Sound process using 90+% CPU

[Guest]

Running Windows XP on a Dell Dimension 4800. I find it runs slow at some
times. When I check using Process Explorer by Sysinternals I find an
unidentified "Generic Host Process for Win32 Services" using 90%+ of the CPU.
No daughter processes are shown.

In 2 cases now I have killed the process then found that thereafter I
couldn't run audio in the Media Player. Additionally, when I double clik the
speaker icon in the tool bar I get a note "there are no active mixer devices
available." So it seems that some part of the audio processes are hanging up
my machine intermittently.

Any suggestions on what to do?

 

[jmatt]

Running Windows XP on a Dell Dimension 4800. I find it runs slow at some
times. When I check using Process Explorer by Sysinternals I find an
unidentified "Generic Host Process for Win32 Services" using 90%+ of the CPU.

Meaning of "Generic Host Process for Win32 services"
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/glossary/definition284.html
Also known as: svchost.exe
Svchost.exe is a program that loads Windows services that are in the
form of dynamic-link libraries (DLLs). It is possible for more than one
svchost.exe to be running at one time, with more than one service being
controlled by that process.

Svchost.exe ( also named Scvhost.exe ) can be a virus.
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist_s.htm
http://www.pcreview.co.uk/startup/letter-s.php
http://ask-leo.com/svchost_and_svchostexe_crashs_cpu_maximization_viruses_exploits_and_more.html
http://www.2-spyware.com/files.php# ( Most popular extensions: click >
*.exe then, Files with extension *.exe from 1 to 100, start on page 62
to find svchosts.exe ) or it still may be here.
http://www.2-spyware.com/file-svchost-exe.html
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/svchost.htm
http://www.pchell.com/virus/welchia.shtml
http://www.file.net/process/svchost.exe.html

Note: The svchost.exe file is located in the c:\windows\System32
folder. In other cases, svchost.exe is a virus, spyware, trojan or
worm!

Use this multi brand scaner in one utility.
Windows XP Cleaning Process with Multi_AV
http://pcdid.com/Multi_AV.htm

 

[jmatt]

Running Windows XP on a Dell Dimension 4800.

Once you have the other issues resolved, here is a very good tool.

The PC De-Crapifier
http://www.yorkspace.com/pc-de-crapifier/