How to Fix High CPU Usage Due to System Interruptions in Windows 10

 

Are you wondering what these system interrupts are and why they consume the most resources? Then don't worry. In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about system interrupts and also discover different ways to fix high CPU usage caused by system interrupts.

What are system interruptions?

A system interrupt is a signal sent to a processor (CPU) to resume whatever it is doing and to resume the priority task that requires CPU intervention. These interrupts are usually initiated by the external hardware. To clarify, let's look at some examples.

Imagine a printer connected to the PC and working smoothly. Let's say there is a paper jam in the printer, this creates a system interrupt and the signal is sent to the CPU to resume everything and show this message to the user.

At any given time, many interrupts are generated. When the I/O operation takes place, an interrupt is generated. That is, when the key in the keyboard is pressed or when a mouse click is detected, a system interrupt is generated indicating that CPU intervention is required to complete the operation.

The system interrupts are generated and resolved in a fraction of a second. Normally the CPU usage for these interrupts would be minimal. Anywhere between 0.1% -1%.

If the system interrupt CPU usage is more than 20% and stays there for a long time , it indicates a problem with the hardware or hardware drivers.

Now that we know about the system interrupts, let's see how we can fix the high CPU usage that it causes. Try the following general fixes before trying the specific fixes.

1. Reboot system
2. Check for viruses or malware in the system
3. Unplug and unplug the external devices connected to the system such as external USBs, audio devices, etc.
4. Even faulty laptop chargers cause high disk usage due to system interruptions. In this case, try replacing the charger.

If these don't help, try the fixes below. It is better to run the fixes in the order given below.

Fix 3: Turn off internal devices

Sometimes some internal devices are responsible for this problem. So, you can try disabling some of the devices one by one and find out which device is causing the problem. You can try disabling the following devices:

• network adapter
• Modems
• Additional cards such as DSL, TV tuner cards, etc.
• audio devices

To deactivate the devices, proceed as follows:

Step 1: Open Device Manager (See Steps 4.5 of Fix 1)

Step 2: Double-click Network Adapters to expand the selection

Step 3: Right click on your network adapter  and select Properties

Step 4: Go to the Advanced  tab

Step 5: In the Property section, click Wake on Magic Packet. In the Value section , select Disabled .

Step 6: Select Wake on Pattern Match again in the Property section . Select Disabled from the Value section

Step 7: Click OK

Step 8: Repeat the same steps for all network adapters that can be disabled.

Now try if this fixes the system suspend issue. If not, try the next fix.

Fix 2 – Update your Windows 10

1. In the Windows 10 taskbar search, search for Check for updates and click on it.

2. Click Check for Updates.

3. Allow updates to be downloaded and installed if available.

4. Restart your PC.

Fix 3: Update all hardware drivers

Step 1: Open the Run dialog box,  type ms-settings:windowsupdate  and press  Enter.

Step 2: In the window that opens, click Check  for updates.

Step 3: Windows will check for new updates. If new updates are found, they will be displayed. Check for hardware driver updates and install them

If you want to update specific drivers, follow the steps below

Step 4: Open the Run window by pressing Windows+r

holding down

Step 5: Type devmgmt.msc and click  OK

Step 6: Locate the required driver from the list and right-click on it. As an example, we will try to update the Microsoft AC Adapter

Step 7: In the window that appears, click Search automatically for drivers.

Step 8: If updates are available, you will be notified. You can follow the on-screen instructions to update the drivers.

Step 9: Make sure all hardware drivers have been updated using the steps above. Make sure there is no yellow exclamation mark on any of the hardware listed in Device Manager.

Check if the problem persists. If this is the case, try the next fix.

Fix 4: Disable the USB root hubs in Device Manager

Step 1: Open Device Manager (Steps 4.5 of Fix 1)

Step 2: Scroll down and locate Universal Serial Bus Controllers. Click the arrow icon next to it to expand the selection

Step 3: Now we need to disable the USB Root Hubs. The mouse and keyboard are also connected to the USB root hub. This root hub should not be disabled.

Step 4: Right-click USB Root Hub and select Properties

Step 5: Switch to the Energy tab . Connected devices shows whether the mouse and keyboard are connected

Step 3: From the image above, we can see that the mouse and keyboard are not connected to the hub. So we can disable that. To disable , right-click the USB root hub and select Disable device .

NOTE: If there is more than one root hub, all root hubs must be disabled.

Check if this solution fixes the problem. If not, try the next fix.

 Fix 5: Disable audio effects

Step 1: Open Run dialog by holding Windows and R keys together.

Step 2: Type mmsys.cpl command and press Enter

Step 3 Make sure you are in the Playback tab .

Step 4: Click on the default device. In this case it is LEN L24e-20 

Step 5: Click Properties

Step 6: Go to the Enhancement tab

Step 7: Check the Disable all enhancements option

Step 8: Click Apply and then click OK

Check if this fixes the problem. If not, try the next fix.

Fix 6: Disable Windows Fast Startup

Many users have reported that disabling Windows Fast Startup fixed the issues for them.

Step 1: Open the Run dialog

Step 2:  Type control powercfg.cpl and press OK

Step 3: On the left side, click Choose what you want the power button to do  option

Step 4: Click Change settings that are currently unavailable

Step 5: Under Disable shutdown settings, select Enable fast startup (recommended)

Step 6: Click Save Changes

Now check if the problem still persists. If this is the case, try the next fix.

Fix 7: Update your PC's BIOS

NOTE: Try this fix after trying all other fixes. This method is complicated and also risky. A small mistake can damage the system. Therefore, please make a necessary backup of the device before proceeding.

First we need to find the BIOS version of the system. To do this, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Press  Windows key + R  keys

Step 2: Type  msinfo32  and press  OK

Step 3 Note the BIOS Version and System Model  as shown below

Step 4: Now visit the manufacturer's website to download and extract the latest version of the BIOS.

Step 5: After unzipping, directly enter BIOS ( see readme.txt file for instructions ) or create  bootable DOS USB drive to update BIOS. Alternatively, you can update the BIOS to the latest version using a Windows-based application.

Step 6: Now restart your PC

That's all

Thank you for reading. We hope this article was informative.