Solved: Windows Server 100% CPU Utilization (5 Ways)

Why is My CPU Usage so High on Windows Server?

CPU (central processing unit) serves as a computer's brain, directing instructions to major components like the graphics card and RAM. Abnormal high CPU usage can lead to various computer issues, such as stuttering, becoming unresponsive, or crashing. Usually, high CPU usage can be caused by common reasons including:

• Applications and processes running in the background
• Resource-intensive applications like video/graphic editing tools and games
• virus or malware attack
• Improper configuration of hardware

On this page, we devote ourselves to solving the problem of Windows Server 100% CPU utilization. If you are struggling with the same issue, keep reading to find useful solutions now.

5 Ways to Troubleshoot Windows Server 100% CPU Utilization

How do I fix high CPU usage on my server? There are some common fixes for high CPU load. You can rely on them to resolve Windows Server 2012 high CPU usage, Windows Server 2016 100% CPU utilization, or similar problems on other server systems.

Method 1. Restart Your Computer

When there is something weird with your resources, whether 100% CPU load, high memory usage, or something else entirely, this is generally the first step you should take. Restarting the system helps clear caches, halt running processes, and allow background updates or patches to be completed. However, it's important to note that a reboot may not provide a permanent solution if your PC consistently experiences high CPU load.

Method 2. Use Task Manager to End High CPU Consumption Processes

Some high CPU consumption processes like games or background processes may be the culprit of Windows Server high CPU usage on Mac or Windows. Using Task Manager to find processes running unnecessarily and chewing up your processing resources may help the issue.

Step 1. Access Task Manager with the key combination Ctrl + Shift + Esc, or typing taskmgr inside the Run or Search dialog boxes.

Step 2. Click the Processes tab.

Step 3. Click the CPU header at the top of the table to sort by usage.

Step 4. Then, right-click the high CPU consumption processes that are needless to run one by one, and select End Task. Then, check if it is helpful for high CPU utilization troubleshooting.

Method 3. Update Old Drivers

When the system process puts a lot of pressure on the CPU, how to resolve high CPU utilization in Windows Server? In this case, old or suboptimal drivers may be at fault. Drivers control specific devices connected to your motherboard, and updating them can eliminate compatibility issues or bugs causing increased CPU usage. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Type Device Manager in the search box and open it.

Step 2. Select Disk drives and choose one of your disks, then right-click it to select Update driver.

Step 3. Click on Search automatically for drivers on the pop-up window.

Step 4. If this drive is the newest one, close the window and proceed to select all remaining hardware, ensuring that all hardware drivers are up to date. Afterward, reboot your computer.

Method 4. Change Power Options

Some power settings can throttle the speed of your CPU. So, you can also try to modify your power options to solve Windows Server 2016 CPU utilization 100% or on other server systems.

Step 1. Open Control Panel and select Power Options.

Step 2. At the top-left, click Create a power plan.

Step 3. Click Show additional plans to choose a non-power saver plan.

Method 5. Run a Virus Scan

If the issue persists, there's a possibility that malware is disguising itself as a normal Windows process. Certain malicious programs may consume CPU and GPU bandwidth for various purposes while appearing in Task Manager under familiar names like "Cortana.exe" or "Runtime Broker."Thus, you can run a full scan of your system with a reputable antivirus program to check for malware.

Backup Your Windows Server for Data Protection and Disaster Recovery

With all the above methods, solving Windows Server high CPU usage is easy. But We can see that the cause of the problem involves driver update viruses, malware, etc. Some of them are big threats to the security of your computer system and data.

Therefore, we recommend you to backup create a backup for your important server data for security. AOMEI Backupper Server is professional and reliable backup software that is capable of backing up system, disk, partition, and files/folders on Server 2022/2019/2016/2012(R2)/2008(R2)/2003, etc. Along with comprehensive backup capabilities, you can enjoy the following advantages:

🌈 It supports you to create backup on external hard drive, local disk, network drive, NAS, USB flash drive, cloud storage, etc.
🌈 You can establish auto backup in daily, weekly, monthly, USB plug in, and event triggers for continuous protection.
🌈 It offers incremental backup and differential backup to backup only changed and newly added files to save your time and disk space.
🌈 It can also help you create a recovery environment or bootable USB for your Windows Server to restore a crashed system.

Here we take create a data backup as an example to show you the detailed guide. You can also use it to create restore point on Windows Server easily using its System Backup feature.

Step 1. Open AOMEI Backupper and navigate to the Backup -> File Backup.

Step 2. Click Add Folder or Add File to choose the items you want to backup.

Step 3. Then, click the second bar to pick the destination path as needed.

Step 4. (Optional) Click Schedule Backup and enable it, then select Daily/Weekly/Monthly/ USB plug in/Event triggers. After enabled, this software will create incremental backups automatically.

Step 5. Tap on Start Backup to create a backup for your important data with ease.

Frequently Asked Questions about High CPU Usage on Windows Server

#1. Can CPU utilization go over 100%?

Yes, CPUs are designed to operate safely at 100% CPU utilization. However, if you have more than one CPU core on your device, like having 4 cores of CPU, each core represents 100% CPU. This means that with 4 cores, you can use up to 400% CPU.

#2. How much CPU usage is too High?

Consistent CPU usage remaining at 80 percent or higher for extended periods can significantly impact the performance of your system or applications. For this reason, it's crucial to identify the cause of sustained high CPU usage to be able to address the issue, if possible.

#3. Why is Windows Server 2016 high CPU usage after update?

Windows update high CPU usage can be attributed to various factors, including too many actively running background applications, insufficient RAM, a corrupted Windows update process, virus infection, and more. It's advisable to investigate these potential causes and take corrective measures to release CPU usage.

In the End

That's all the solutions to fix Windows Server 100% CPU utilization. It is highly recommended to always create a backup for your vital data or entire system to prevent accidents. AOMEI Backupper Server offers comprehensive backup options for your server data.

Besides, you can easily transfer data from one computer to another, like moving files from Server 2016 to 2022 using its Sync function and migrate Active Directory from 2008 to 2019 or vice versa with the Clone function. All in all, it's worth trying backup software to protect your computer!