK.
Just select to "ignore" those files and allow Windows to remove indexing from all others.


Disabling "indexing" will not prevent "search" or any other routine from functioning properly.
If you had a "huge" hard drive, with "tons" of documents and files, such as inventory for a large business, then you "might" notice "search" being a little bit slower….. but no problem would be expected for the average user.

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I'm still wondering what "caused" your slow-down.

We might get a better idea by having a look at the overall functioning of your machine.
Please consider running the PCPitstop OverDrive Full Tests, and post a link to your results back here into your next reply.

Here's how:

You must use your Internet Explorer for this procedure. (doesn't work so well in Firefox or others)

Go to: http://www.pcpitstop.com
Click on "Free Computer Check-up" listed below PC Pitstop OverDrive
In the User Login - Click on "Sign up FREE!"
You'll need to submit a valid email address and create your own password, then click - Create Account(button)

Now enter your email address and password to Log in, Select - Scan this system Now!(button)
You will then be asked to download an ActiveX component and allow it to install.
It is safe and does not compromise your privacy.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install the ActiveX and to allow the Full Tests to be run on your machine.

The Full Tests take about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes on most machines.
When complete, a Results - Summary - Recommended Fixes will be displayed.

Please post the URL internet address from your Results, back here into this Topic Thread so that we can review the configuration and present performance levels of your machine.

Note: During the graphics 2D and graphics 3D testing, your screen will display some rapidly moving objects.
If you are sensitive to visual flashing, it may cause dizziness. Therefore, look away from the screen during that portion of the testing.

After reviewing the results we will be more informed and may be able to provide better recommendations for you to work towards improving your machine's performance.

Best Regards

here is the link:

http://www.pcpitstop.com/betapit/sec.asp?conid=23388188

i also did the other stuff you asked too. the computer is running alot better so far!

Nice work so far, Dipablo

Browse through your PCPitstop Results.
You will find that most every recommendation has a clickable link to resources and/or how-to assistance.

Not all the recommendations will produce noticeable result, but may still benefit your machine's functioning.

For instance,
–with only 5% fragmentation, you are being recommended to Defrag.
Generally Defrag does not live up to the hype.
I run CHECKDISK and Defrag –
Before and after "major" software installation/removal and before major updates such as service pack installation.
Otherwise, Defrag at 6 month intervals is just fine, and any more is unnecessary wear-and-tear on your HD.

For instance,
— your are being recommended to update Display and sound Drivers
IMO, don't bother with upgrades unless a device is not working
Device manufacturer's are constantly revising their drivers to address issues that may or may not apply to your machine.
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Particularly because you apparently run AutoCad…
You will benefit from getting as much FREE Space on that Hard Drive as possible.
Follow the recommendation to Reduce System Restore Capacity
– about 1024mb is sufficient for several restore points and you never need more than the most recent and maybe a few others.
– Just reclaiming space from System Restore will hand you about 8gb of space (which is another 10% FREE Space)

I almost always run the tweak for Internet Receive Buffer Size, though you may or may not experience any performance improvement

Click on Software(tab) and then Processes(tab)

You will now be looking at a selection of the major applications and processes running on your machine.
The items toward the bottom (in Green) are required and you should leave them alone.
The ones above (in Orange) should most often be disabled
The ones toward the middle (in blue) are user choice

Remember that the fewer processes you have running at the same time and in the background, the better for performance.
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You have Adobe version 7 for reading PDF files <– version 7 is very outdated and very vulnerable
You should uninstall it right away.

I like Foxit as a lighter-weight alternative to Adobe

I am not a technical autocad user, but in my business I view and manipulate DWG's and SolidWorks files all the time.
As you probably know, technical drawings are often saved as PDF files for non-technical people.
I have found that Foxit can handle everything I've ever thrown at it in the way of a PDF including interactive forms.
Give it a try

If you do download/install Foxit PDF Reader – be sure to avoid the ASK Toolbar option that comes with the download unless you un-check it.
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I thought you said you don't do translation, nor special Asian font characters?
But you have:
–Wonderware - French, German, Japanese, Chinese

If you don't use it, uninstall it – and if it has option to uninstall "fonts" that were installed with Wonderware, allow the fonts to be uninstalled too.

You have well over 300 fonts installed.

Large amounts of fonts can begin slowing a machine after about 195 font sets
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You mentioned that the "problems" started "a few weeks ago"

*** please notice that you installed ScreenSaverMosaic Screensaver on 02/19/10 <– screen-savers are notorious for causing lag problems
If you don't need it, uninstall it

*** and uTorrent installed at the same time <– terrible vector for malware. Unless you have a legitimate use for it, uninstall it.
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To be fair, you installed a ton of software on 02/19/10, any single or combination of which may be contributing to your machine slow-down.
But most of the rest of that recently installed software appears to be work related or system related, and generally not known to be problematic.
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Check your Battery serial number to see if it is on the Risk/Replace list. Dell will replace it for free (or at least they used to do it for free)

Other than that, your machine functionality should improve a bit more with completion of the above.

I'd recommend you work on the ones that I mention above, and then the Results recommendations as you have time.
Give it a week or so for a "test drive"
And then please post back with your evaluation and observations of improvement, and/or additional concerns.

Best Regards

Ive been doing what you have outlined and my computer is running much better. I dont know what the original problem was but is seems to have disappeared for now. that you so much for all of your help

That's good news. Glad you were able to sort it out.