# New Windows 11 PC, 100% CPU usage **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2022, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-windows-11-pc-100-cpu-usage/957180 "2022-01-04T02:50:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2022, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-windows-11-pc-100-cpu-usage/957180/1 "2022-01-04T02:50:34Z")
I had to get a new laptop. HP Windows 11. Sludgy as anything, and the CPU shows as 100%. There’s pretty much nothing added to this machine; we went through the set up and that’s about it. My wife has spent the afternoon setting it up again and running updates again. We think Avast One may be the culprit but I read online that there may be other junk slowing Windows 11. As we continue to poke it with a stick, do you know any fixes, or can you point me toward a reputable site that will walk us through what to do that isn’t trying to sell us something and isn’t trying to get us to screw up the laptop even more? I’m about ready to put it in the box and send it back where it came from. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2022, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-windows-11-pc-100-cpu-usage/957180/2 "2022-01-04T03:12:45Z")
I’ve always used Process Explorer when trying to figure out what resources are being used up, and by what. > **[Process Explorer - Sysinternals](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer)** > > Find out what files, registry keys and other objects processes have open, which DLLs they have loaded, and more. It’s a free tool available from Microsoft for anyone who wants to use it. It gives a lot more info than Task Manager. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2022, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-windows-11-pc-100-cpu-usage/957180/3 "2022-01-04T06:13:18Z")
Well if you go to Task Manager look at the Details section, assuming this is the same as Windows 10. Each Process is listed with a CPU and Memory. Click on the CPU column to sort it. Which processes have the big numbers? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2022, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-windows-11-pc-100-cpu-usage/957180/4 "2022-01-04T07:28:03Z")
Yeah. I have not used Windows 11 but in Windows 10: - CTRL+ALT+DEL - Select “Task Manager” from the list - “Processes” tab on the window that shows. You can click on column headings to sort that column. That will show you what processes are eating all of your CPU cycles. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2022, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-windows-11-pc-100-cpu-usage/957180/5 "2022-01-04T09:05:45Z")
While I agree with the others on how to check, I would definitely suspect the Avast antivirus and try uninstalling it. Windows 11 has the same built-in antivirus that Windows 8 and 10 had, and it works fine. So you might as well get rid of any other antivirus. It’s just bloatware that probably let them sell you the laptop for a bit cheaper.