svchost.exe Causing CPU to Run at 100%

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

BTW, I've seen Windows Update (with this "bug" so to speak) hog the CPU for 30+ minutes but it DOES eventually complete. The process hasn't hung, it is just consuming massive amounts of CPU time, which it shouldn't be doing.

Yeah, I'm still up ... Forgot to say that since MS Security Essentials won't update its virus definitions, which typically takes only a minute or two, then seems the whole Window's Update functionality is broken. That's why I don't think letting Window's Update run for a super long amount of time is going to make it complete the task since MSE can't update either.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Ok, so I did a manual launch of Windows Updates, and let it run for quite a while (30+ min), and during this time svchost.exe was maxed out at 99% most of the time. Windows Update did "finish" and showed a list of updates it wanted to install - and svchost.exe went back to zero CPU usage, which is good. When I told it to install the list of updates, it came back with a message that all updates failed to install. So question is, what's broken with Windows Updates?

 

[brandini]

bad ram or dying HD or errors on HD is possible. Run a full chkdsk on your machine and also try making a memtest86+ bootable CD and let it run overnight to try and rule that out.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: brandini

bad ram or dying HD or errors on HD is possible. Run a full chkdsk on your machine and also try making a memtest86+ bootable CD and let it run overnight to try and rule that out.

That would usually propagate itself as a BSOD or lock-up, not just Windows Update being FUBAR though

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

Ok, so I did a manual launch of Windows Updates, and let it run for quite a while (30+ min), and during this time svchost.exe was maxed out at 99% most of the time. Windows Update did "finish" and showed a list of updates it wanted to install - and svchost.exe went back to zero CPU usage, which is good. When I told it to install the list of updates, it came back with a message that all updates failed to install. So question is, what's broken with Windows Updates?

Silly question, but if you can get Windows Update to complete again, can you just check ONE update and see if it will install? Also, did you take note of the error number associated with the above failure? You clipped it with the scroll bar in the picture so I can't see it.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

BTW, there are a boatload of "fixit" things for Windows Update (confidence inspiring I know, LOL!!!) Here's another: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

I did just run the "auto fix" option in the link above. The tool looked exactly the same as the one you previously suggested. Tried a manual launch to update MS Security Essentials and it still bombs out like before. I did know that MS Security Essentials updates were through Windows Updates because they all show up in the Windows Updates history log too. Here's the results of this running of Windows Update Fixit: Issues Found Service registration is missing or corrupt: Not fixed Reset service registration: Succeeded Problems installing recent updates: Not fixed Repair Windows Update: Succeeded Problems installing recent updates: Not fixed Repair Windows Update: Succeeded Check for missing or corrupt files: Fixed Repair missing or corrupt files: Succeeded Windows Update error 0x8007000D(2013-11-13-T-11_39_49P): Fixed Resetting Windows Update data store: Succeeded Issues Checked Windows Update environment variables are incorrect: Checked Some security settings are missing or have been changed: Checked Windows Update services are not running: Checked Cryptographic service components are not registered: Checked

Yes, all the FixIt tools look identical BTW

 

[OVERKILL]

Oh, and another potentially applicable FixIt: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971187/en-us

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Originally Posted By: brandini

bad ram or dying HD or errors on HD is possible. Run a full chkdsk on your machine and also try making a memtest86+ bootable CD and let it run overnight to try and rule that out.

That would usually propagate itself as a BSOD or lock-up, not just Windows Update being FUBAR though

That's what I was thinking too. Seeing and learning more about what's going on now, it seems svchost.exe goes to 99% CPU usage only when Windows Update is trying to do an update. The computer seems to function normally (ie, normal CPU loads) when svchost.exe isn't saturated during a Windows Update. In the past, Windows Update wouldn't take very long ... certainly not 30~45 min, more like 5 min. Also, since Microsoft Security Essentials can't do virus definition updated anymore, it seems the only problem is that the functionality of Windows Update is lost.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Silly question, but if you can get Windows Update to complete again, can you just check ONE update and see if it will install? Also, did you take note of the error number associated with the above failure? You clipped it with the scroll bar in the picture so I can't see it.

I didn't try that, but can. After it chugged along for 30+ min and came up with the list of updates to install - everything looked normal at this point. Then I told it to install all the updates and then almost instantly a message came up that said those updates were not installed. Didn't really see an obvious error message, but can look around next time.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Oh, and another potentially applicable FixIt: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971187/en-us

I'll give it a try also ... thanks!

 

[brandini]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Originally Posted By: brandini

bad ram or dying HD or errors on HD is possible. Run a full chkdsk on your machine and also try making a memtest86+ bootable CD and let it run overnight to try and rule that out.

That would usually propagate itself as a BSOD or lock-up, not just Windows Update being FUBAR though

You'd be surprised at what bad sectors can do...

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ I've got some hard drive & RAM health checking tools someplace - haven't used them in quite a while. I could certainly run those tools just to make sure the hardware is OK.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: brandini

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Originally Posted By: brandini

bad ram or dying HD or errors on HD is possible. Run a full chkdsk on your machine and also try making a memtest86+ bootable CD and let it run overnight to try and rule that out.

That would usually propagate itself as a BSOD or lock-up, not just Windows Update being FUBAR though

You'd be surprised at what bad sectors can do...

No I wouldn't, LOL! I've been doing this since ~1988 when I tore into the family's 8088 to see what made it tick That said, bad sectors also usually cause the computer to lag badly at various times (without the cooresping high CPU usage) as the disk tries to read from those sectors with the key indicator being a solid HDD LED. Since those symptoms weren't mentioned by the OP (and I've had this exact issue a number of times with a number of PC's) I'm thinking it is a software issue, not hardware. I'm not saying it is completely outside the realm of possibility, it just is unlikely given the symptoms he's described.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Silly question, but if you can get Windows Update to complete again, can you just check ONE update and see if it will install? Also, did you take note of the error number associated with the above failure? You clipped it with the scroll bar in the picture so I can't see it.

I didn't try that, but can. After it chugged along for 30+ min and came up with the list of updates to install - everything looked normal at this point. Then I told it to install all the updates and then almost instantly a message came up that said those updates were not installed. Didn't really see an obvious error message, but can look around next time.

There should be an error code at the top, like 0x0008347 or something. That's very helpful when trying to determine the root of the problem. Also, in Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Event Viewer Check to see what errors you have in your logs related to what is occurring here. They may help us out.

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ I will check that out too. Might not have a chance to do anything on it tonight, and I certainly appreciate the help on this from you. Will update progress when I can dig into it more. In the meantime, I have disabled automatic Windows Updates, which keeps svchost.exe calmed down and the computer working well. I'm just dead in the water for any future Windows or MSE updates. Of course Microsoft is going to stop supporting XP in April 2014, so all points to getting a new machine soon. But I would like to continue using what I have until that time comes.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Also, did you take note of the error number associated with the above failure? You clipped it with the scroll bar in the picture so I can't see it.

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

There should be an error code at the top, like 0x0008347 or something. That's very helpful when trying to determine the root of the problem.

Overkill - see the error number when MSE tries to do an update. Probably related to Windows Update not working also. Error code is 0x80240022.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Oh, and another potentially applicable FixIt: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971187/en-us

I'll give it a try also ... thanks!

I tired that latest Fixit in the link you gave above. It did say it fixed "Corrupt Patch Registry keys". But I tried to to a MSE update and it still bombed and gave me the message window I show in the post above this one. Rebooted the computer and tried MSE update again, and same failure and message.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Oh, and another potentially applicable FixIt: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971187/en-us

I'll give it a try also ... thanks!

I tired that latest Fixit in the link you gave above. It did say it fixed "Corrupt Patch Registry keys". But I tried to to a MSE update and it still bombed and gave me the message window I show in the post above this one. Rebooted the computer and tried MSE update again, and same failure and message.

OK, but what about the Windows Updates, do they work yet?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Also, did you take note of the error number associated with the above failure? You clipped it with the scroll bar in the picture so I can't see it.

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

There should be an error code at the top, like 0x0008347 or something. That's very helpful when trying to determine the root of the problem.

Overkill - see the error number when MSE tries to do an update. Probably related to Windows Update not working also. Error code is 0x80240022.

Try this page: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918355 Has some automated as well as manual stuff to do. Also, if that doesn't fix it, run this: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/farbar-service-scanner/dl/62/ The farbar service scanner, which usually corrects broken Windows services.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

I tried to do a MSE update and it still bombed and gave me the message window I show in the post above this one. Rebooted the computer and tried MSE update again, and same failure and message.

OK, but what about the Windows Updates, do they work yet?

Just tried to do a Windows Update with a manual launch. It did come up with a list of updates to install. When I hit the "Install Updates" button, I saw a message flash for a second that said download failed, then it listed all the updates and said they were not installed. Went to the install history and all the failed updates had the following error code. Error Code: 0x80246008 Note that the failed MSE definition updates shown in the Windows Updates history list are also indicating error code 0x80246008 But if I try to update MSE definitions through the MSE interface directly, the error code is 0x80240022 (as seen in the screen print of the error dialog box I posted earlier above).