[Discuss] chronic cpu spikes - X and kworker have gone mad

[eric.chadbourne at gmail.com (Eric Chadbourne)]

hi all,

i'm playing with a new laptop.  tried running ubuntu 11.04 but it kept 
crashing.  tried running fedora 15 but it kept crashing.  guessed it had 
something to do with the environment so i installed xubuntu.  it's 
currently not crashing but i am getting a constant stream of spikes in 
cpu usage.  it appears x and kworker are eating up almost 100% of the 
cpu about once a second.

any tips on how to stop this?  all my other linux boxes are happy.  but 
this inexpensive laptop is giving me the blues.

tia,

eric c  (the one who said he was going to get a new laptop from system76 
but tried to save cash)