svchost.exe CPU usage so high, spoils user experience

[Dot Net Developer]

Running XP Pro on old Dell Celeron machine. svchost.exe hogs CPU usage
and makes working on PC v. slow experience.

Using taskmanager, I see svchost "instance" (there are 4 or 5 of them
running) has a PID value of 764, which is explorer.exe. (On machine
shutdown, I usually get a "Program not responding" messagebox for
explorer.exe.)

Any thoughts please?

Thanks, regards, dnw.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Download Process Explorer.

For further information about Process Explorer see here:
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml


To ascertain which service is causing the problem select the svchost
producing the high CPU usage, right click,
select Properties, Services. Note there are the full names and
some explanation of what each service does.


You will find further information on Services here:
http://majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=12


To trace the particular Service involved you need to turn off each
service in turn and then restore it noting what effect it has on CPU
usage. However, you need to take care and watch what other Services are
dependent on that service. When you click on the Dependencies tab allow
it a little time to display the information.



--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[JS]

From Ramesh's web site: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/svchost.htm
Also: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314056

To find out more about Svchost.exe entries try Process Explorer which is now
part of Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/SystemInformation/ProcessExplorer.mspx

Once you have Process Explorer installed and running:
In the taskbar select View and check 'Show Process Tree' and 'Show Lower
Pane' options.
(This will provide the detailed info you need)
Next click/Expand the Svchost.exe process that you are interest in.
Then highlight one of the process listed under Svchost, right click and from
the options listed select: google
This should display what out there on the web about that process.

Still another tool is What's Running
http://www.whatsrunning.net/whatsrunning/main.aspx

JS

 

[Dot Net Developer]

svchost.exe hogs CPU usage .....(etc)

Thanks v. much for all help.

I have fixed it - using Process Monitor, I stopped the windows update
process inside svchost. This immediately stopped the CPU "hogging".

Inside XP's security center, I have disabled windows automatic update.
This is a good temporary fix, as I can now use the PC properly without
any serious slowdowns.

If I attempt to manually check for Windows updates using the familiar
windows update website, when you see the green progress bar on the
screen after you click either the Express button or the Custom button,
it hangs for about 30 minutes before either failing to proceed, or in
rare cases, it succeeds and then allows you to continue to choose
updates. But I've always had this problem with this old Dell machine,
and I don't understand what is causing this problem.

However, I'm v. pleased the machine is usable once more, albeit without
the automatic windows update turned on, or without the means of quickly
getting a manual windows update either.

Thanks a lot, regards, dnw.

 

[PA Bear]

Thanks v. much for all help.

I have fixed it - using Process Monitor, I stopped the windows update
process inside svchost. This immediately stopped the CPU "hogging".

Inside XP's security center, I have disabled windows automatic update.
This is a good temporary fix, as I can now use the PC properly without
any serious slowdowns.

If I attempt to manually check for Windows updates using the familiar
windows update website, when you see the green progress bar on the
screen after you click either the Express button or the Custom button,
it hangs for about 30 minutes before either failing to proceed, or in
rare cases, it succeeds and then allows you to continue to choose
updates. But I've always had this problem with this old Dell machine,
and I don't understand what is causing this problem.

However, I'm v. pleased the machine is usable once more, albeit without
the automatic windows update turned on, or without the means of quickly
getting a manual windows update either.

1a. Re-enable Automatic Updates ASAP!

1b. Try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder itself) &
reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore

1c. If no joy, try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder
itself) & reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution

 

[Dot Net Developer]

1b. Try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder itself) & reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore

I tried both suggestions - deleteing the DataStore and also the
SoftwareDistribution, but whenever I try a manual windows update, it
hangs on the green progress bar doing the "checking for updates for
your computer" operation. I tried just now and waited over 40 minutes
and then gave up.

Regards, dnw.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

FIX: 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
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916089

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[PA Bear]

That hotfix hasn't resolved the issue for most, Gerry.

 

[PA Bear]

I tried both suggestions - deleteing the DataStore and also the
SoftwareDistribution, but whenever I try a manual windows update, it
hangs on the green progress bar doing the "checking for updates for
your computer" operation. I tried just now and waited over 40 minutes
and then gave up.

Is Microsoft Update your default (vs Windows Update)?

 

[Dot Net Developer]

FIX: -> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916089

Unfortunately MS don't allow this fix to be downloaded. You need to
contact them and ask for it. My copy (an original) of XP Pro was
bought in used condition from ebay - it's also a Dell branded
"re-install / recovery" version. I just have this rather jaded feeling
that I'd be wasting my time trying to get the fix from them. I'm also
broke atm, and couldn't afford to pay for it.

Maybe they will one day merge this fix in to SP3 when (or if) it comes
out?

Regards, dnw.

 

[Dot Net Developer]

Is Microsoft Update your default (vs Windows Update)?

I'm not sure! When I click the Start button, I see both at the top of
the pop up choices menu, in this order -

Windows Update
(then)
Microsoft Update

I'm sure I've tried both, and I seem to remember they do exactly the
same thing. One thing: I have Office 2003 Professional installed on
the machine, and I've read that this can cause a problem with the
automatic update service.

Regards, dnw.

 

[Rock]

Unfortunately MS don't allow this fix to be downloaded. You need to
contact them and ask for it. My copy (an original) of XP Pro was
bought in used condition from ebay - it's also a Dell branded
"re-install / recovery" version. I just have this rather jaded feeling
that I'd be wasting my time trying to get the fix from them. I'm also
broke atm, and couldn't afford to pay for it.

Maybe they will one day merge this fix in to SP3 when (or if) it comes
out?

Regards, dnw.

Hotfixes are free of charge as long as you mention nothing else during the
phone call other than needing the particular fix. It doesn't matter what
version you have.

 

[PA Bear]

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

If you go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and you're taken the
Microsoft Update (MU), it's your default. If so, see if changing the
default to Windows Update (WU) makes any difference (You will have to go to
Office Update to install, er..., Office updates manually after doing so).

To change the default back to WU, go to MU and allow the initial scan to
complete > 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).

 

[Guest]

When i go to the 'change settings' i scrolled to the bottom of the page and
did not see this option, i've been havin the same problem with the
svchost.exe. Where else can i change to windows up-date??

Paul