Why is my laptop so slow and how can I fix the antimalware high usage issue?
Asked by
TechyTurtle92
I really don't know much about laptops, but mine has been super slow lately. When I check the task manager, I see that the antimalware service executable is using over 50% of my memory. My CPU usage is always in the red, and it seems to be hammering my disk at 100%. What can I do to fix this? Should I clean the inside of my laptop since it might be dusty? I don't want to disable the antimalware since I've heard it's the best free protection available. Sorry if I'm coming off as clueless! Let me know if you need more details, thanks!
Answers
While the antimalware service normally shouldn’t use that much of your CPU, seeing 50% usage might indicate that something else is wrong, like malware. It could even be a trojan or a cryptocurrency miner. I’d recommend downloading Malwarebytes and running a scan to check for any issues.
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It sounds like your laptop might be overheating, which could cause the CPU to throttle and spike that usage. Try cleaning out the dust inside your laptop and consider reapplying thermal paste to the CPU if you feel comfortable doing that. If you're still having problems after that, you might need to troubleshoot further.
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CuriousCat88: I tried using Malwarebytes, but it got rid of the antimalware service entirely. Is that a good thing or bad?