Thank you christxr...

I have done what you suggested. Things seems to be better. I have removed the entire SEMANTIC and used CCleaner. Here is the ProcessExplorer Log:

Process      PID      CPU      Description      Company Name
System Idle Process      0      89.39            
procexp.exe      284      4.55      Sysinternals Process Explorer      Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com
svchost.exe      1528      3.03      Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1092      1.52      Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
taskeng.exe      812      0.76      Task Scheduler Engine      Microsoft Corporation
Interrupts      n/a      0.76      Hardware Interrupts      
winlogon.exe      788            Windows Logon Application      Microsoft Corporation
wininit.exe      664            Windows Start-Up Application      Microsoft Corporation
vpngui.exe      3628            Cisco Systems VPN Client      Cisco Systems, Inc.
taskeng.exe      3340            Task Scheduler Engine      Microsoft Corporation
System      4                  
svchost.exe      1120            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      928            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1352            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1132            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      988            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      440            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1764            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1256            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1496            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
stacsv.exe      476            STacSV Module      IDT, Inc.
spoolsv.exe      1732            Spooler SubSystem App      Microsoft Corporation
smss.exe      532            Windows Session Manager      Microsoft Corporation
SLsvc.exe      1304            Microsoft Software Licensing Service      Microsoft Corporation
services.exe      708            Services and Controller app      Microsoft Corporation
SearchIndexer.exe      984            Microsoft Windows Search Indexer      Microsoft Corporation
rcUtilCmd.exe      3676            Unicenter DSM r11 URC UtilCmd      CA
rcHost.exe      2996            Unicenter DSM r11 URC Host      CA
mscorsvw.exe      2472            .NET Runtime Optimization Service      Microsoft Corporation
lsm.exe      744            Local Session Manager Service      Microsoft Corporation
lsass.exe      720            Local Security Authority Process      Microsoft Corporation
LogWatNT.exe      380            LogWatNT      Computer Associates
GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe      3088            GoogleToolbarNotifier      Google Inc.
explorer.exe      3336            Windows Explorer      Microsoft Corporation
dwm.exe      2460            Desktop Window Manager      Microsoft Corporation
DPCs      n/a            Deferred Procedure Calls      
cvpnd.exe      2040            Cisco Systems VPN Client      Cisco Systems, Inc.
csrss.exe      676            Client Server Runtime Process      Microsoft Corporation
csrss.exe      612            Client Server Runtime Process      Microsoft Corporation
cfsmsmd.exe      2368            Unicenter DSM r11 SM CAF Daemon Process      CA
cfnotsrvd.exe      2868            Unicenter DSM r11 Notification Subsystem Server      CA
cfFTPlugin.exe      3184            Unicenter DSM r11 File Transfer Plugin      CA
ccsmagtd.exe      2900            Unicenter DSM r11 CSM AGENT DAEMON      CA
ccnfAgent.exe      2684            Unicenter DSM r11 Common Configuration Agent      CA
capmuamagt.exe      3064                  
cam.exe      2024            CA Message Queuing Server      CA, Inc.
CAF.exe      704            Unicenter DSM r11 Common Application Framework      CA
audiodg.exe      1264            Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation       Microsoft Corporation
amswmagt.exe      3032            Unicenter DSM r11 AM SWMetering Agent      CA




Now... due to the fact that I cannot live without an Antivirus, I have installed SEMANTIC again but not the full version - only the antivirus...

Below is the log after installing SEMANTIC AV only:




Process      PID      CPU      Description      Company Name
System Idle Process      0      88.81            
procexp.exe      1228      4.63      Sysinternals Process Explorer      Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com
System      4      2.32            
csrss.exe      672      1.54      Client Server Runtime Process      Microsoft Corporation
taskmgr.exe      4428      0.77      Windows Task Manager      Microsoft Corporation
Smc.exe      1524      0.77      Symantec CMC Smc      Symantec Corporation
DPCs      n/a      0.77      Deferred Procedure Calls      
ccSvcHst.exe      1688      0.77      Symantec Service Framework      Symantec Corporation
winlogon.exe      792            Windows Logon Application      Microsoft Corporation
wininit.exe      680            Windows Start-Up Application      Microsoft Corporation
taskeng.exe      2816            Task Scheduler Engine      Microsoft Corporation
taskeng.exe      4068            Task Scheduler Engine      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1092            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1120            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      936            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      996            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1140            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1572            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1368            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      2108            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1388            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      1984            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
svchost.exe      2212            Host Process for Windows Services      Microsoft Corporation
stacsv.exe      2024            STacSV Module      IDT, Inc.
spoolsv.exe      1960            Spooler SubSystem App      Microsoft Corporation
smss.exe      548            Windows Session Manager      Microsoft Corporation
SmcGui.exe      3724            Symantec CMC SmcGui      Symantec Corporation
SLsvc.exe      1304            Microsoft Software Licensing Service      Microsoft Corporation
SescLU.exe      5864            Symantec Endpoint Security Client LiveUpdate      Symantec Corporation
services.exe      716            Services and Controller app      Microsoft Corporation
SearchProtocolHost.exe      5064            Microsoft Windows Search Protocol Host      Microsoft Corporation
SearchIndexer.exe      2244            Microsoft Windows Search Indexer      Microsoft Corporation
SearchFilterHost.exe      4276            Microsoft Windows Search Filter Host      Microsoft Corporation
Rtvscan.exe      2132            Symantec AntiVirus      Symantec Corporation
rcUtilCmd.exe      2236            Unicenter DSM r11 URC UtilCmd      CA
rcHost.exe      3276            Unicenter DSM r11 URC Host      CA
mscorsvw.exe      1836            .NET Runtime Optimization Service      Microsoft Corporation
LUCOMS~1.EXE      5752            LiveUpdate Engine COM Module      Symantec Corporation
LuCallbackProxy.exe      4952            LuCallBackProxy Module      Symantec Corporation
LUALL.EXE      5500            LiveUpdate Wizard      Symantec Corporation
lsm.exe      740            Local Session Manager Service      Microsoft Corporation
lsass.exe      728            Local Security Authority Process      Microsoft Corporation
LogWatNT.exe      992            LogWatNT      Computer Associates
Interrupts      n/a            Hardware Interrupts      
GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe      1904            GoogleToolbarNotifier      Google Inc.
firefox.exe      4484            Firefox      Mozilla Corporation
explorer.exe      3012            Windows Explorer      Microsoft Corporation
dwm.exe      3628            Desktop Window Manager      Microsoft Corporation
cvpnd.exe      1356            Cisco Systems VPN Client      Cisco Systems, Inc.
csrss.exe      620            Client Server Runtime Process      Microsoft Corporation
cfsmsmd.exe      2516            Unicenter DSM r11 SM CAF Daemon Process      CA
cfnotsrvd.exe      3156            Unicenter DSM r11 Notification Subsystem Server      CA
cfFTPlugin.exe      3436            Unicenter DSM r11 File Transfer Plugin      CA
ccsmagtd.exe      3200            Unicenter DSM r11 CSM AGENT DAEMON      CA
ccnfAgent.exe      2664            Unicenter DSM r11 Common Configuration Agent      CA
ccApp.exe      4004            Symantec User Session      Symantec Corporation
capmuamagt.exe      3352                  
cam.exe      1084            CA Message Queuing Server      CA, Inc.
CAF.exe      2332            Unicenter DSM r11 Common Application Framework      CA
audiodg.exe      1268            Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation       Microsoft Corporation
amswmagt.exe      3316            Unicenter DSM r11 AM SWMetering Agent      CA




Please note that the CPU still hits big numbers around 90% everyonce and a while....fluctuation between 20% and 40% most of the time...and 90% spikes....from time to time....

Any advice?


Thanks,

Basil

Gents,

I have tried CCleaner, Registry Mechanic, Spyware Doctor, Semantic AV 11, and PANDA web based tool. Nothing significant - No viruses found.

Semantic AV 11 seems to consume a lot of memory and CPU. It is better than before, but still... my RAM shows something around 1.2 GB all the time...CPU is strangely fluctuating between 30% to 80% when FireFox 3 is on.

I would like to hear your last advice before I conclude that Vista is just a crappy OS.

Thanks,

Basil

   

Thanks lucifer82...

Do you suggest installing Windows Server 2008 on my 32 bit laptop? Is this recommended? Can you please provide me with he procedures.  


   

Does anyone recommend going to Windows 7 Beta from now? Even though its just Beta, I heard its more stable and better in comparison to Windows Vista?

hmm it is 'said' that it's better and more stable but keep in mind that it's only beta and it will expire. So if you are keen than go for it but make sure you keep ur files backed up just in case ^_^