TeaTimer 99% CPU Utilization if Exited and Restarted (v1.6.0.30)

[Zer0 Voltage]

Looks like I have found a problem similar to the one I previously reported here during the beta phase:

http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=30453#7

On an XP SP3 system, if I fully exit TeaTimer and then restart it sometime later the process will immediately start utilizing 99% of the CPU and stay that way until I close it again. It will then not work normally again until after a reboot.

Unlike the previous bug, however, it does not actually crash. It just keeps running at 99%. But I assume the problems are related since everything is the same except for the full program crash.

Since it doesn't crash or generate any error messages, and since I cannot reproduce this on my other XP SP3 system, what sort of information would you need from me?

Thanks.

[Greyfox]

...On an XP SP3 system, if I fully exit TeaTimer and then restart it sometime later the process will immediately start utilizing 99% of the CPU and stay that way until I close it again. It will then not work normally again until after a reboot...

Zer0 Voltage,

My experience is not quite the same as yours, but is still a little strange. When I tick the Teatimer box in Tools>Resident, Teatimer uses 49-50% CPU solidly for a period of almost exactly 1 minute, then drops virtually to zero and works normally. If I untick it, then retick it again after a few seconds, it does exactly the same thing again. This is on a Core 2 Duo PC with 1GB memory, XP-Home SP3 and all current updates. Avast 4.8.1218 AV and Zone Alarm F/W. Spybot 6.1.0.30. My question is what is it doing for the 1 minute each time. On a brighter note Teatimer now seems to be only using 25,868K memory.

Edit: Install of 1.6 version was a clean one done after full uninstall of 1.5.2 version, including removal of all immunisations, reports, backups, folders etc in case this is relevant.

[Zer0 Voltage]

Mine is a 2.8 GHz P4 (lowly single) with 1 Gig of RAM.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus 3.0.667.0, but no software firewall.

And this was a clean install since I was testing all of the betas and RC's and therefore did full removals each time before upgrading.

I do not see your specific problem, but I do now notice that TeaTimer is also hitting 99% CPU for 1 minute when it first comes up after a reboot!

But so long as I don't fully close it, that doesn't happen again - even if I tick it as you describe.

And whenever TT is CPU hogging it's also page faulting like crazy.

:crazy: :D:

[Zer0 Voltage]

I can now reproduce this problem on any XP SP3 system, though to varying degrees.

In every case, I see a TT CPU spike when it first initializes after a reboot and again whenever it is manually restarted after fully exiting.

But on some systems, it does eventually recover from the exit/restart spike (while on others it never does). It recovers from the initial load spike (after booting up) on all systems though.

At least so far I have not figured out the difference between the systems on which it recovers and those on which it doesn't.

I would still call this a problem even on systems that eventually recover though. The spikes aren't normal and lock out the system when they happen.

[129260]

spikes that high when allowing or denying changes....then goes normal....but memory usage is much lower then before!! Thank god haha. teatimer currently using 33,236 k mem usage after allowing/denying changes.

It should be noted:

It is 20,248 k mem usage when reboot is done and no accept deny change is made. Clean install of 1.6.

[fernandn]

I have exactly the same comportment with Teatimer on 1 PC. My second PC works fine for this moment. My PCs work with XP SP3, Antivir, AdAware...

[drragostea]

Seems a bit odd for me...

129260, how many processes are you running currently? Use Task Manager?

I have 30 processes and TeaTimer is only running 14MB D:<

[Zer0 Voltage]

In my case it's using ~28 Meg RAM and ~25 Meg VM. Don't remember what v1.5 used though...

Oddly enough, I do not see CPU spikes when TT is doing its normal tasks (like allowing or denying something).

At least it's good to know I'm not the only person seeing it on some systems and not on others. :D:

[129260]

Seems a bit odd for me...

129260, how many processes are you running currently? Use Task Manager?

I have 30 processes and TeaTimer is only running 14MB D:<

I have with everything closed (just background and start menu) 40 processes. :cowboy:

[fernandn]

I have exactly the same comportment with Teatimer on 1 PC. My second PC works fine for this moment. My PCs work with XP SP3, Antivir, AdAware...

To be clear ! When I open my PCs (both) Teatimer uses 100% CPU durin a long time, after it's OK... Maybe !:sad:

[129260]

I only......
notice high spikes that occur for a very short time but then they go down again. For some reason you and 2 other people are experiencing this issue where it stays that way. Did you perhaps upgrade without uninstalling the older spybot first? just wondering.

[md usa spybot fan]

After logging on my system the initial loading and setup of TeaTimer.exe (1.6.0.20) is taking approximately 2 minutes and 43 seconds of CPU time on my 2.40GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor before settling down. That does seem like an extreme amount of CPU time and seems more that I witness in the past with other versions. I believe that cause of this amount of CPU utilization warrants looking into.

[Greyfox]

... I believe that cause of this amount of CPU utilization warrants looking into.

Yes md usa spybot fan, I agree with you. I'm surprised that there has been no comment to date on this thread from any of the Spybot Team

[129260]

is sorta part of the team. He is an advisor :) So i am sure he will let them know about it. :)

[wyrmrider]

MD
does this two Minuit drill happen every time or just once after updates or re-immunization

Counterspy takes even longer after an update
it must be loading registry entries for real time protection or something
hopefully doing useful work and not just "timing out"

there may be trade offs between "always resident" -load at start up ( and take up memory all the time)
and "load what we need on first use"

It will be interesting to see what the bottom line is here

I'm hoping well thought out trade-offs not bugs

[md usa spybot fan]

wyrmrider:

I just terminated TeaTimer.exe and restarted it. When it restarted it ran 98% CPU Utilization most of the time, periodically dropping to 97%, 95% and a couple of times as low as 92%. Before the CPU Utilization dropped to 0% and TeaTimer.exe started its normal wake up and check routine it took 2 minutes and 51 seconds of CPU time.

So to answer your question, it is not just after updates, etc. It seems like it happens every time TeaTimer.exe starts.

[129260]

is it does not do that for me........I am unable to have it do that using the same technique....for me it only does it when updating and occasionally it does for 40 seconds take 100% of my cpu. But then it works correctly and goes back to normal when i browse the Internet. And it only happens once a day. But for me it does not take 2 minutes and 51 seconds like it did for md spybot fan. But i agree, there is something still not right with teatimer memory and cpu usage.

[md usa spybot fan]

129260:

That's 2 minutes and 51 seconds of CPU time so the elapsed time is longer.

[burfie]

It was a steady 60-70% cpu for me, always, until I just disabled it.

[md usa spybot fan]

See the following thread:
TeaTimer CPU load after startup thoughts
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=30994