Win up-date uses so much Ram my computer becomes un-responsive

  • Thread starter Thread starter leoliver
  • Start date Start date
Tim said:
I have no idea what your thinking is...

(in all likelihood, I'm showing my ignorance!)

..however; the answers to your query are; approx 170Kb and I don't
know if Resident Shield will pick up the test virus I placed in that
dir....

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)
Click to expand...


We've been trying to document to MS an issue where XP systems that have
512MB RAM or less become completely bogged down or non-responsive when
opted in to Microsoft Update. Since you stated your system is not opted
in to MU, but updates from Windows Update, I was hoping that, with your
cooperation, we could document that the issue is affecting systems that
are NOT updating from MU.

The size of DataStore.edb on your system shows that you've either
deleted it recently or "reset the updating components", which also
deletes the database file.

The other question I asked involves the monitoring or scanning of the
location of DataStore.edb by the installed AV -
WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore <--- this subfolder

There's a known issue when the AV is monitoring or scanning files that
are locked that causes corruption which is described in this KB -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158

" Note If these files are not excluded, antivirus software may prevent
proper access to these files, and security databases can become
corrupted. Scanning these files can prevent the files from being used or
may prevent a security policy from being applied to the files. These
files should not be scanned because antivirus software may not correctly
treat them as proprietary database files. "

I've found that excluding just DataStore.edb from an AV's scan and *not*
monitoring with a 'RealTime Shield' puts *much* less strain on an XP
system that updates from WU.
Technically speaking, it does lower a system's overall Security but,
I've never seen nor heard of any system becoming compromised by
excluding DataStore.edb from monitoring and scanning.


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked
 
Spamlet said:
Well I don't know how you could tell, because after going to the site and
paging down to select to remove the MSUpdate software, and restarting,
your link still takes me to:
http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

Though, once there, paging down no longer gets the tick box to remove MSU!

Yes, it sure is confusing!

Anyhow, thanks for your persistence and I look forward to having some ram
for other purposes now!

Cheers,
S
Click to expand...


Whether this observation has any significance I don't know, but since
carrying out the above procedure I have not noticed the windows updating
process taking over the svchost process in the way that it did: this has
stayed around 16k, so far (maybe I'm not updating at all...). However, I
have noticed something I had not noticed before in that (running Process
Explorer in the notification area) something called 'Interrupts' now
regularly takes up up to 90% of the processor. What is that all about?

Cheers,
S
 
--
your friend,
Larry


MowGreen said:
Larry,

1.a. How much RAM is installed? *Right* click My Computer either on the
Desktop or Start Menu, choose Properties.
The installed RAM is listed under 'Computer:'

b. What is the installed antivirus/security suite and is a 3rd party
firewall being used ?

2. Has the system been opted into Microsoft Update ? Open the Start Menu
and see if Microsoft Update is listed. If you don't see it at first,
click (All) Programs. If the system has been opted into MU it will show
at the top of the list.

3. Is Office or any Office components (Word, Excel or Powerpoint Viewer)
installed ?

4. Using Windows Explorer ( Start> Programs >Accessories>
Windows Explorer) please check
Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\DataStore.edb. <-- this file
*Right* click it, choose Properties. What is the file's Size ?

Also, check to see what the total Size is of the contents of
Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download.
When you navigate to the Download subfolder click Edit on the Menu bar,
choose Select All. Now click File on the Menu bar and choose Properties.
What is the Size reported ?


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked
Click to expand...

It took me too much time to reply to your reply to my post , but here are
the answears to your questions....................

1a. 512 RAM

1b. Avira Personal anti-virus , Windows Firewall.

2. Yes , Microsoft up-date.

3. Microsoft Frontpage 2003

4. 164 MB.

5. Total sixe of Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download is 468 MB. , there is
also a "Download.old folder" at 2.68 MB. and a "Download(2).old" folder at 16
MB.
 
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