svchost.exe taking CPU to 100%

[nithig]

Suddenly this system, which was operating ok, has started to become very hot. I traced this heating to high CPU usage and further to an over-active svchost.exe (screen shot below).

I'm not very technical but from reading online I gather this may be associated with Microsoft Updates (Updates appears to be up to date). There was a hotfix offered by Microsoft but it concerned Windows Framework 3.0 (can't recall update number) but I checked thoroughly and couldn't find any such listing or update item.

So I'm rather stuck.
svchost is of course a legitimate and required Microsoft component but I find this overheating and taking up of all the CPU disconcerting and also it slows every other activity.

Any suggestions in as plain English as you can manage ... would be very helpful.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Manually install this update:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3112343

If that does not fix the CPU usage, the try these steps:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

 

[nithig]

Thank you UsernameIssues.
D/loaded that stand alone update however when double clicked it starts the "searching for updates on this computer" and this has been running for some time now with nothing else occurring.
Is this 'searching for updates' what is meant to be achieved with the d/load KB3112343?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Not at all sure that update is more related to monitoring win-10 upgrades than anything :/
Use Clean boot,
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html
Click Start and type in the search box,
msconfig
Click on the suggestion on top or hit the Enter key,
Go to the Startup section and take some screen shots for a complete list,
Go to the Services section and on the bottom left Check the box to Hide All Microsoft services,
Repeat the screen shots,
See the links above my signature on how to take and upload screen shots here,
Cheers.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Thank you UsernameIssues.
D/loaded that stand alone update however when double clicked it starts the "searching for updates on this computer" and this has been running for some time now with nothing else occurring.
Is this 'searching for updates' what is meant to be achieved with the d/load KB3112343?

The "searching for updates" is part of the installation. It is just checking to see that this update is needed/applicable. It should not take long to do that search. It is probably best to reset the Windows Update process using the tutorial that I linked to... then try installing that KB again.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Hi,
Not at all sure that update is more related to monitoring win-10 upgrades than anything :/

KB3112343 contains this fix:

Installing and searching for updates is slow and high CPU usage occurs in Windows 7...

 

[ThrashZone]

Cause


This issue occurs because memory on the client computer is fragmented when Windows Update agent scans the client computer in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2.

Yea I don't even see how memory gets fragmented personally
This assumes someone never shuts down or something and only uses hibernation :/

 

[nithig]

Yea I don't even see how memory gets fragmented personally
This assumes someone never shuts down or something and only uses hibernation :/

hmmm... yes, I tend to leave the laptop in "Sleep" mode rather than full shut down.

Restarted "checking for updates" and again it is still running without result.

 

[ThrashZone]

Sometimes restarting is not good enough completely shut down.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Yea I don't even see how memory gets fragmented personally
This assumes someone never shuts down or something and only uses hibernation :/

hmmm... yes, I tend to leave the laptop in "Sleep" mode rather than full shut down.

Restarted "checking for updates" and again it is still running without result.

You are probably not running the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 client on your computer - so I would not worry about how often you restart.

The "Cause" section that ThrashZone quoted applies to the fixes that were added to the Windows Update Client with KB3112343. The fix that we are interested in came from KB3102810 and is included in KB3112343.


We leave thousands of work computers on 24/7. If it were not for updates, these computers would never reboot. The computers have work to do... data to gather. Those work computer run the System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2 client.

 

[nithig]

Thanks again.
Relieved to read that leaving system on sleep ought not be a problem ... it is v. convenient.

So I'm back to square one ... have re-installed from the link UsernameIssues gave in first reply and now the Win. Standalone Installer is searching for updates ... I'll just leave it running and wait for it to eventually find what it requires.
I'll let you know what happens.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Thanks again.
Relieved to read that leaving system on sleep ought not be a problem ... it is v. convenient.

So I'm back to square one ... have re-installed from the link UsernameIssues gave in first reply and now the Win. Standalone Installer is searching for updates ... I'll just leave it running and wait for it to eventually find what it requires.
I'll let you know what happens.

It will be interesting to see if the installation process finds anything when you leave it searching - perhaps overnight. If it does not continue with the installation, cancel the install via a cancel button (if available) or by restarting the computer. Then do these steps: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

 

[nithig]

It's now been running for about 3 & half hours and as you suggest 'perhaps overnight' I'll let it run during today and if that fails I''ll return to the steps you've kindly provided. Appreciate your imput UsernameIssues.

 

[nithig]

After just over 5 hrs (mind you I have lousy i'net speeds here) KB3112343 was found and installed. Upon restart it doesn't appear to have solved the over taxing of CPU and curiously TrustedInstaller.exe is taking up to 50 on CPU reading in Resource Monitor and for now svchost seems to have quietened. Have to leave the computer so will leave a scan running and check again later.
If still high will continue to Win Update Reset as linked above.

 

[ComputerGeek]

The problem may well be with windows update but IMHO I don't believe that KB is relevant in this case.

The user is running a standalone Windows 7 machine. As I read the KB info, that KB is for Windows 7 running in a Windows Server environment. (might also be why the KB hangs if it's looking for a server or server client running on the workstation - neither of which are there)

@nithig
Can't hurt to run the MS Fixit for Windows Update first.

Don't know if it will help, but I'd try to see what service(s) are using that CPU. Your screenshot indicates the service group for the problem svchost is netsvcs. Go into Resource Manager and click CPU tab. Look in the Services section. Click on Group column header to sort by Group. Now you can scroll down to see all the services in the netsvcs group. Which of the netsvcs services are hogging the CPU? Take a screen shot

/* EDIT */
And question: Does the machine run high CPU right after or soon after reboot? Or does it take awhile? just curious...

 

[nithig]

Hello ComputerGeek,
here's what you directed me to: (and btw scvhost.exe (netscvs) is back up ...running high)
_____________________________
have run the MS Fixit and now it's back to "Detecting Problems: -checking for updates online"

 

[nithig]

""Detecting Problems: -checking for updates online" ran for hours with no result.
Then I took the step Update Reset from link above.
After restart there is no change... scvhost.exe (netscvs) is still taking up average of 50% CPU.

Also despite ceasing all Update checks and restarting the update process wuauserv continues to run at about 50% of CPU.

I've followed all directions provided so far.
This is a recent development ... and since I've added no new programs or activities it's a mystery what started this CPU and overheating problem.
Any further analysis welcome.

 

[UsernameIssues]

The problem may well be with windows update but IMHO I don't believe that KB is relevant in this case.

The user is running a standalone Windows 7 machine. As I read the KB info, that KB is for Windows 7 running in a Windows Server environment. (might also be why the KB hangs if it's looking for a server or server client running on the workstation - neither of which are there)

@nithig
Can't hurt to run the MS Fixit for Windows Update first.

Don't know if it will help, but I'd try to see what service(s) are using that CPU. Your screenshot indicates the service group for the problem svchost is netsvcs. Go into Resource Manager and click CPU tab. Look in the Services section. Click on Group column header to sort by Group. Now you can scroll down to see all the services in the netsvcs group. Which of the netsvcs services are hogging the CPU? Take a screen shot

/* EDIT */
And question: Does the machine run high CPU right after or soon after reboot? Or does it take awhile? just curious...

Yes, several of the patches to the Windows Update Client (WUC) mention problems interacting with SCCM tools; however, several forum members have had RAM and CPU usage reduced just as soon as they apply the latest WUC. Updating the WUC probably fails to fix much on computers where some other part of Windows Update is messed up (e.g. the main database).

 

[UsernameIssues]

nithig,
Did you run the batch file (Reset_Windows_Update_Full.bat) from option three in the WU reset tut?


I would play with Process Monitor to see what the WU process is doing to consume all of those CPU cycles... but let's see what ComputerGeek can think of to try next - since Process Monitor can be a bit overwhelming.

 

[ComputerGeek]

The good news is we now know with certainty that Windows Update is the sole culprit - not malware (which can also cause high CPU in the svchost netsvcs group). The bad news is: it's not malware - malware can sometimes be easier to find and remove

Do you use or need HomeGroups in Windows 7? It's the only Win7 feature that needs ipv6 to work

Try disabling ipv6. Here's a simple one click method to disable / re-enable it. How to disable IPv6 or its components in Windows. Reboot. Anything different?