Generic Host Process / svchost

[SepticTank]

Okay, something is going on here.

I've noticed this error on TWO machines now, across the past week.
They were different hardware, complete fresh reload with SP2 and all
other updates. I am getting the "Generic Host Process for Win32
Services has caused an error" message on boot-up. The thing is, it
ONLY happens if a network cable isn't plugged in. If it's plugged in,
I can reboot forever with no errors. If the cable is unplugged, I get
the message.

Any clue what's going on? I reload many systems every week and only
noticed this just recently. Either a new MS patch is causing this or
some other coincidence. Let me stress that these are FRESH reloaded
systems that have no viruses or spyware present.

 

[SepticTank]

Discovered Norton AntiVirus 2005 was causing this -- even fully
updated. Hopefully Symantec fixes this soon!

 

[Steve N.]

Discovered Norton AntiVirus 2005 was causing this -- even fully
updated. Hopefully Symantec fixes this soon!

Try setting NA to not scan network drives.

Steve

 

[sy]

OK, I'm intermittently getting these SVCHOST errors too. On one of
my 2 machines I was getting the error with 5.1 drivers from ATI using
Control Panel. Once I went back to 4.12 drivers from ATI *knocks on
wood* I haven't seen this problem yet and it's been a good 5 days,
so I'm staying at 4.12. On the other machine I have 5.2 drivers from
ATI and have never seen the error even once until last night. However
the error was slightly different then the other box and something I did
during boot was different. When I rebooted the box with 5.2 drivers I
had just power cycled my router and it may not have been fully booted
by the time the 5.2 driver box fired up. So a network connection may
have been absent.

What I feel is some of the issue. The latest windows updates are the
main cause, or the 5.1 or 5.2 drivers from ATI in combination with the
latest win updates. Reason. I'll try and keep this short: I was using
4.12 CCC from ATI and had enough, as it's very slow and buggy. So I
removed it and installed 5.2 with Control Panel. Unfortunately one of
my apps did not like 5.2 drivers so I removed and installed the 5.1
with cp, I reboot and immediately get the SVCHOST error. OK, thinking
my system is just buggered up at this point I decided to format. I
format / reinstall and then install 5.1 after the latest win patches
and once again I start getting the SVCHOST error again???? So I scrub
it up again, installed 4.12 drivers and all has been fine on that box
since.

One thing for sure: I've never seen this error before; first time
was after the latest win patches? I use Computer Associates Etrust
AntiVirus so you can rule out Norton/Symantec; I haven't touched that
garbage in years.

 

[SepticTank]

Third machine today is reporting this error. *I think* it has
something to do with the .NET framework. I have no errors until this
update is applied. I am currently going to reload the system again
without this update and see what happens.

Again, this is the THIRD machine that is exibiting this error. It has
had a fresh reload of XP with entirely different hardware than the
previous two.

 

[sy]

Doubt its .NET as i never installed it on my first scrub and still got
the error.

 

[SepticTank]

Are you doing any of the optional updates? This time around I'm just
doing the MediaPlayer and all the criticals.

 

[SepticTank]

Welp, that didn't work. It appears whatever it is is part of the
critical updates. This time, I ain't doing any.

 

[sy]

SepticTank, How did it go? When I did the reinstalls the error only
appeared after applying the very latest win patches. The only thing I
never installed was .NET and Journal Viewer.

The machine that never had the problem after a format did last night.
Basically my router was turned off and I didn't know (as it's in
another room). So I rebooted wondering if that will fix my lost
connection, voila that error again. When I went to go investigate I
found someone had turned off the power bar it's plugged into. So it's
a coincidence that it shows up without lan connection present. I think
you're on to something there. I never did any testing, might this
weekend.

 

[SepticTank]

I didnt' apply any critical updates and I didn't see the error. The
error seems to appear more often if there is no connection present,
but I've still had it pop up even with the ethernet cable attached.
So it'snot entirely dependant on that.

Not sure what's causing it specifically but it's definately something
in the critical udpate set.

 

[sy]

Thanks SepticTank!

Its almost just good to know that something mischievous hasn't
gotten into our systems.

Hope MS comes out with a fix soon.

 

[Guest]

thanks guys for already sorting this out, ive been getting the same problem,
although its on startup and the message reads the time i last shut down and
its very intermittent. The only thing ive downloaded for a few weeks are
the critical updates, and it began right after that, so i was already
suspicious of them, guess i just wait for ms to fix it.

 

[hedan]

Hello.
Well, I don't know if this is the same issue, but upon shutdown I get
an unknown error in one of the svchosts. I located it to be the
automatic update service (wuauserv) that was the source. Setting this
service to manual and stopping it caused my svchost error to disappear.
However, you won't get any windows update with that config, so it's
just a way to check if the error goes away for you too.
/Henrik

 

[GDion]

I'm also getting this error with no further info displaying about the
application causing it (unknown). It all started after i've install all 11
updates from windows update.

I wonder if any of the updates caused this.

 

[SepticTank]

They ( or at least one of them ) is most definatley causing it. It
doesn't appear to happen across all machines, though. I run a repair
business and it's hit or miss if it happens.

 

[SepticTank]

Reloaded 4 systems today, problem hasn't occured. Microsoft may have
slipped in a stealth fix?

 

[SepticTank]

I spoke too damn soon! Have a system here doing it once the ethernet
cable is detached. As another poster mentioned, it does in fact
appear to be the Automatic Updates option. I went to My Computer -
Automatic Updates, turned it OFF and the error hasn't appeared again.

 

[SepticTank]

Just an update if anyone is still reading this thread:

the error will still occur even with Automatic Updates turned off.
however, it is much less frequent. Oddly, it does not happen with
every system. I reloaded several systems yesterday as well as built a
couple of new ones and about half of them exibited the problem.

 

[Larry]

Just an update if anyone is still reading this thread:

the error will still occur even with Automatic Updates turned off.
however, it is much less frequent. Oddly, it does not happen with
every system. I reloaded several systems yesterday as well as built a
couple of new ones and about half of them exibited the problem.

It is strange. The problem doesn't occur on my machine at my
workplace, but occurs (albeit infrequently) on my home computer. Both
machines are subjected to a rather rigorous maintenance schedule
including both Updating and Virus/Adware/Malware scans. That doesn't
seem to be a factor. <scratches head>

-- Larry

 

[sy]

Hey All, so far yesterdays update seems to have solved the issue. So
far not a peep from my PC about SVCHOST! Keeping my fingers crossed!
*knocks on wood again*

Update for Windows XP (KB887742)

This update addresses an issue that could cause your system to stop
responding if certain firewall or antivirus programs are installed. You
can help resolve this issue by installing this HTTP.sys update from
Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your
computer.