Processing load reaches 80% once the system remains idle for 10 minutes.
Processing load reaches 80% once the system remains idle for 10 minutes.
I recently added a sensor panel to my machine and observed that after standing up for over ten minutes, the CPU usage on my i7-9700k would spike to 60%-80% even when no apps were running. I kept the Task Manager open briefly before leaving, which showed Windows Explorer as the main CPU consumer. Once I interacted with the mouse or keyboard, usage dropped back to normal levels of 1%-2%. I also ran Malwarebytes and its adware cleaner, but found nothing suspicious. This behavior seems unusual and I’m curious about the cause.
Open Process Explorer to analyze resource usage. It will reveal which part of Windows Explorer is consuming the most CPU power.
Windows 10 could be performing a memory check while not in use, which may cause the CPU to run high. If you don’t want this behavior, open the Task Scheduler and turn it off. I personally run my own memory tests using tools like Prime95, so Microsoft doesn’t need to do the testing for me.