Question : Processor running at 100%; MSoft XP System

Hi:
My Dell MSoft XP Laptop has slowed to a snails pace.  The processor is running at about 100% all the time.  And that is with no applications running at all.  I ran Norton 360, but it found no problems.
What should I do to resolve the problem?

Answer : Processor running at 100%; MSoft XP System

Process Explorer for Windows v10.21
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/ProcessesAndThreads/ProcessExplorer.mspx

Double click the offending file. If it is a svchost.exe, then Select the Services Tab. Please list what services are in that svchost.exe.

Then Select the Threads tab, and see what .exe or .dll is using the CPU, and then select it by double clicking it....and copying/pasting the call stack here.....

What I would be curious to see is the Interupts, and the DPC's in Process Explorer. If thats what is using the CPU (not seeen in the Task manager), then you have either a HW problem, or a Driver problem.

If you have a high DPC/Interupt....
I would disable devices until you see the CPU behave normally after a reboot. Alternatively, you can remove devices from the device manager, and allow them to reinstall on boot with freshly DL'ed drivers, including the Chipset, Sound, Display, Printers etc...

And unplug any USB/Firewire devices while you are at it.