XP Systems Running Slowly or Non-Responsive due to wuauclt.exe hoggingmemory

[MowGreen]

This was posted 4 hours ago in the Windows Update forum by Keith, MS
Support Engineer:
http://social.answers.microsoft.com...fbda084/#baf3e55a-fc4a-4915-a2f0-3e7f559c7c46

" If you are currently experiencing issues with XP running slowing due
to the wuauclt.exe using too much memory, we are interested in hearing
from you. Please send an email to (e-mail address removed) and include your
forum display name and contact information.


Important: When you are composing the email, be sure to include “XP
Wuauclt.exe” in the subject line. In the body of the email, please
describe the exact symptoms that you are experiencing, your forum
display name, a link to any forum thread that applies to your issue, and
any other information that you feel is relevant to your issue.

Also include the following information:

XP Service Pack level

Antivirus Installed

Amount of RAM


Please note that this is not a normal support channel and you may not be
contacted for a follow up. In the event that you are not contacted, you
may find additional support options at http://support.microsoft.com."

For those who do not use the new forums, include the Subject, Author,
Date and Time of the thread you've posted in this NNTP newsgroup -
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

Also, please include whether the system has been opted into Microsoft
Update (MU) or if it's updating from Windows Update (WU).

If Internet Explorer lands here, the system is updating from WU:

update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate

If IE lands here, the system is updating from MU:

update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

 

[Teflon]

This was posted 4 hours ago in the Windows Update forum by Keith, MS
Support Engineer:http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/7f401...

" If you are currently experiencing issues with XP running slowing due
to the wuauclt.exe using too much memory, we are interested in hearing
from you. Please send an email to (e-mail address removed)  and include your
forum display name and contact information.

Important:  When you are composing the email, be sure to include “XP
Wuauclt.exe” in the subject line.  In the body of the email, please
describe the exact symptoms that you are experiencing, your forum
display name, a link to any forum thread that applies to your issue, and
any other information that you feel is relevant to your issue.

Also include the following information:

XP Service Pack level

Antivirus Installed

Amount of RAM

Please note that this is not a normal support channel and you may not be
contacted for a follow up.  In the event that you are not contacted, you
may find additional support options athttp://support.microsoft.com."

For those who do not use the new forums, include the Subject, Author,
Date and Time of the thread you've posted in this NNTP newsgroup -
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

Also, please include whether the system has been opted into Microsoft
Update (MU) or if it's updating from Windows Update (WU).

If Internet Explorer lands here, the system is updating from WU:

update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate

If IE lands here, the system is updating from MU:

update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate

MowGreen
================
  *-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

Mow, I went to that thread, but did find the referenced post by Keith,
MS Support Engineer. Since the email address in your copy of Keith's
post is muxed, I have not sent an email to MS to add my 2 cents worth
regarding my experience with this problem. Although, I am sure MS has
more emails than they can handle, providing others were able to find
Keith's post and got the email address. If you have that email
address, you could pass my experience along to add to the dog-pile.

My 2 computers - XP Pro SP3 - were experiencing the slow down -
wuauclt - prior to the Aug 10 mass update. I turned off AutoUpdate,
killed wuauclt, flipped back to WU and installed Open Office to get
around the 'no updates' for Office 2003 fiasco. No other 'important'
MS apps installed. Seems to me the problem may have to do with MS'
discontinuance of the Office Update site and rolling all updates in to
MU.

I installed MSE for a short time about 6 months ago, but uninstalled
it because of a long update cycle, very similar to what a lot of folks
are now experiencing. Reactivated Avira's AntiVir and running good,
until I thought I would see if MU was working for the Aug 10 update,
it wasn't - unending scan. Went through the kill, turn-off, flip
routine again and all is back to snappy. WU took care of the Aug 10
deluge just fine.

 

[MowGreen]

Mow, I went to that thread, but did find the referenced post by Keith,
MS Support Engineer. Since the email address in your copy of Keith's
post is muxed, I have not sent an email to MS to add my 2 cents worth
regarding my experience with this problem. Although, I am sure MS has
more emails than they can handle, providing others were able to find
Keith's post and got the email address. If you have that email
address, you could pass my experience along to add to the dog-pile.

My 2 computers - XP Pro SP3 - were experiencing the slow down -
wuauclt - prior to the Aug 10 mass update. I turned off AutoUpdate,
killed wuauclt, flipped back to WU and installed Open Office to get
around the 'no updates' for Office 2003 fiasco. No other 'important'
MS apps installed. Seems to me the problem may have to do with MS'
discontinuance of the Office Update site and rolling all updates in to
MU.

I installed MSE for a short time about 6 months ago, but uninstalled
it because of a long update cycle, very similar to what a lot of folks
are now experiencing. Reactivated Avira's AntiVir and running good,
until I thought I would see if MU was working for the Aug 10 update,
it wasn't - unending scan. Went through the kill, turn-off, flip
routine again and all is back to snappy. WU took care of the Aug 10
deluge just fine.

Teflon,

The post is gone now. Here's the email address -
(e-mail address removed)
I'm not sure why it ended up being munged. If it happens again, the
email addy is commodATmicrosoft.com

As to why it disappeared ... it was incomplete as to stating whether the
system is opted in to MU is vitally important. And, perhaps MS received
a deluge of emails ?

BTW, although MSE flips a system to MU when it's installed, it actually
updates from the WU servers. One can opt out of MU back to WU and MSE
will still update, with *much* less strain on the system.

MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

 

[Teflon]

Teflon,

The post is gone now. Here's the email address -
(e-mail address removed)
I'm not sure why it ended up being munged. If it happens again, the
email addy is commodATmicrosoft.com

As to why it disappeared ... it was incomplete as to stating whether the
system is opted in to MU is vitally important. And, perhaps MS received
a deluge of emails ?

BTW, although MSE flips a system to MU when it's installed, it actually
updates from the WU servers. One can opt out of MU back to WU and MSE
will still update, with *much* less strain on the system.

MowGreen
================
  *-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

Thanks Mow, it got munged again (probably the @ sign with the dot com
did it), but thankfully you spelled it out.

MS deserved my 2 cents, hope they appreciate it.

BTW, I enjoy reading your posts, always informative, easy to
understand and no attitude. You're one of several whose suggestions
always get my attention. Keep up the good work.

 

[Teflon]

BTW, although MSE flips a system to MU when it's installed, it actually
updates from the WU servers. One can opt out of MU back to WU and MSE
will still update, with *much* less strain on the system.

That's good info to have, however, I seem to recall that another post
in another thread implied that not all MSE components(?) were updated
by WU. I could be mistaken in what I read, concentrating more on what
MS is doing to fix MU.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

All of his posts have been deleted.

Teflon wrote:

 

[MowGreen]

Thanks Mow, it got munged again (probably the @ sign with the dot com
did it), but thankfully you spelled it out.

MS deserved my 2 cents, hope they appreciate it.

BTW, I enjoy reading your posts, always informative, easy to
understand and no attitude. You're one of several whose suggestions
always get my attention. Keep up the good work.

You're way too kind, Teflon. I reserve attitude for those who seek
it. <w>
As to why the addy keeps getting munged ... it's probably something
aioe.org's end as MS no longer has anything to do with the remaining
NNTP newsgroups.



MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

 

[MowGreen]

That's good info to have, however, I seem to recall that another post
in another thread implied that not all MSE components(?) were updated
by WU. I could be mistaken in what I read, concentrating more on what
MS is doing to fix MU.

Perhaps the engine version or the program itself can not be updated to
newer Versions if the system is opted out of MU ?
That's just a guess, Teflon.


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Perhaps the engine version or the program itself can not be updated to
newer Versions if the system is opted out of MU ?
That's just a guess, Teflon.

If MU is the default, MU/AU will offer MSE definition, engine & program
updates.

If WU is the default, MSE will auto-install definition & engine updates. If
a program update (i.e., version upgrade) is available, MSE will notify you
of its availability with a prompt. MSE users can always check for & install
available program (version) updates via the Help menu.

 

[Teflon]

If MU is the default, MU/AU will offer MSE definition, engine & program
updates.

If WU is the default, MSE will auto-install definition & engine updates.  If
a program update (i.e., version upgrade) is available, MSE will notify you
of its availability with a prompt.  MSE users can always check for & install
available program (version) updates via the Help menu.

Advise from 2 of the best, what could be better. Thanks to both of
you for responding.

Mow, did the ID 'commod' in that email address portend any disposition
of the emails in your mind? i.e., emails sent to commod just go down
the crapper (commode). I wonder if Keith was really with MS, and if
so, is he still employed, after being so blatant in trying to 'offer
help' to frustrated users 'in a newsgroup'? Double whammy - very non-
MS behavior.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Teflon wrote:

Mow, did the ID 'commod' in that email address portend any disposition
of the emails in your mind? i.e., emails sent to commod just go down
the crapper (commode). I wonder if Keith was really with MS, and if
so, is he still employed, after being so blatant in trying to 'offer
help' to frustrated users 'in a newsgroup'? Double whammy - very non-
MS behavior.

We have no reason to suspect that the email address and/or "Keith-MS Support
Engineer" were not legit.

From Keith's posts in Answers forums (now deleted since, I assume, they
received more than enough replies): "Please note that this is not a normal
support channel and you may not be contacted for a follow up..."

 

[MowGreen]

Advise from 2 of the best, what could be better. Thanks to both of
you for responding.

Mow, did the ID 'commod' in that email address portend any disposition
of the emails in your mind? i.e., emails sent to commod just go down
the crapper (commode). I wonder if Keith was really with MS, and if
so, is he still employed, after being so blatant in trying to 'offer
help' to frustrated users 'in a newsgroup'? Double whammy - very non-
MS behavior.

Keith's legit. I'm not so sure that his offer for assistance was
" officially approved ". I can only speculate as to why his offer was
withdrawn.


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

 

[~Mahler Mlle.~]

I have been having a problem with "XP . . . running slowly " - so these
posts interested me. I don't know for sure that I know what wuauclt.exe
means, though.

Can we uninstall WSE, if we have available Malwarebyes' Antimalware,
SpywareBlaster, HiJackThis, and know to use Disk Cleanup, then download an
AV like AVG, or Avira??

Sorry to be so 'lame' but I've checked out everything on my system and
nothing in a virus, trojan, or malware shows up. I also uninstalled JAVA
because I run a Secunia scan and it kept warning me that my Java 1.5 was a
threat, but any attemtps to download the Java fix resulted in their notice
it was already on my system - but, the one Secunia showed was not the v. I
had - I had 1.6. So, I gave up on it.

Thank you.