help with cpu running at 50% all the time

[gwb21471]

I have a laptop running windows xp sp3 and after it starts up it will run between 50% and 70%. The program doing it is called CSRSS.EXE. I tried to stop it and i can't because windows tell me it can't be stop. I ran my antivirus and malware program and they can't find anything on my computer. Does anybody know how to stop it from running and using up all my cpu. My poor fan keeps running on high all the time. Funny thing is it didn't do this until i installed SP3 from microsoft. It won't start using high cpu until 5 minutes goes by then the cpu fan slow gets going faster. Hoping for someone that ran into this before and know how to stop it, Thanks for the help.

 

[HelloNNNewman]

Short answer first: you cannot stop CSRSS.EXE, and you shouldn’t try. On Windows XP it’s a core system process. If it’s using 50–70% CPU, that means something else is forcing it to work overtime, not that CSRSS itself is “the problem.”

On XP SP3, high CSRSS CPU is almost always caused by one of these:

1. Bad or incompatible driver (VERY common)
Especially:
Video drivers
Printer drivers
USB or card reader drivers
A driver misbehaves → CSRSS keeps handling failed calls → CPU spikes.

2. Malware pretending to be CSRSS
Even if antivirus says “clean,” XP-era malware is famous for this.
The real CSRSS.EXE must be here:

C:\Windows\System32\csrss.exe

If it’s running from anywhere else → it is malware

3. Corrupt system files
XP machines that are:
Old
Hard-powered off
Low on disk space
…often have damaged system files that cause runaway system processes.

4. Broken startup program triggering it
A badly-written app starting with Windows can hammer CSRSS indirectly.

What to do (in order — don’t skip steps)
Step 1: Verify it’s the real CSRSS
Press Ctrl + Alt + Del
Open Task Manager
Right-click csrss.exe → Properties
Check Location
✔ MUST be:

C:\Windows\System32\csrss.exe

If not → enter your full question into ChatGTP and let it walk u through

Step 2: Check Event Viewer (this is key)
Click Start → Run
Type:

eventvwr.msc

Check System and Application
Look for repeated Errors around startup time
You’re looking for:
Driver failures
“Application Hang”
“Device failed to start”
This often points directly to the cause.

Step 3: Run System File Checker
XP still has this and it works.
Insert your Windows XP CD
Click Start → Run
Type:

sfc /scannow

This repairs corrupted system files that can cause CSRSS loops.

Step 4: Update or roll back video drivers
This fixes CSRSS high CPU more often than anything else.
If you recently updated video drivers → roll them back
If drivers are ancient → update them
On laptops especially, use the manufacturer’s XP drivers, not generic ones.

Step 5: Disable startup items (safe test)
Click Start → Run
Type:

msconfig

Go to Startup tab
Uncheck everything except antivirus
Reboot
If CPU drops → one of those programs is the culprit.

Step 6: Scan from outside Windows (important)
XP malware can hide from in-system scans.
If possible:
Use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (last XP-supported version)
Or boot from a rescue CD (Kaspersky, Bitdefender, etc.)

What NOT to do
Don’t try to kill CSRSS
Don’t delete it
Don’t trust “task killer” utilities
Don’t ignore it — sustained CSRSS CPU can overheat old laptops
Reality check (honest moment)
Windows XP is long past end-of-life. Even if you fix this, you’re fighting:
Unsupported drivers
No security patches
Modern malware XP tools can’t detect
If this laptop is used online at all, it’s inherently unsafe.

My suggestion: paste your question into ChatGTP and it will offer to analyze and walk you through the Event Viewer and see if it can determine the cause of the issue.