svchost.exe is using 50% CPU

[debodun]

I've been reading other people's posts regarding recent troubles with update downloads. Yesterday it took my system (64-bit) almost all day to even download 13 Microsoft updates. I thought I was in the clear, but today the Task Manager shows an svchost.exe is using 50% of the CPU. I went to the action center and saw it was asking to install NET Framework 4.6.1. I already have this installed, so why is it asking to be downloaded? I suspect this is what is causing the high CPU use. IS there a way to "kill" this download without compromising my system?

 

[pbcopter]

Right click on the update and select hide. It will not be offered again.

 

[DoctorBrown]

The svchost.exe is used by many Windows services. All of the following is what I have found in my experience (YMMV):

This high CPU usage by svchost.exe is most often caused by the windows update client. When windows first boots, this process runs and can consume high CPU for a period of time searching for updates. If it doesn't stop after awhile (I'm not sure exactly how long 'awhile' is) Then you can stop it as follows:

Click 'Start' then in the search box enter: services.msc
right-click the service.msc at the top and click 'Run as Administrator'.
Acknowledge the UAC prompt if needed.
In the Services window, scroll to the bottom and right click the 'Windows Update' Service. Then click stop.

If the services can't be stopped, then Windows Update is hung (actually it will finish but it could take up to 5 hours or longer).

This will stop the high CPU usage, but this service will start up if you open Windows update or reboot. I have not found any harm caused by stopping this service or killing downloads in progress. On my systems I have used Process Monitor to analyze what WU is doing during this time and it appears to be just spinning its wheels (literally doing nothing useful).

 

[Callender]

On my systems I have used Process Monitor to analyze what WU is doing during this time and it appears to be just spinning its wheels (literally doing nothing useful).

Process Monitor won't help. See this post but ignore the fix posted.

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...b-ram-constantly-post3128740.html#post3128740

RAMMap v1.5

Using RAMMap:

File Summary tab - sort by "Active" - highest at top.

Also see:

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...b-ram-constantly-post3128848.html#post3128848