svchost & kernel32 performance problems

M

Mark F

My boss tells me that his PC suffers performance problems after it has
been in use for a while. He believe the problem occurs when he gives
his username and password to bypass the screensaver (windows login).

Analysis so far shows that svchost.exe is using 60-70-80% of processor
time even though no user created tasks are running.

Analysis of the services svchost is launching does not give any leads.
They are all good standard services (e.g. HP Printer Driver, Apple
iTunes (its his own machine) and standard windows services).

Expanding the processes owned by the svchost suggests that kernel32 is
hogging the processor time - Any ideas what could be attached to this?

Killing the kernel32 processes returns the PC to normal with no
obvious adverse effects.

The machine has been scanned for viruses and also for spyware. Nothing
found. The machine has all windows critical patches loaded.

I wanted to rebuild the machine but the boss does not want to do this
because he believes the hours it will cost him in resetting his
machine to his preferred spec are more expensive than the hours it
will cost me to find the cause! (he's probably right).

Is there a way that I can get more detail on what kernel32 is doing at
the time it consumes cpu cycles?

Any help gratefully received.
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

How To Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308514&Product=winxp

How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434&Product=winxp

Windows XP Startup Tracker v3.8
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_starttrack.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Doug Knox]

The following three Windows XP utilities should be used monthly:

Description of the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310312&Product=winxp

How to Perform Disk Error Checking in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315265&Product=winxp

HOW TO: Analyze and Defragment a Disk in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305781&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| My boss tells me that his PC suffers performance problems after it has
| been in use for a while. He believe the problem occurs when he gives
| his username and password to bypass the screensaver (windows login).
|
| Analysis so far shows that svchost.exe is using 60-70-80% of processor
| time even though no user created tasks are running.
|
| Analysis of the services svchost is launching does not give any leads.
| They are all good standard services (e.g. HP Printer Driver, Apple
| iTunes (its his own machine) and standard windows services).
|
| Expanding the processes owned by the svchost suggests that kernel32 is
| hogging the processor time - Any ideas what could be attached to this?
|
| Killing the kernel32 processes returns the PC to normal with no
| obvious adverse effects.
|
| The machine has been scanned for viruses and also for spyware. Nothing
| found. The machine has all windows critical patches loaded.
|
| I wanted to rebuild the machine but the boss does not want to do this
| because he believes the hours it will cost him in resetting his
| machine to his preferred spec are more expensive than the hours it
| will cost me to find the cause! (he's probably right).
|
| Is there a way that I can get more detail on what kernel32 is doing at
| the time it consumes cpu cycles?
|
| Any help gratefully received.
 

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