wuauserv uses over 2GB of RAM, how to solve it?

noersetiawan · 09 May 2016

Hi this is my first post, hope I followed the rules correctly.

My problem is svchost exe uses over 2GB of RAM and high CPU usage, and I managed to pinpoint the problem to wuauserv, if I shut it down, the problem vanishes, I'm looking for a solution to fix this windows update problem.

I have followed steps described here, the result is as follow:

System Update Readiness Tool installed without problem
SFC scan finished without error
No error code on Windows Update, since it never gotten to finish, not even once, I've waited overnight
CBS log attached

Kindly help me to solve this issue, will provide more information as needed. Thanks!

Digital Life · 09 May 2016

I was recently reading The shame of Windows Update | Computerworld, Not sure if it will solve your problem but it's worth a try.

Bott and Leonhard each suggest two patches that should be installed prior to letting Windows Update check for missing bug fixes. I installed all four of them, in time sequence. That is, I first installed the October 2015 fix (KB3083710) that Bott suggested, then his November 2015 fix (KB3102810). Each required a system restart.

Next, I installed the March 2016 bug fix (KB3138612) from Woody Leonhard and rebooted again. Finally, I installed Woody's suggested April 2016 bug fix (KB3145739) and rebooted yet again.

I am glad to report that the four fixes worked, Windows Update ran at a normal, reasonable speed. The first check for updates took just under 20 minutes to find 181 missing patches

torchwood · 09 May 2016

What language packs are you running please.

Roy

noersetiawan · 09 May 2016

sml156 said:

I was recently reading The shame of Windows Update | Computerworld, Not sure if it will solve your problem but it's worth a try.

Bott and Leonhard each suggest two patches that should be installed prior to letting Windows Update check for missing bug fixes. I installed all four of them, in time sequence. That is, I first installed the October 2015 fix (KB3083710) that Bott suggested, then his November 2015 fix (KB3102810). Each required a system restart.

Next, I installed the March 2016 bug fix (KB3138612) from Woody Leonhard and rebooted again. Finally, I installed Woody's suggested April 2016 bug fix (KB3145739) and rebooted yet again.

I am glad to report that the four fixes worked, Windows Update ran at a normal, reasonable speed. The first check for updates took just under 20 minutes to find 181 missing patches

Sounds good, downloading them right now, currently creating restore point.

torchwood said:

What language packs are you running please.

Roy

It's Indonesian, does language pack has something to do with Windows Update?

ThrashZone · 09 May 2016

Hi,
Yea that has been around for a while,
Reinstalled twice, but Windows still won't update

noersetiawan · 09 May 2016

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
Yea that has been around for a while,
Reinstalled twice, but Windows still won't update

This messed up, I also have reinstalled 3 times the past week with same result, it is the update binary problem indeed.

Okay I've followed as described by that thread, the memory leak is solved I guess, svchost never went above 500Mb anymore this past hour, but it still run the CPU high and Windows Update continuously searching for update without result, waited for an hour, what do I do now?

ThrashZone · 09 May 2016

Hi,
The second part in the quote on the previous link I posted should help with that
I'm referring to the part about installing net framework 4.5.2 for 32 bit or net 4.6.1 on 64 bit.
Net 4.5.2 offline installer
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=42642

Then turn off or change the windows update settings to Never check for updates.
Save kb3145739 to your downloads folder to install later after you restart the machine
https://technet.microsoft.com/librar...or=-2147217396

If you get an error installing kb3145739 it's because the new update settings changes did not stick.
The stand alone installer search was lightening fast and finally installed the above kb314....

After installing it restart again
Switch to Check for update but let me ..... then manually check for updates
It took about 5 minute to find the rest of the updates for April plus all of the net 4.5.2 updates

There's no real reason this should work
I can see it as a net 4.6.1 bug on 32 bit in my case though

But the issue did not affect 2 64 bit installs with net 4.6.1 matter of fact neither had any issue finding the updates on startup or soon after without manually checking for updates

One other note is the 32 bit system has always shown 50%++ cpu usage from our friend svchost.exe and now it's back to normal without turning off windows updates

noersetiawan · 09 May 2016

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
The second part in the quote on the previous link I posted should help with that
I'm referring to the part about installing net framework 4.5.2 for 32 bit or net 4.6.1 on 64 bit.
Net 4.5.2 offline installer
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=42642

Then turn off or change the windows update settings to Never check for updates.
Save kb3145739 to your downloads folder to install later after you restart the machine
https://technet.microsoft.com/librar...or=-2147217396

If you get an error installing kb3145739 it's because the new update settings changes did not stick.
The stand alone installer search was lightening fast and finally installed the above kb314....

After installing it restart again
Switch to Check for update but let me ..... then manually check for updates
It took about 5 minute to find the rest of the updates for April plus all of the net 4.5.2 updates

There's no real reason this should work
I can see it as a net 4.6.1 bug on 32 bit in my case though

But the issue did not affect 2 64 bit installs with net 4.6.1 matter of fact neither had any issue finding the updates on startup or soon after without manually checking for updates

One other note is the 32 bit system has always shown 50%++ cpu usage from our friend svchost.exe and now it's back to normal without turning off windows updates

Hi,
I followed it bit-by-bit: install NDP452 > set never check for update > restart > install kb3145739, it installed successfully > restart > set check for updates first > manually check for updates..

It's been 20 minutes, svchost still running the CPU hot without finding any updates. What do i do next?

ThrashZone · 09 May 2016

Hi,
It stalled with Never check for updates and manually installing
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3138612

ThrashZone · 09 May 2016

Hi,
This is a little cleaner description
Make sure and go to Uninstall a program and see which Microsoft Net framework you have installed,
4.5.2 is the most consistent to have installed,
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=42642

Switch your windows update setting to Never check for updates temporarily
Restart the machine
You can try and install the newest update client manually leave your update settings at Never check for updates until you install this,
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3138612

Then download this to your downloads folder to run it from there,
https://technet.microsoft.com/librar...or=-2147217396

Download the x86 for 32 bit system or x64 for a 64 bit system

Install it and restart when prompted too after it does a stand alone search for updates which shouldn't take too long it took all of 5 seconds "If" the windows update settings are switched to Never check for updates before running it from the downloads folder.

Once it installs and restarts
You can reset your updates setting to whatever you had prior = Default....
Then manually check for updates.