Windows hang on startup, esp WMP - MsMpEng.exe
I recently did a Windows update which I usually have turned off (cue lots of telling me off). Surprise surprise,
something started playing up. Windows Media Player for one took minutes to respond. Likewise, if I started Task Mgr straight away and clicked "Show Processes from all users", that would hang and respond at exactly the same time as WMP.
I also noticed MsMpEng.exe regularly eating up CPU and causing my previously cool laptop (Ultrabook) to start getting warm-to-hot.
After finding out the people at MS
really don't want you switching this off, I did manage to, and hey presto, all my hangs fixed. You can't kill it from Task Mgr, you can't rename the directory or the file (Access Denied), all attempts to switch off the Security Essentials via Control Panel still left it running, so I did this:-
Activated the Administrator account (run cmd.exe with Administrator privs):-
cmd> net user administrator /active:yes
(for more info see here - and deactivate after if you are security conscious:-
Enable the (Hidden) Administrator Account on Windows 7, 8, or Vista).
Force windows to give you the safe mode option by powering down your pc with a long push in of the power button (there's probably a better way than that).
As Administrator, spark it up in safe mode with command prompt.
In cmd -
cmd> cd "\Program Files\Microsoft Security Essentials"
cmd> rename MsMpEng.exe MsMpEngX.exe
Power down and then back on and no hangs and no eating up CPU. Nice.
