I have SQL Server 2005 Beta 2 on my laptop for few months and every now and then I find my laptop to be very sluggish. In the task manager sqlservr.exe shows 98-99%.
It is only a week ago I found why that might happen and a workaround.
I noticed that SQL only eats up the CPU when I have SQL Server Management Studio loaded with a table open. Even when it is inactive for few days for some reason SQL goes nuts and hogs CPU at 99% for hours.
Workaround for this is to close the Management Studio and then open it again few minutes later.
I now load the Management Studio only when I need it and look forward to the SQL Server 2005 release.