I've recently noticed a performance deteriation from my PC and having checked the CPU it is always in use between 60% and 70% and yet I have the bare minimum running (I Think!).

PC is an AMD Athlon 1333 running Windows ME (not the best for diagnostics!).

Within approx. 2 mins of powering up and everything (I am aware of) loading the ME System Monitor shows CPU usage varying between 15% and 20%. Once I connect to the internet this increases to 60% to 70% (two different problems?). Once I disconnect it REMAINS at this level.

Being ME, I have no task manager to see where the processor is going. I have used CTRL-ALT-DEL to end all processes it shows (except for Windows) but the processor os still in use.

Have run Norton Anti-Virus which has found nothing. Recently upgraded my ZoneAlarm (basic free copy) to 2004 version.

1. Any ideas on what might be causing the processor to be in use so much?

2. In ME, can I view anything like a Task Manager that would show me where the processor is being used?

I think Norton is a resource hogger.

Is your PC free from spyware etc ?

Thanks brain damage, I did wonder about Norton and even ZoneAlarm.

As for a spyware check. I've run AdAware but it's made no difference. I don't have anything like Spybot loaded and due to the now almost non-existent www responses I am unable to download it. Any ideas how else I might get this onto my PC? (I guess the freebies with magazines probably include this type of software?)

You could try looking at this http://www.d-a-l.com/help/showthread.php?t=605