Why is my CPU maxing out at 100% and WMP breaking up?

[Falcon9519]

After about a half hour of recording, at least one of my CPU max's out at around 100%. The sound coming from WMP becomes distorted when my CPU usage is so high. I cannot record more than 4 tracks for a 3 minute piece, or else the computer starts running super fast. I am running Windows 7 on a Dell Vostro 1520 laptop. I have 4 GB RAM (2.99 usuable), 32 bit operating system, 196 GB free on hard drive, Intel Core Duo 2.20 GHz.

After recording, the CPU does not go back to normal, it continues to run at around 100%, and so when I attempt to play my recording using WMP, the sound comes out clipped, choppy, and starts and stops.

I am not recording the 4 tracks simultaneously. I am recording them individually. I am using the default 44100 Project Rate. When I record, I plug my digital piano directly into the front of my computer into the microphone jack. I've tried to record at a slower sampling rate, but Audacity always seems to automatically reset the sampling rate to 44100.

Someone suggested I adjust the "Default Format (Shared Mode) / Exclusive Mode and sample rate selection", but the directions were much too complicated for me to understand.

Please help. This problem has just recently appeared. I have already recorded two CD's without problem or incident, but in the last week suddenly this problem has appeared. It has now gotten so bad, that WMP can't even play a single song without breaking up (this is now happening whether or not I use Audacity).

Thanks.
Laurence

[steve]

Have a look in the Task Manager and see which process is running at such a high CPU load.

[Falcon9519]

Have a look in the Task Manager and see which process is running at such a high CPU load.

Thanks for the reply Steve. Just a moment ago, I checked the processes. I was burning a CD at the time.
explorer.exe
wmplayer.exe
taskmgr.exe

I did not have Internet Explorer open. All three are rapidly changing position.

I now opened IE to write this email (WMP is still oepn) and here are the process results:
wmplayer.exe
System Idle P
svchost.exe
iexplore.exe
System
taskmagr.exe

These are all quickly changing position. CPU is at 100%. It is difficult to type this email.

[steve]

I've not got Windows 7, but can you order the processes list to get them displayed in order of CPU usage? Does it show the CPU usage? Any of the processes pushing over 80%?

[Falcon9519]

I've not got Windows 7, but can you order the processes list to get them displayed in order of CPU usage? Does it show the CPU usage? Any of the processes pushing over 80%?

Thanks for responding Steve. Yes, Windows 7 can do this.

When I have Audacity running, wmplayer.exe takes up the most space 51% and taskmagr.exe about 21%.