High CPU Usage When Computer Is Running on Battery

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This article was previously published under Q257278

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SYMPTOMS

When a computer is running on battery power, it may experience a period of high processor utilization. Processor usage may reach 100 percent.

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Windows 2000 is polling the BIOS for the power status, but is not receiving the data that it expects. It polls again in a loop until the proper data is received. This puts the computer in a high-processor-utilization state.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260910/EN-US/ ) How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 1.

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