CPU usage

[Robert Fitzpatrick]

I've always had cpu usage problems with Linux on this one machine, my
workstation. Throughout the day my cpu spikes up and down and, at least
once, evolution 2.10 on Ubuntu Fiesty will send my cpu to 100%. If I
can't manage to get it shut down prior to locking up my system, I
restart X (Ctrl+Alt+Backspace) and login, all is well again...sometimes
must reset the computer. I had previously thought that this is due to
Evolution and my LDAP lookup, but since disabled all that and now
realize that it happens even with Evo closed. It seems to happen when
video on the web or Java or opening PDF's.

I have upgraded to Gutsy and still have the problem. Some things I might
suspect are my Matrox G550 dual monitor video card or maybe some KDE
apps that I run like kalarm and karm. These are the only things I can
think of that my laptop does not have, which works great with no
crashes. My question is how to proceed in troubleshooting this issue?

-- 
Robert