CPU temperature and load spiking too high

[kitretsu]

IMy laptop's CPU utilization is extremely high, even when no applications are running. The usage fluctuates between 50-100%, and the temperature also rises significantly, sometimes reaching 90-92°C. I recently applied new thermal paste and cleaned the fan just 2-3 days ago, but the issue persists. What could be the possible reasons, and how can I fix this?

[zoey7886]

@kitretsu, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your laptop's CPU! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

I understand how frustrating it must be to see your CPU usage and temperature spike so high, especially after recently applying new thermal paste and cleaning the fan. Let's work through this together and figure out what’s causing it.

Background Processes – Even if no apps are open, some processes might still be running in the background. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) → Processes tab and check what’s using the most CPU. If you see a suspicious process, let me know what it is!

Windows Updates or Indexing – Sometimes, Windows might be updating or indexing files in the background. Check if there are any pending updates or indexing tasks running.

Malware or Cryptomining – High CPU usage with no obvious cause could be due to malware. Run a full scan using Windows Defender or any trusted antivirus software to rule this out.

Power Settings & Performance Mode – If your laptop is set to High Performance mode, it might be keeping the CPU running at max speed. Try switching to Balanced mode in Control Panel → Power Options and see if it helps.

BIOS & Driver Updates – Outdated BIOS or chipset drivers can sometimes cause performance issues. Check the HP Support Assistant or HP website to see if there are updates available.

A Few Questions to Dig Deeper:

Have you noticed any specific process or service in Task Manager that’s consuming a lot of CPU?

Does the CPU fan speed up and sound loud when the temperature rises, or does it stay relatively quiet?

Have you made any recent software changes, like installing new apps or updates, around the time this issue started?

Let me know what you find, and we’ll go from there! 😊  

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

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Regards,