Instance of svchost.exe randomly becoming a problem

[Woolong]

At random, I'll have a massive cpu spike that I can blame on svchost.exe. This program is either tweaking by itself or a .dll file running it is randomly going damn nuts. The instance in question is the one that covers:

Windows Audio, Background Intelligent Transfer Service, Cryptographic Services, DHCP Client, Error Reporting Service, COM+ Event System, Fast User Switching Compatibility, Help and Support, HID Input Service, Server, Workstation, Network Connections, Network Location Awareness (NLA), Remote Access Connection Manager, Task Scheduler, Secondary Logon, System Event Notification, Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), Shell Hardware Detection, System Restore Service, Telephony, Themes, Distributed Link Tracking Client, Windows Time, Windows Management Instrumentation, Security Center, Automatic Updates, Wireless Zero Configuration

Yeah. A lot. It will, entirely at random, just go completely haywire for at least a minute. It happens at random as well as when I connect internet related things like web browsers (though this is rare, and generally only at computer startup). Funny thing is, I can stop this problem almost instantly by loading a video in vlc player (I'd assume it works in any player, but vlc is my default player). Any video will do. I start playing it and the problem goes away almost as soon as the video finished loading and begins to play. I have to let the video play for a bit or it comes back, but normally it'll just sink back into the recesses of my computer until whatever triggers the problem triggers it again.

I can only assume the correlation between the problems arising and my being able to calm them with movies has something to do with the wide array of tasks this instance of svchost just so happens to cover; sure sucks that I'm having trouble with this instance in particular.

Anyway, I may have said something about this before, but I never got a response I could run with. Hopefully this time will be different.

Thanks in advance.

 

[cubby1223]

Most likely from automatic updates.

Turn off automatic updates, go to windowsupdate.com and manually download & install all the new updates that are out there.

Problem happens to many people for the week following patch tuesday.

 

[Woolong]

Thanks, I'll try that.

Hopefully that's what the problem is and it'll go away now.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
Most likely from automatic updates.

This hotfix was suggested in another thread:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: cubby1223
Most likely from automatic updates.

This hotfix was suggested in another thread:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891

It's not even that. Svchost.exe at 100% cpu usage has been something that's been happening for a long time, not just because of a recent update. Only difference now from then is back two years ago automatic updates took a day to find, download, and install. Now automatic update often can't get at the new updates for several days, causing the slowdown to be a longer period of time than previously.

 

[btcomm1]

Ok, I just posted about this same exact issue, no one responded to my question however, I have tried turning automatic updates off as well with this problem and it didn't make it go away, it will still randomly start taking up 100% CPU and a lot of ram.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: btcomm1
Ok, I just posted about this same exact issue, no one responded to my question however, I have tried turning automatic updates off as well with this problem and it didn't make it go away, it will still randomly start taking up 100% CPU and a lot of ram.

Automatic updates are not *always* the problem, just *usually* the problem.

 

[btcomm1]

I work on a lot of different computers, I've had this issue multiple times and I disable automatic updates and it has never fixed the issue for me. I am just wondering what else might be causing this problem.

 

[jameswhite1979]

A great little app for know what is running within this sort of process is Process Explorer developed by Sysinternals and now owned by M$

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/ProcessExplorer.mspx

 

[Pwnbroker]

I had a similar problem with svchosts constantly popping up and causing connection problems. As it turns out, my psu was a 350W and just couldn't power everything hooked up to my pc. The usb was constantly being powered off by the sytem since it's the least important. I bought a new pc instead of a new psu.

 

[redbeard1]

Everytime I have seen the svchost virtually freezing a computer because the cpu is at 100%, it has been due to the automatic update service. I disable the automatic update service and the bits service, and the system works normally.

Thanks for the link Schadenfroh.

 

[Woolong]

Well, it's been 4 days since I disabled automatic updates, and everything appears to be running smoothly. I'll keep tabs on it for a few more weeks before declaring it safe, as I have my doubts.

The strange thing for me is that I had this problem on my old hard drive. It just kinda happened one day. It appeared on this new hard drive once I had all of my windows updates running nicely. I had thought for the longest time that it was a worm that had migrated from one drive to the other, but some things just didn't make sense about it; mainly that no virus scan would pick it up. Plus the video player thing...

Jesus, this is confusing. Anyway, I'll report more as it comes. Thanks as always, guys.

 

[Woolong]

!!!!!

Different instance of svchost.exe running wmiprvse.exe just spiked my cpu usage. Under that process explorer it was sucking up all of my processing power.

That doesn't appear to be it... the other svchost is still doing the process sucking. Grrr...

 

[xgsound]

Originally posted by: Woolong
!!!!!

Different instance of svchost.exe running wmiprvse.exe just spiked my cpu usage. Under that process explorer it was sucking up all of my processing power.

That doesn't appear to be it... the other svchost is still doing the process sucking. Grrr...

I recently read (can't remember where) that wmiprvse.exe can be misused a bit by some HP AIO drivers or tool kit to give this effect. I always use driver only for printers, and "Startup Control Panel" http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml to keep Vendors from having auto updates or startup items that aren't necessary. Great little program.

Jim

 

[Woolong]

I do have an HP printer, and HP did force me to install their crappy software instead of just letting me have the drivers...

Thanks. I'll try that.

 

[cubby1223]

HP's software is a total PITA too. Depending on the printer, the program will either be the hpgtra08.exe or toolboxfx. They too cause 100% cpu usage on machines. I've seen the toolbox fx software cause hard errors in Quickbooks. Don't ask me why, it just does, those two software programs do not get along with each other.

Just don't run the HP software. You can print just fine without any of it. Only load them up if you want to scan something.

 

[Woolong]

I wish I didn't have it on here at all. It's not even my damn printer; it's my parents' printer and I use it over the home network. I still had to install the damn software because it has the drivers...

I hate HP. Dammit Google, get with the program already. We want Google printers. And computers. And operating systems.

Etc.

 

[Woolong]

Odd... I have an unknown account with access to that svchost... Wonder what that means.

"account unknown (S-1-5-32-547)"

Right above Administrators, Authenticated Users and SYSTEM. It's only on this and one other instance of svchost, as far as I can tell.

What is this?

 

[Woolong]

Huh. And I just realized I can't use Microsoft Update at all. Whenever I do, svchost goes to 100% and the update stops.

Also, the problematic svchost just so happens to be whatever one automatic updates is under. Because I ended svchost that it was in originally just for the hell of it and tried to update and it started in another instance.

Really think it's just shoddy coding now...

 

[cubby1223]

If I were working on your computer, I'd make a full backup of the hard drive, then do a repair install of Windows.