How To Fix Windows 10 System Interrupts High CPU Usage

The Windows 10 operating system is the latest version of Windows which was first released in 2015. It was made as a free upgrade to people who were running Windows 7 or Windows 8 on their computers. Although this is a solid performing operating system there are instances when certain issues can occur which we will be troubleshooting today. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will tackle the Windows 10 system interrupts high CPU usage.

If you have any issues with your computer or Android device then feel free to contact us using this form. We will be more than happy to assist you with any concerns that you may have with your device. This is a free service we are offering with no strings attached. We however ask that when you do contact us try to be as detailed as possible so that an accurate assessment can be made and the correct solution can be given.  

How To Fix Windows 10 System Interrupts High CPU Usage

Before performing any of the recommended troubleshooting steps listed below it’s best to restart your computer first. This action refreshes the operating system and remove any corrupt temporary data that could be causing the problem.

System interrupts is an alerts system for the processor. It alerts the CPU of an event that needs its attention. The CPU will then stop and save what it is doing and address the alert first before going back to what it was previously doing. There are several factors that can cause the system interrupt to use too much CPU resources which can be due to a faulty hardware driver or even by external devices connected to the computer. Listed below are the troubleshooting steps you need to do to fix this problem.

Disable the USB Root Hubs

The first thing you will need to do in this case is to determine if a particular USB hub is causing this problem.

  • Press Windows + R, type “devmgmt.msc” and press Enter.
  • In the Device Manager expand the category of “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” and locate all the root hubs listed there.
  • Right-click on the root hub and select Properties.
  • Open the tab of “Power” and check if your devices are attached there. Your mouse and keyboard should show up if they are using this root hub. 
  • After identifying the root hub in use by your mouse and keyboard, disable all the other root hubs by right-clicking it and selecting “Disable”.
  • Reboot your computer.

Check if the windows 10 system interrupts high CPU usage issue still occurs.

Disable Audio Enhancements

You might have a sound driver that is using enhancements not supported by your computer. When this enhancement is activated it can cause this particular problem. To check if this is what’s causing the problem you should try to disable the audio enhancements.

  • Press Windows + R button to launch your Run
  • Type “Control Panel” to launch the application.
  • In the control panel, type “sound” on the search bar present at the top right side of the screen. Open the options of sound the return in the search result.
  • Once the sound options are opened, click on the audio device connected to your computer. Right-click and select Properties.
  • Go to the Enhancements tab and uncheck all the enhancements enabled (you can also check the box which says “Disable all enhancements”).
  • Select the Advanced tab and uncheck the exclusive mode where applications are allowed to override the settings. Save your changes and exit.

Check if the windows 10 system interrupts high CPU usage issue still occurs. If the issue persists then you should undo the changes you made to the audio enhancements.

Disable the Wake on Magic Packet settings

The Wake on Magic Packet setting is a feature that allows the network adapter to wake up your computer when data is transmitted. This is one of the factors that can cause this problem. You should try to disable this setting to check if this is the culprit and if it isn’t, enable it again.

  • Press Windows + R to launch the Run application on your computer. 
  • Type “devmgmt.msc” in the dialogue box and hit Enter.
  • In the device manager, all the devices connected to your computer will be listed according to categories. Click on Network Adapters for the drop down which contains further devices.
  • Select your Ethernet and WiFi device, right-click it and select Properties from the list of options.
  • Go to the Advanced tab. Go to the end of the list and you will find an option which says “Wake on Magic Packet”. Its value will be enabled. Select Disabled, save changes and exit.
  • Restart your computer.

Check if the Windows 10 system interrupts high CPU usage issue still occurs.

Turn off fast startup

  • Press Windows + R to launch the Run application. 
  • In the control panel, click on Power Options.
  • In the Power Options, click on “Choose what the power buttons do” present at the left side of the screen.
  • Click on “Change Settings that are currently unavailable”.
  • Go to the bottom of the screen and uncheck the box which says “Turn on fast startup”. Save changes and exit.
  • Restart your computer.

Check if the Windows 10 system interrupts high CPU usage issue still occurs.

Troubleshoot connected devices and drivers

If the above steps fails to fix the problem then you should start checking if a connected device or an installed driver is causing this problem.

  • Disconnect all external devices one by one and observe the CPU usage for a couple minutes. If it stays the same you can continue disconnecting other devices but if it lowers down significantly (to around 2-3%), it means that you have found the culprit.
  • If you are unable to detect any faulty external device then proceed on checking the internal devices. 
  • Press Windows + R, type “devmgmt.msc” and press Enter. 
  • In the device manager, target devices like network adapters, sound cards, and other add-on cards by disabling each device then check the CPU usage by system interrupts. If it doesn’t change and is still stable at 20-30%, it means the device you disabled isn’t the culprit and you have to move on to the next. Do not disable important system devices such as disk drives, display adapters, anything under computer, processor, or system device categories.
  • Update the device drivers of all devices present on your computer by right-clicking on the device and click “Update device driver”. Choose the search automatically for updated driver software option.

Check if the Windows 10 system interrupts high CPU usage issue still occurs.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android device that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your questions. Contact us using this form. We read every message we receive but can’t guarantee a quick response. If we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends.

Leave a Comment