Jerky motion

[Guest Rich Pasco]

I have an XP computer about two years old. For the last several

months it's behaved in a very annoying way: Every second or so,

things which should be moving smoothly stop briefly, then continue.

These things include:

 

Mouse pointer movement - No matter how smoothly and evenly I move

the mouse, the pointer on the screen stops and jerks along its

way.

 

Video playback - Playing any video, the movement on the screen stops

every second or so, and then jerks to catch up. At first I thought

this was due to network delays, but it happens even with fully down-

loaded videos. This happens with any media play (WMP, Winamp, etc.)

 

This behavior is relatively new, but I can't recall when it first

started. The machine hasn't always behaved this way.

 

I monitor CPU activity with Windows Task Manager. The problem occurs

even when the CPU is only lightly loaded.

 

The duration of each stop (and hence the size of the jump needed to

catch up) seems to vary from day to day, but is never zero.

 

How can I diagnose what's causing this, and fix it? Ideas welcome.

 

- Rich

[Guest R. McCarty]

Re: Jerky motion

 

A number of causes, one thing may be that your disk/volume is "Dirty".

Means there is an inconsistent state - Data not where it's supposed to

be or other improper conditions. It's like the machine is trying to find &

use a specific piece of data and cannot find it. Best thing to do is open

a command prompt window and invoke a Chkdsk C: . This is a Read

only test and if the drive/volume is dirty the Chkdsk will recommend a

/F or /R qualifier to repair the inconsistencies. Best to always have your

data backed up, as a Chkdsk with Fix or Repair can and does remove

data to resolve the issues.

Click Start, Run (type) Cmd [Enter]

>Chkdsk C: [Enter]

Check the summary results for whether a /F or /R is called for.

 

"Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:uTDIGz0uIHA.5472@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>I have an XP computer about two years old. For the last several

> months it's behaved in a very annoying way: Every second or so,

> things which should be moving smoothly stop briefly, then continue.

> These things include:

>

> Mouse pointer movement - No matter how smoothly and evenly I move

> the mouse, the pointer on the screen stops and jerks along its

> way.

>

> Video playback - Playing any video, the movement on the screen stops

> every second or so, and then jerks to catch up. At first I thought

> this was due to network delays, but it happens even with fully down-

> loaded videos. This happens with any media play (WMP, Winamp, etc.)

>

> This behavior is relatively new, but I can't recall when it first

> started. The machine hasn't always behaved this way.

>

> I monitor CPU activity with Windows Task Manager. The problem occurs

> even when the CPU is only lightly loaded.

>

> The duration of each stop (and hence the size of the jump needed to

> catch up) seems to vary from day to day, but is never zero.

>

> How can I diagnose what's causing this, and fix it? Ideas welcome.

>

> - Rich

>

>

[Guest Rich Pasco]

Re: Jerky motion

 

Thank you.

 

I did already run CHKDSK /R before posting. It found and fixed a few

small things but this did not fix the jerky motion problem. I also

defragged the disk but this didn't fix it either.

 

I also ran thorough scans for viruses and spyware and it came up clean.

 

- Rich

 

R. McCarty wrote:

> A number of causes, one thing may be that your disk/volume is "Dirty".

> Means there is an inconsistent state - Data not where it's supposed to

> be or other improper conditions. It's like the machine is trying to find &

> use a specific piece of data and cannot find it. Best thing to do is open

> a command prompt window and invoke a Chkdsk C: . This is a Read

> only test and if the drive/volume is dirty the Chkdsk will recommend a

> /F or /R qualifier to repair the inconsistencies. Best to always have your

> data backed up, as a Chkdsk with Fix or Repair can and does remove

> data to resolve the issues.

> Click Start, Run (type) Cmd [Enter]

>>Chkdsk C: [Enter]

> Check the summary results for whether a /F or /R is called for.

>

> "Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

> news:uTDIGz0uIHA.5472@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>I have an XP computer about two years old. For the last several

>> months it's behaved in a very annoying way: Every second or so,

>> things which should be moving smoothly stop briefly, then continue.

>> These things include:

>>

>> Mouse pointer movement - No matter how smoothly and evenly I move

>> the mouse, the pointer on the screen stops and jerks along its

>> way.

>>

>> Video playback - Playing any video, the movement on the screen stops

>> every second or so, and then jerks to catch up. At first I thought

>> this was due to network delays, but it happens even with fully down-

>> loaded videos. This happens with any media play (WMP, Winamp, etc.)

>>

>> This behavior is relatively new, but I can't recall when it first

>> started. The machine hasn't always behaved this way.

>>

>> I monitor CPU activity with Windows Task Manager. The problem occurs

>> even when the CPU is only lightly loaded.

>>

>> The duration of each stop (and hence the size of the jump needed to

>> catch up) seems to vary from day to day, but is never zero.

>>

>> How can I diagnose what's causing this, and fix it? Ideas welcome.

>>

>> - Rich

>>

>>

>

>

[Guest R. McCarty]

Re: Jerky motion

 

OK, Thanks - then you're probably dealing with a CPU spike that

is halting the normal time-slicing that applications & processes need.

This can be things like IRQ calls from hardware or a background

process that is "Hogging" the CPU. I'd probably start with a tool

called Process Explorer from SysInternals. It gives a more detailed

view of the system loading than TaskMgr. Also since this is a new

condition you may want to review recent driver or application type

changes on the PC.

 

Process Explorer download found here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

 

"Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:OqI7OE1uIHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> Thank you.

>

> I did already run CHKDSK /R before posting. It found and fixed a few

> small things but this did not fix the jerky motion problem. I also

> defragged the disk but this didn't fix it either.

>

> I also ran thorough scans for viruses and spyware and it came up clean.

>

> - Rich

>

> R. McCarty wrote:

>

>> A number of causes, one thing may be that your disk/volume is "Dirty".

>> Means there is an inconsistent state - Data not where it's supposed to

>> be or other improper conditions. It's like the machine is trying to find

>> &

>> use a specific piece of data and cannot find it. Best thing to do is open

>> a command prompt window and invoke a Chkdsk C: . This is a Read

>> only test and if the drive/volume is dirty the Chkdsk will recommend a

>> /F or /R qualifier to repair the inconsistencies. Best to always have

>> your

>> data backed up, as a Chkdsk with Fix or Repair can and does remove

>> data to resolve the issues.

>> Click Start, Run (type) Cmd [Enter]

>>>Chkdsk C: [Enter]

>> Check the summary results for whether a /F or /R is called for.

>>

>> "Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

>> news:uTDIGz0uIHA.5472@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>I have an XP computer about two years old. For the last several

>>> months it's behaved in a very annoying way: Every second or so,

>>> things which should be moving smoothly stop briefly, then continue.

>>> These things include:

>>>

>>> Mouse pointer movement - No matter how smoothly and evenly I move

>>> the mouse, the pointer on the screen stops and jerks along its

>>> way.

>>>

>>> Video playback - Playing any video, the movement on the screen stops

>>> every second or so, and then jerks to catch up. At first I thought

>>> this was due to network delays, but it happens even with fully down-

>>> loaded videos. This happens with any media play (WMP, Winamp, etc.)

>>>

>>> This behavior is relatively new, but I can't recall when it first

>>> started. The machine hasn't always behaved this way.

>>>

>>> I monitor CPU activity with Windows Task Manager. The problem occurs

>>> even when the CPU is only lightly loaded.

>>>

>>> The duration of each stop (and hence the size of the jump needed to

>>> catch up) seems to vary from day to day, but is never zero.

>>>

>>> How can I diagnose what's causing this, and fix it? Ideas welcome.

>>>

>>> - Rich

>>>

>>>

>>

>>

[Guest Rich Pasco]

Re: Jerky motion

 

Thank you for your continued help. I do have Process Explorer

installed, but I'm at a loss as to how find anything useful for

this problem in the tons of data it displays.

 

On its main screen there is a line "Hardware Interrupts" which

occasionally shows one or two percent of CPU, but since this

screen is only updated once per second it doesn't have the temporal

resolution necessary to see the spike.

 

I have no idea exactly when it started, maybe six months ago, and

couldn't tell you what drivers were installed about then. I do run

Windows Update and it installs new stuff all the time (as do several

of my applications).

 

- Rich

 

R. McCarty wrote:

> OK, Thanks - then you're probably dealing with a CPU spike that

> is halting the normal time-slicing that applications & processes need.

> This can be things like IRQ calls from hardware or a background

> process that is "Hogging" the CPU. I'd probably start with a tool

> called Process Explorer from SysInternals. It gives a more detailed

> view of the system loading than TaskMgr. Also since this is a new

> condition you may want to review recent driver or application type

> changes on the PC.

>

> Process Explorer download found here:

> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

>

> "Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

> news:OqI7OE1uIHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>> Thank you.

>>

>> I did already run CHKDSK /R before posting. It found and fixed a few

>> small things but this did not fix the jerky motion problem. I also

>> defragged the disk but this didn't fix it either.

>>

>> I also ran thorough scans for viruses and spyware and it came up clean.

>>

>> - Rich

>>

>> R. McCarty wrote:

>>

>>> A number of causes, one thing may be that your disk/volume is "Dirty".

>>> Means there is an inconsistent state - Data not where it's supposed to

>>> be or other improper conditions. It's like the machine is trying to find

>>> &

>>> use a specific piece of data and cannot find it. Best thing to do is open

>>> a command prompt window and invoke a Chkdsk C: . This is a Read

>>> only test and if the drive/volume is dirty the Chkdsk will recommend a

>>> /F or /R qualifier to repair the inconsistencies. Best to always have

>>> your

>>> data backed up, as a Chkdsk with Fix or Repair can and does remove

>>> data to resolve the issues.

>>> Click Start, Run (type) Cmd [Enter]

>>>>Chkdsk C: [Enter]

>>> Check the summary results for whether a /F or /R is called for.

>>>

>>> "Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

>>> news:uTDIGz0uIHA.5472@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>I have an XP computer about two years old. For the last several

>>>> months it's behaved in a very annoying way: Every second or so,

>>>> things which should be moving smoothly stop briefly, then continue.

>>>> These things include:

>>>>

>>>> Mouse pointer movement - No matter how smoothly and evenly I move

>>>> the mouse, the pointer on the screen stops and jerks along its

>>>> way.

>>>>

>>>> Video playback - Playing any video, the movement on the screen stops

>>>> every second or so, and then jerks to catch up. At first I thought

>>>> this was due to network delays, but it happens even with fully down-

>>>> loaded videos. This happens with any media play (WMP, Winamp, etc.)

>>>>

>>>> This behavior is relatively new, but I can't recall when it first

>>>> started. The machine hasn't always behaved this way.

>>>>

>>>> I monitor CPU activity with Windows Task Manager. The problem occurs

>>>> even when the CPU is only lightly loaded.

>>>>

>>>> The duration of each stop (and hence the size of the jump needed to

>>>> catch up) seems to vary from day to day, but is never zero.

>>>>

>>>> How can I diagnose what's causing this, and fix it? Ideas welcome.

>>>>

>>>> - Rich

>>>>

>>>>

>>>

>>>

>

>

[Guest R. McCarty]

Re: Jerky motion

 

Difficult problem to isolate. Have you added any new hardware to the

PC ? Sometimes on older PCs with a single enhanced USB controller

you can end up with "Jerky" operation from an overloaded USB Hub.

This is especially true if your mouse is connected via USB or has a

Wireless receiver that connects thru a USB port.

 

"Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23Hd2mR1uIHA.4260@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> Thank you for your continued help. I do have Process Explorer

> installed, but I'm at a loss as to how find anything useful for

> this problem in the tons of data it displays.

>

> On its main screen there is a line "Hardware Interrupts" which

> occasionally shows one or two percent of CPU, but since this

> screen is only updated once per second it doesn't have the temporal

> resolution necessary to see the spike.

>

> I have no idea exactly when it started, maybe six months ago, and

> couldn't tell you what drivers were installed about then. I do run

> Windows Update and it installs new stuff all the time (as do several

> of my applications).

>

> - Rich

>

> R. McCarty wrote:

>

>> OK, Thanks - then you're probably dealing with a CPU spike that

>> is halting the normal time-slicing that applications & processes need.

>> This can be things like IRQ calls from hardware or a background

>> process that is "Hogging" the CPU. I'd probably start with a tool

>> called Process Explorer from SysInternals. It gives a more detailed

>> view of the system loading than TaskMgr. Also since this is a new

>> condition you may want to review recent driver or application type

>> changes on the PC.

>>

>> Process Explorer download found here:

>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

>>

>> "Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

>> news:OqI7OE1uIHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>> Thank you.

>>>

>>> I did already run CHKDSK /R before posting. It found and fixed a few

>>> small things but this did not fix the jerky motion problem. I also

>>> defragged the disk but this didn't fix it either.

>>>

>>> I also ran thorough scans for viruses and spyware and it came up clean.

>>>

>>> - Rich

>>>

>>> R. McCarty wrote:

>>>

>>>> A number of causes, one thing may be that your disk/volume is "Dirty".

>>>> Means there is an inconsistent state - Data not where it's supposed to

>>>> be or other improper conditions. It's like the machine is trying to

>>>> find

>>>> &

>>>> use a specific piece of data and cannot find it. Best thing to do is

>>>> open

>>>> a command prompt window and invoke a Chkdsk C: . This is a Read

>>>> only test and if the drive/volume is dirty the Chkdsk will recommend a

>>>> /F or /R qualifier to repair the inconsistencies. Best to always have

>>>> your

>>>> data backed up, as a Chkdsk with Fix or Repair can and does remove

>>>> data to resolve the issues.

>>>> Click Start, Run (type) Cmd [Enter]

>>>>>Chkdsk C: [Enter]

>>>> Check the summary results for whether a /F or /R is called for.

>>>>

>>>> "Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

>>>> news:uTDIGz0uIHA.5472@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>>>>I have an XP computer about two years old. For the last several

>>>>> months it's behaved in a very annoying way: Every second or so,

>>>>> things which should be moving smoothly stop briefly, then continue.

>>>>> These things include:

>>>>>

>>>>> Mouse pointer movement - No matter how smoothly and evenly I move

>>>>> the mouse, the pointer on the screen stops and jerks along its

>>>>> way.

>>>>>

>>>>> Video playback - Playing any video, the movement on the screen stops

>>>>> every second or so, and then jerks to catch up. At first I thought

>>>>> this was due to network delays, but it happens even with fully

>>>>> down-

>>>>> loaded videos. This happens with any media play (WMP, Winamp,

>>>>> etc.)

>>>>>

>>>>> This behavior is relatively new, but I can't recall when it first

>>>>> started. The machine hasn't always behaved this way.

>>>>>

>>>>> I monitor CPU activity with Windows Task Manager. The problem occurs

>>>>> even when the CPU is only lightly loaded.

>>>>>

>>>>> The duration of each stop (and hence the size of the jump needed to

>>>>> catch up) seems to vary from day to day, but is never zero.

>>>>>

>>>>> How can I diagnose what's causing this, and fix it? Ideas welcome.

>>>>>

>>>>> - Rich

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>

>>

[Guest Rich Pasco]

Re: Jerky motion

 

Thanks, well, Process Explorer did solve one mystery, but I don't know

if it's related: Sometimes Task Manager shows the CPU as 80-90% busy

but when I look at task list it shows most of the CPU time being taken

by System Idle Process, so how could it be so busy if idle? Process

Explorer shows this time going to Hardware Interrupts. But this is only

occasionally, and the jerky motion is every second.

 

I did add a USB hub about six months ago but the only thing connected

to it is a printer (that's not printing anything, when the jerkiness

continues). I'll experiment with removing it and post back.

 

- Rich

 

 

R. McCarty wrote:

> Difficult problem to isolate. Have you added any new hardware to the

> PC ? Sometimes on older PCs with a single enhanced USB controller

> you can end up with "Jerky" operation from an overloaded USB Hub.

> This is especially true if your mouse is connected via USB or has a

> Wireless receiver that connects thru a USB port.

[Guest R. McCarty]

Re: Jerky motion

 

System Idle Process is a computer's way of "Drumming it's fingers"

( Bored, nothing to do ).

 

"Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:emX4311uIHA.5832@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Thanks, well, Process Explorer did solve one mystery, but I don't know

> if it's related: Sometimes Task Manager shows the CPU as 80-90% busy

> but when I look at task list it shows most of the CPU time being taken

> by System Idle Process, so how could it be so busy if idle? Process

> Explorer shows this time going to Hardware Interrupts. But this is only

> occasionally, and the jerky motion is every second.

>

> I did add a USB hub about six months ago but the only thing connected

> to it is a printer (that's not printing anything, when the jerkiness

> continues). I'll experiment with removing it and post back.

>

> - Rich

>

>

> R. McCarty wrote:

>

>> Difficult problem to isolate. Have you added any new hardware to the

>> PC ? Sometimes on older PCs with a single enhanced USB controller

>> you can end up with "Jerky" operation from an overloaded USB Hub.

>> This is especially true if your mouse is connected via USB or has a

>> Wireless receiver that connects thru a USB port.

[Guest Rich Pasco]

Windows Task Manager and Hardware Interrupts (was: Jerky motion)

 

Windows Task Manager and Hardware Interrupts (was: Jerky motion)

 

R. McCarty wrote:

> System Idle Process is a computer's way of "Drumming it's fingers"

> ( Bored, nothing to do ).

 

Yes, I know that.

 

What I was saying was that there is an apparent discrepancy between

two presentations of Task Manager: the graphical CPU Usage chart on

the "Performance" tab, and the CPU column in the task list on the

"Processes" tab. I had expected that the chart would show the total

of all tasks other than System Idle. But I noticed that sometimes the

chart would show the CPU as 80% busy, whereas the task list would show

the CPU 70% in System Idle Process. Since 70% + 80% = 150% I wondered

how that could be.

 

With the aid of Process Explorer, which further subdivides the time in

System Idle Process into hardware interrupt services, I inferred that

the Task Manager chart shows as "busy" the CPU time spent in interrupt

service, although the task list includes this in System Idle Process.

 

In the above example then, the breakdown which would account for the

explanation is:

30% Software tasks

50% Hardware interrupts

20% System truly idle

 

The chart would include the first two in its "80% busy", and the Task

List would include the last two in its "70% System Idle Process".

 

Have I figured this out correctly?

 

- Rich

[Guest Rich Pasco]

Re: Jerky motion

 

I disconnected my USB hub from the PC, but it made no difference in

the "Jerky Motion" problem. I reconnected it but the PC couldn't

communicate with any of the peripherals on it until I rebooted the PC,

after which the "Jerky Motion" problem seemed to be reduced just a

little, but not solved. I installed the SP3 upgrade and it made no

difference.

 

Here's what I see in Device Manager:

 

Universal Serial Bus controllers

- Generic USB Hub

- Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2658

- Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2650

- Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265A

- Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265B

- Intel 82801FB/FBM USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 265C

- USB Printing Support

- USB Root Hub

- USB Root Hub

- USB Root Hub

- USB Root Hub

- USB Root Hub

 

What does this look like, in reference to your comment about an

overloaded USB Hub? My WiFi receiver connects to the system board

directly, not via USB.

 

- Rich

 

 

Rich Pasco wrote:

> Thanks, well, Process Explorer did solve one mystery, but I don't know

> if it's related: Sometimes Task Manager shows the CPU as 80-90% busy

> but when I look at task list it shows most of the CPU time being taken

> by System Idle Process, so how could it be so busy if idle? Process

> Explorer shows this time going to Hardware Interrupts. But this is only

> occasionally, and the jerky motion is every second.

>

> I did add a USB hub about six months ago but the only thing connected

> to it is a printer (that's not printing anything, when the jerkiness

> continues). I'll experiment with removing it and post back.

>

> - Rich

>

>

> R. McCarty wrote:

>

>> Difficult problem to isolate. Have you added any new hardware to the

>> PC ? Sometimes on older PCs with a single enhanced USB controller

>> you can end up with "Jerky" operation from an overloaded USB Hub.

>> This is especially true if your mouse is connected via USB or has a

>> Wireless receiver that connects thru a USB port.

[Guest Unknown]

Re: Jerky motion

 

Have you tried cleaning out your startup folder? Run msconfig and edit

startup till you locate the causing program.

Shut down all virus programs first.

"Rich Pasco" <richp1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:uoa3ed9uIHA.1328@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I disconnected my USB hub from the PC, but it made no difference in

> the "Jerky Motion" problem. I reconnected it but the PC couldn't

> communicate with any of the peripherals on it until I rebooted the PC,

> after which the "Jerky Motion" problem seemed to be reduced just a

> little, but not solved. I installed the SP3 upgrade and it made no

> difference.

>

> Here's what I see in Device Manager:

>

> Universal Serial Bus controllers

> - Generic USB Hub

> - Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2658

> - Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2650

> - Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265A

> - Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265B

> - Intel 82801FB/FBM USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 265C

> - USB Printing Support

> - USB Root Hub

> - USB Root Hub

> - USB Root Hub

> - USB Root Hub

> - USB Root Hub

>

> What does this look like, in reference to your comment about an

> overloaded USB Hub? My WiFi receiver connects to the system board

> directly, not via USB.

>

> - Rich

>

>

> Rich Pasco wrote:

>

>> Thanks, well, Process Explorer did solve one mystery, but I don't know

>> if it's related: Sometimes Task Manager shows the CPU as 80-90% busy

>> but when I look at task list it shows most of the CPU time being taken

>> by System Idle Process, so how could it be so busy if idle? Process

>> Explorer shows this time going to Hardware Interrupts. But this is only

>> occasionally, and the jerky motion is every second.

>>

>> I did add a USB hub about six months ago but the only thing connected

>> to it is a printer (that's not printing anything, when the jerkiness

>> continues). I'll experiment with removing it and post back.

>>

>> - Rich

>>

>>

>> R. McCarty wrote:

>>

>>> Difficult problem to isolate. Have you added any new hardware to the

>>> PC ? Sometimes on older PCs with a single enhanced USB controller

>>> you can end up with "Jerky" operation from an overloaded USB Hub.

>>> This is especially true if your mouse is connected via USB or has a

>>> Wireless receiver that connects thru a USB port.