Csrss.exe is Sapping my CPU

Nightblade36 · #1 July 4th, 2006, 08:16 AM

I'm sorry if this is a overly common problem, but it's hard for me even to get to help at this point.

I searched google and I found 2 pages that were down and a page that explained how to fix it in a overly-complicated manner... so perhaps you can help me. But anyway, to the problem:

I don't know when it happened, exactly, but for some reason, my computer started acting overly weird. The main thing I noticed was the signifigant speed loss and the constant flickering of my mouse between the 'Idle' normal pointer and the 'Loading' pointer with an hourglass.

Figuring I had too many things running at once, I went into the Windows Task Manager in order to see what is not functioning right. It turned out to be the system process known as 'Csrss.exe'. I've noticed it there before, and it's never given me any trouble, and I tried ending it's process and window's says it's a critical process, so it refuses. It seems that it takes whatever percent of the CPU is not being used and uses it... for... something. For example, if my computer is using 21 percent of the CPU at the time, Csrss.exe reads as taking up the remaining 79 percent.

I have a feeling that this is the problem, and as I said, I looked into it. From what I read, the problem seems to come from user profiles. I tried a temporary fix of making a new profile and running off it, and it worked for awhile, but now the problem is affecting it TOO.

If anyone can help me out, I would appreciate it greatly. Please be sure to be fairly simple in explination, too... I'm not exactly smart. Incase it's important, my administrator profile was the first thing being affected by this problem, so I can't really delete it. I think.

Please help...

Billy_Black · #2 July 4th, 2006, 10:12 PM

To check for legitimacy, run a search and check to see if csrss.exe resides in your windows\system32 folder (it should).

Also open Msconfig (run-> msconfig) it should not appear in Msconfig-> Startup.

Nightblade36 · #3 July 5th, 2006, 08:07 AM

Well, I already know that I have Csrss.exe in my System32 folder because I already ran a check for it to try and find where it was coming from.

It does reside in the legitimate place. Considering there is only one Csrss.exe running in my background, and I can't end it's process, I figure it must be the real thing, just bugging out, or maybe being affected in some other way.

The only places my search could find traces of 'Csrss' were:

-In my 'Owner's Documents' folder, in which I made a copy to save just incase it screwed up more

-In C:\I386 as a "EX_" file

-In C:\Windows\I386 also as a "EX_" file

-In C:\Windows\Prefetch as CSRSS.EXE-22452D1B.pf

-In C:\Windows\System32 and C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386

The latest file edited was the .pf file, which was edited the July 3rd. The other files were modified last in August 04', except for the "EX_" files, which were made the August 02'.

Please help me out. This is really hindering my computer's, and thus my, abilitiy to get things done.

Billy_Black · #4 July 5th, 2006, 10:45 AM

Did you try to open Msconfig and click on the start up tab?

Seems like you still may be infected.

http://www.2-spyware.com/file-csrss-exe.html

Have you tried any of the online AV scans?

Maybe give this app a shot.

http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/

Nightblade36 · #5 July 7th, 2006, 12:51 AM

I tried the app you gave me with full updates and everything and it didn't do anything to help with the problem. I really doubt it's a virus. I read up on it before, as I said, on the microsoft website and they said it had something to do with faulty profiles.

I found a work around, but it takes way to long to really be helpful. If I log on one account, then switch to the other, the other won't have the problem, and then I can log out of the first account that HAS the problem. However, it doesn't seem to matter which one I choose first; They both exhibit the problem.

So I'm fairly sure it has something to do with the profiles. Any experts here want to help me out? I could really REALLY use the help.

Nightblade36 · #6 July 7th, 2006, 11:45 AM

Where is everyone? Someone PLEASE help me out. My problem isn't something I can exactly resolve by myself, and all the pages I looked at didn't help much either...

If there seriously is no one that can help me here, is there anyone who knows where I could get help? Like a link or someone I could email or contact somehow? It's just so frustrating...

.Technician. · #7 July 8th, 2006, 05:55 AM

Hows abouts you go to i386 and find that ex_ file named csrss. Put in system32. Make backup of old csrss of course first. Or restore the file from a original xp cd. or go to www.sysinternals.com and download their process explorer. Explorer csrss.exe and see what thread takes all you CPU

Nightblade36 · #8 July 8th, 2006, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .Technician.

Hows abouts you go to i386 and find that ex_ file named csrss. Put in system32. Make backup of old csrss of course first. Or restore the file from a original xp cd. or go to www.sysinternals.com and download their process explorer. Explorer csrss.exe and see what thread takes all you CPU

Considering that CSRSS seems to be a pretty critical file, I don't want to try and replace it, even just temporarily, because I fear that if it screws it up more, I might not be able to fix it. As far as the link, I have no idea what you want me to download from that site, and I'm beginning to think it's not just CSRSS, though, because it would seem that my CPU's usage is always at 100%. I'm not sure if this is normal, but it sure seems a lot slower than it used to be. If there are any ways to solve a problem with CPU usage that might be related to my problem, please refer me to them as well.

.Technician. · #9 July 8th, 2006, 09:19 AM

Ok hows abouts i give you direct link to process explorer. When you download it, open it and simply "explorer" the "process" csrss. (hence the name process explorer.) Look at what thread takes all cpu.

Darkhorse · #10 July 9th, 2006, 08:33 AM

This link should help you out...
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=555021

Nightblade36 · #11 July 10th, 2006, 05:27 AM

I've already seen that, and I don't have any idea how I am supposed to go about following that, because:
1. I have no idea what some of that stuff means.

2. I can't exactly delete my administrator profile.

Nightblade36 · #12 July 10th, 2006, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .Technician.

Ok hows abouts i give you direct link to process explorer. When you download it, open it and simply "explorer" the "process" csrss. (hence the name process explorer.) Look at what thread takes all cpu.

Well, I already have Process Explorer, actually, because someone referred me to it before (for the same reason) and I really don't understand it. The file is in a legitimate place, doing a legitimate thing, and in Process Viewer, it doesn't show nearly as much CPU being taken up as it does in Window's Task Manager.

I really don't understand the problem. But despite of it, my cursor is still doing it's annoying flashing between loading and idle bit.

.Technician. · #13 July 10th, 2006, 06:11 AM

probably a virus infected csrss.exe.

Roy Harrison · #14 August 20th, 2008, 10:30 AM

I have just encountered problems with csrss.exe using half my processor power, which led me to the various comments posted on the web. Nothing seemed to be quite like my experience, but I have now solved my problem, so I thought it worthwhile explaining what happened, which is very simple.

I wrote a console application to do some number crunching with a frequently updated output (a printf to the console screen). The involvement of csrss.exe seemed to be totally dependent on this frequent printf, even if the console window was minimised. As soon as I altered my code to only use the printf statement rarely, the csrss.exe CPU usage went away. So, I would expect that if anyone has a console application running which frequently updates, this may invoke the csrss.exe CPU usage problem. Looking at the web postings, there are many other situations in which csrss.exe is involved, but at least this explains one!

Best regards,

Roy Harrison

emrico1 · #15 February 11th, 2009, 10:10 AM

I had exactly this problem, and after fixing it I thought I'd be a good person and post it here, just in case someone else gets this hassle.

I read all manner of posts suggesting it was a profile problem and to delete my profile (no good for me). Also that is was a virus (if you can't end the csrss.exe process then it is not a virus aparently)

I read what the csrss process does, and it relates to graphics.

I simply downloaded and reinstalled my graphics drivers.

FIXED!

Hope that helps someone