CPU Usage @100% After Installing Microsoft Office??????

[TomYoung]

Hi all:

This might not be the right group to ask about my problem, but I need
to start somewhere and if you think there's a better group, please let
me know.

A few days ago I re-formatted my C: drive and re-installed WindowsXP.
The first thing I did was work through all the WindowsXP updates until
Windows Update had no more High Priority updates available. During
this updating process I also installed a program that also searches
for security updates to Microsoft Office, though I didn't have Office
installed at the time.

For the last few days I've been installing other programs, drivers,
etc. and everything's been fine. That is, until I tried to install
Microsoft Office today.

Near the end-point of the Office install the program asks if you want
to check for updates to Office, and I answered "Yes." The browser
opened at the Windows update site and ground away for several minutes
looking for updates until I finally hit {ctrl}-{alt}-{del} and brought
up the Task Manager, where I noticed the CPU usage was 100%. I tried
various things (e.g., reboot, etc.) to get out of the "100% usage"
situation but finally gave up and restored to this morning's restore
point.

I've now tried installing Office a couple of times and each time at
completion of the installation process - without asking for the
installation program to check for Office updates - CPU usage jumps to
100%. I've also noticed that the notification area alerts me that
updates for my computer are available and when I look at the detail I
see one Windows XP update (I guess that just came up today) and a
couple of Office updates.

So...

Anybody have any thoughts on what's going on here?

I'm *guessing* that some interaction of the update I downloaded and
installed a few days ago that searches for Office updates along with
my initial request (today) to the Office install program to search for
Office updates is responsible for the 100% CPU usage situation, but
I'm not sure. Is there any way to determine what program(s) are
hogging CPU resources?

TIA.

Tom Young

 

[Guest]

Try installing kb873374 GDI Detection Tool

 

[Guest]

Hi all:

This might not be the right group to ask about my problem, but I need
to start somewhere and if you think there's a better group, please let
me know.

Probably the best group for this question is: microsoft.public.officeupdate

However, this might be your answer:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932494

To narrow things down further, you should specify what version of Office you
are trying to install. Also, to see which process is consuming your CPU
utilization, you can check in "Task Manager" (Ctrl + Alt + Del). That
information would also help narrow things down.

Best Wishes,
Kurosh

 

[PA Bear]

Try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder itself) & reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore

If no joy, try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder itself) &
reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution

If still no joy, consider resetting Windows Update as your default and get
updates for Office via Office Update.

===============
Hotfix: When you run Windows Update to scan for updates that use Windows
Installer, including Office updates, CPU utilization may reach 100 percent
for prolonged periods (Prerequisite: msi.exe v3.1.4000.2435)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916089

Hotfix: The Automatic Updates service may stop responding (msi.exe
v3.1.4000.2648)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914810/en-us

Hotfix: You receive an access violation when you try to install an update
from Windows Update after you apply hotfix package 916089 (WinXP: msi.exe
v3.1.4000.4003) (24 Jan-07)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891

 

[TomYoung]

Try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder itself) & reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore

If no joy, try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder itself) &
reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution

If still no joy, consider resetting Windows Update as your default and get
updates for Office via Office Update.

===============
Hotfix: When you run Windows Update to scan for updates that use Windows
Installer, including Office updates, CPU utilization may reach 100 percent
for prolonged periods (Prerequisite: msi.exe v3.1.4000.2435)http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916089

Hotfix: The Automatic Updates service may stop responding (msi.exe
v3.1.4000.2648)http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914810/en-us

Hotfix: You receive an access violation when you try to install an update
from Windows Update after you apply hotfix package 916089 (WinXP: msi.exe
v3.1.4000.4003) (24 Jan-07)http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891

Robear, thanks for the response and the links to the KB which discuss
this problem. I'll give it a go this weekend and see how things play
out. Just to make sure I understand, since I've restored to a point
prior to the Office install:

I delete C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore, install Office and
see if the problem returns. If the problem's still there I restore to
a point prior to the install once again, delete C:\WINDOWS
\SoftwareDistribution, install Office and check. If no improvement I
resote, reset Windows Update as the default, and install Office. Have
I got this right? And does the process of resetting Windows Update as
the default simply entail the removal of Windows Installer 3.1?

Or, are you recommending I 1st install Office - I assume the problem
will still be there - then delete C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution
\DataStore, reboot, check, and if no improvement delete C:\WINDOWS
\SoftwareDistribution, reboot, check, then if still no improvement
reset to Windows Update?

You didn't mention the hotfix as a way around this issue. Has the
hotfix not proven to be reliable?

Thanks.

Tom Young

 

[Guest]

You didn't mention the hotfix as a way around this issue. Has the
hotfix not proven to be reliable?

Hi Tom,

Hotfixes are not guaranteed to be "reliable", because they attempt to
address problems, but still need testing and analysis to prove their worth.
Only when they are included in a Service Pack (or rollup update) from
Microsoft is when they are considered "reliable". Of course, any software is
not 100% reliable... there are alwyas bugs and security issues that are
found, and then subsequently corrected. However, if you are experiencing
issues described in the "Symptoms" section of a hotfix, that's when you
should apply the hotfix -- most likely your problem will be corrected.

The article link I provided (932494) is the same as the hotfix mentioned by
Robear (two of the three articles, 916089 and 927891, are covered in that
article I suggested you look at). Please see my earlier message. It seems
to directly address the problem you've mentioned. The third hotfix that was
suggested by Robear may be related, but since the problem only appears when
you have Office installed, I don't think that's the issue.

The alternative method suggested (re: deleting contents of folders) can be
tried before applying the hotfix. It assumes you leave things as they are
(with Office installed), since there may be some corruption in your
downloaded updates which is causing the CPU to max. out. Deleting those
folders will clear that corruption. Also, the article link I suggested
(932494) recommends that if the hotfix doesn't resolve the problem, you
should contact Microsoft (see the "More Information" section).

Best Wishes,
Kurosh

 

[Guest]

And does the process of resetting Windows Update as
the default simply entail the removal of Windows Installer 3.1?

Hi Tom,

Forgot to address this. To reset Microsoft Update back to Windows Update,
you simply go to the "Windows Update" website (In IE, click on "Tools", then
"Windows Update"). On the left-hand side, you'll see a "Change settings"
link. Click on that, and at the bottom of the page that appears, you'll see
"To stop using Microsoft Update". Follow the directions there.

You should only try this if the two methods suggested (deleting the folders,
or applying the hotfix) don't seem to resolve things. By disabling Microsoft
Update, you will no longer be notified of updates to anything besides Windows
-- you'll have to manually check for updates for all other Microsoft software.

Best Wishes,
Kurosh

 

[PA Bear]

Robear, thanks for the response and the links to the KB which discuss
this problem. I'll give it a go this weekend and see how things play
out. Just to make sure I understand, since I've restored to a point
prior to the Office install:

I delete C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore, install Office and
see if the problem returns. If the problem's still there I restore to
a point prior to the install once again, delete C:\WINDOWS
\SoftwareDistribution, install Office and check. If no improvement I
resote, reset Windows Update as the default, and install Office. Have
I got this right? And does the process of resetting Windows Update as
the default simply entail the removal of Windows Installer 3.1?

Or, are you recommending I 1st install Office - I assume the problem
will still be there - then delete C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution
\DataStore, reboot, check, and if no improvement delete C:\WINDOWS
\SoftwareDistribution, reboot, check, then if still no improvement
reset to Windows Update?

You didn't mention the hotfix as a way around this issue. Has the
hotfix not proven to be reliable?

[To keep track of things, it helps immensely if you include all of previous
message(s) in your replies to the newsgroup. Thank you.]

NB: KB927891 now supersedes (replaces) both KB914810 and KB916089.

I delete C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore, install Office and
see if the problem returns. If the problem's still there I restore to
a point prior to the install once again, delete C:\WINDOWS
\SoftwareDistribution, install Office and check.

No need to restore (use System Restore) or (re)install Office. In fact, you
can just delete C:\WINDOWS\*SoftwareDistribution* <=this folder, reboot and
see if things are any better.

If not (and if installing KB927891 doesn't help either), you should be able
to avoid the problem via this workaround:

1. Reset your default Update source from Microsoft Update to Windows Update
=> Go to Microsoft Update website > Click on Change Settings in left pane >
Scroll to bottom of page > 'To Stop Using Microsoft Update' > 'Disable
Microsoft Update software and let me use Windows Update only' (check this).

2. Now Automatic Updates will only offer you updates for Windows. To keep
your installation of MS Office fully-patched, do so manually at the Office
Update website: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/maincatalog.aspx

[Microsoft Update (MU) offers you updates for both Windows and MS Office,
while Windows Update (WU) only offers you updates for Windows.]