XP Windows / Automatic Updates SVCHOST.exe 100% CPU .. MS did something.

By +Warwagon
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Grand Master

JustGeorge

Posted
Posted

This happens on every XP machine @ my workplace. Used to just affect PCs using Microsoft Update, but now its also Windows Update. Damned annoying! Takes 30min for some machines to show updates to download.

 

....And no, I'm not going to set up a WSUS!

Neowinian

2nd Rodeo

Posted
Posted

I fixed this on a friends machine by doing the following; 1. Did a repair install of XP with SP2 disk  2.installed IE8 3.Installed Windows Update Agent 3.0  4.Installed SP3  and then let Automatic Updates take over.

Have an XP disk and your Windows key available . It also helps to have downloads of IE8/WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe/SP3 on a Flash drive. Be sure to follow Microsoft's instructions on an XP repair install i.e., downgrade the browser first.

 

Neowinian

Lman

Posted
Posted

Hi Guys.

 

Just spent a Sunday night banging my head with an old "customer critical" xp with the wu+100% cpu error.

 

Wanted to share my solution.

Tried all of the above without any success (I think).

 

My issue was the BITS service was corrupt and renamed 

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-windows_update/background-intelligent-transfer-service-bits-not/c69ba6ad-bf60-4e53-9b7b-f97e9436e529

states that one could re-register BITS as a service with the command:

sc create BITS binpath= "c:\windows\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs" start= delayed-auto

 

That did not make the trick for me, it already had a service with that name... but hey I did not se any service starting with the letter B at all..

 

5google minutes later the solution was found

BITS was named "@%SystemRoot%\system32\qmgr.dll,-1000"  in the services list.

 

Following http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916251/en-us led me to have a working system.

Neowinian

WG70

Posted
Posted

Hi All,

 

Ran into this as so many others. Tried so much as many others.

My case, a fresh XP pro install with sp3. Got wrong while installing KB905474,

100% cpu, freeze of the installer. After numerous attemps for me it was solved

just to choose custom install and leave the KB905474 unchecked.

 

And indeed, last 3 years no issue, now suddenly everywhere..... Is this normal?

 

Best regards.

 

Neowinian

mcihelka

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

 

I am pleased to offer a definitive answer on this issue.

 

This issue comes about because Windows Update is heavily reliant on components of Internet Explorer. If these components are not up-to-date, later versions of Windows Update Agent (that's the engine that scans for and manages updates) may fail or exhibit very poor performance.

 

For folks that are doing a fresh install of Windows XP, the problem will always reveal itself when you try to do your first Windows Update. By initiating an update via the Windows Update website or enabling automatic updates, Windows will first upgrade Windows Update Agent. You cannot prevent this from happening. After that, Windows Update will fail or perform poorly thanks to the dated components of Internet Explorer 6.

 

For folks that have an existing Windows XP installation, this problem may still pop up if you have not been regularly updating your Internet Explorer installation.

 

It is NOT necessary to install a new version of Internet Explorer to resolve this issue. What is actually required is to install the latest cumulative security update for whatever version of Internet Explorer you have installed. This will be IE6, IE7, or IE8 (if you're doing a fresh install of Windows XP it will naturally be IE6). This will upgrade the various components of your Internet Explorer installation. Thereafter Windows Update will perform as it should.

 

The latest updates are dated October 2013 (as of writing this). Download and install the update that corresponds with your currently installed version of Internet Explorer:

 

IE6: WindowsXP-KB2879017-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40612

 

IE7: IE7-WindowsXP-KB2879017-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40519

 

IE8: IE8-WindowsXP-KB2879017-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40390

 

For more information (or for details of updates suitable for 64-bit versions of Windows XP) see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin/ms13-080.

 

:-)

Michal

Experienced

John.D

Posted
Posted

Hi Guys.

 

Just spent a Sunday night banging my head with an old "customer critical" xp with the wu+100% cpu error.

 

Wanted to share my solution.

Tried all of the above without any success (I think).

 

My issue was the BITS service was corrupt and renamed 

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-windows_update/background-intelligent-transfer-service-bits-not/c69ba6ad-bf60-4e53-9b7b-f97e9436e529

states that one could re-register BITS as a service with the command:

sc create BITS binpath= "c:\windows\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs" start= delayed-auto

 

That did not make the trick for me, it already had a service with that name... but hey I did not se any service starting with the letter B at all..

 

5google minutes later the solution was found

BITS was named "@%SystemRoot%\system32\qmgr.dll,-1000"  in the services list.

 

Following http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916251/en-us led me to have a working system.

This is exactly what I saw using XP mode in Win7. Same corruption. Same entry under its service %SystemRoot%\system32\qmgr.dll,-1000"

 

Don't think this was infected, the only thing I had installed was XP mode + SP3, and nothing else / a clean install. And I doubt that the XP mode setup file was infected. I've used it before on the same laptop no probs at all.

 

And the install on the laptop is a clean install. So, dont think the laptop is infected either

Neowinian

anomic

Posted
Posted

Hi,

 

I had the same issue, fresh XP with SP3 on a year 2005 laptop, and WU causing svchosts.exe too run @ 100%cpu. I fixed it, so I like to share it with you.

 

Procedure:

 

- disable automatic updates and reboot to get control over your PC again ;-)

- install IE8 from microsoft.com

- from automatic updates in configuration panel, choose install updates from MS website

- IE8 will open and the updates will be found again

- proceed like usual and install updates the way you like

- enable automatic updates

 

It seems you need to have IE8 installed to be able to do the updates...

 

 

Regards,

 

Mike.

Neowinian

SquireC

Posted
Posted

My first post so I hope I comply with all the forum rules.

 

 

I'm not convinced it's all down to IE8. I updated IE8 and it still didn't work.

 

What was wrong was that BITS was stopped. Other checks I had made said that BITS was running - it wasn't.

 

I fixed it because I had a copy of TUT on my PC (The Ultimate Troublesh**ter software) and this enabled me to interrogate Services and it showed BITS set to automatic, and stopped. I changed this to manual and then started BITS.

 

Result - downloaded and installed all October updates.

 

So check BITS is actually started - however you do it.

 

Good luck (I now have 12 other PC's to update - I do some work for a cancer charity's 'clients').

Neowinian

chriski

Posted
Posted

I have several machines running xp. The ones that have this problem have multiple user accounts; the machines with single user accounts have no trouble at all. Anyone have a single account machine that has the 100% cpu svchost problem?

 

 

 

Thanks.

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted

I have several machines running xp. The ones that have this problem have multiple user accounts; the machines with single user accounts have no trouble at all. Anyone have a single account machine that has the 100% cpu svchost problem?

 

 

 

Thanks.

 

Every new single user install ;)

Neowinian

SidF

Posted
Posted

I have the same experience with some old slow Toshiba laptops. Running windows or microsoft update through IE takes a very very long time to get to a list of updates, typically 4 or 5 hours with an svchost process running at 100% making the machine unusable for anything else. Similarly, if set to auto updates, the little shield appears in the notification area and usually shows 0 % downloaded until it gets to 100% after 5 plus hours while svc host runs at 100%.

I did notice that once the download was complete, the first two updates took a very  long time and svchost was still running at 100% while these updates were being applied. They were a security update for Windows 2007 Office Suites and  a Microsoft Security Essentials update. The machines don't have Office 2007 , they have 2003 with the file format converter to allow 2003 to read docx files. Once these two updates had completed the 100% svchost disappeared and the rest of the 61 updates ran normally with the cpu going from 20% to 80% depending on what was happening. Perhaps uninstalling the file format converter and Microsoft Security Essentials would fix the svchost 100% problem, doing the update and then reinstalling them. I'm going to give that a try with one of the other machines. We have 12 of them that need to be updated.

Neowinian

Sunseeker007

Posted
Posted

After 12 hours last weekend reading this thread and many others, I was able to discover what has worked for me on 3 different occasions in the last week. I figured its time to GIVE BACK for all the times I've taken info to help with other problems.

 

So, I took notes through my last install and am presenting them to you for a smoooooooooth installation.

 

Peace out

 

Windows XP installation

 

Unplug any network, Ethernet connection from the computer you?re installing XP on.  

 

Install XP SP3 WITHOUT turning on automatic updates. (this is usually toward the end of the installation. Don?t worry if you miss it or it doesn?t pop up, we?ll turn it off in the next step.

 

After XP is installed, go to UPDATES in Control Panel and make sure to check the ?Turn off Automatic Updates? button.

 

Plug in Internet connection

 

Next install this update.  http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40612  This update is for XP installing IE6 which is most common with XP SP3. RESTART MACHINE

 

After installing the above update go back to CONTROL PANEL and open up UPDATES. Now check the button that says ?Notify me but don?t automatically download or install them.? Click ?APPLY? and ?OK? and sit back and wait.

 

In about 1 to 5 minutes you?ll see you first update bubble saying. ?updates are ready for your computer?  This is typically one single update called ?Package Installer? and helps facilitate the rest of the updates. Click on the bubble and a window opens in the middles of the screen. Now click the ?download? button and wait about 1 to 5 minutes (depending on your internet connection speed.) And a new bubble pops up stating ?updates are ready for your computer? again.

 

Click the bubble and this time click ?INSTALL? on the window that opened up. The window will resume to bubble size giving you the option to click on it which will allows you to watch the update install. This is just personal preference.  After this single update install. Click the close button and wait once again. WOOHOO!

 

Next on the list will be the next round of updates but you do NOT want to download all these updates. There is one update you MUST uncheck titled ?Windows Genuine Advantage? which is usually second from the bottom of the list. Scroll to the bottom and uncheck this update and then click the download button. After you click the download button, another screen will pop up and give you the option to make sure window doesn?t bother you with this update again. Be sure to check that box and then click OK. Then once again click the download button.

 

This batch of updates (about 126) will take much longer so sit back and give it a about 15 to 20 minutes. Once again depending on your connection speed. If you want to hover your mouse over the yellow update icon down in the taskbar, it will vaguely show you how your process is going. It's not always accurate so don?t count on it but it will give you a relative reading.

 

After the downloads are complete, you?ll see the update bubble pop up now asking for you to INSTALL the updates. Click the bubble and follow the prompts. Make the update window big again by clicking on the update bubble. Sit back and watch these updates install over the next 15 to 30 minutes. (Depending on the speed of your processor)

 

After all update are INSTALLED, click RESTART NOW and wait for computer to restart.

 

Next?go to CONTROL PANEL and click on the ?WINDOWS UPDATE ? link on the left hand side. IE will ask you some final question to install IE8 so go ahead and answer these.

 

Updates will now go and find WGA which should be good to download and install. Let that update do its thing and keep going to install the last few updates.

 

OPTION: You can leave the update setting as is, or change them to your desired setting

 

GOOD LUCK!

 

BTW?I?ve built three XP machines in this exact way in the last three weeks.

 

ENJOY!

Grand Master

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Posted
Posted

After 12 hours last weekend reading this thread and many others, I was able to discover what has worked for me on 3 different occasions in the last week. I figured its time to GIVE BACK for all the times I've taken info to help with other problems.

 

So, I took notes through my last install and am presenting them to you for a smoooooooooth installation.

 

Peace out

 

Windows XP installation

 

Unplug any network, Ethernet connection from the computer you?re installing XP on.  

 

Install XP SP3 WITHOUT turning on automatic updates. (this is usually toward the end of the installation. Don?t worry if you miss it or it doesn?t pop up, we?ll turn it off in the next step.

 

After XP is installed, go to UPDATES in Control Panel and make sure to check the ?Turn off Automatic Updates? button.

 

Plug in Internet connection

 

Next install this update.  http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40612  This update is for XP installing IE6 which is most common with XP SP3. RESTART MACHINE

 

After installing the above update go back to CONTROL PANEL and open up UPDATES. Now check the button that says ?Notify me but don?t automatically download or install them.? Click ?APPLY? and ?OK? and sit back and wait.

 

In about 1 to 5 minutes you?ll see you first update bubble saying. ?updates are ready for your computer?  This is typically one single update called ?Package Installer? and helps facilitate the rest of the updates. Click on the bubble and a window opens in the middles of the screen. Now click the ?download? button and wait about 1 to 5 minutes (depending on your internet connection speed.) And a new bubble pops up stating ?updates are ready for your computer? again.

 

Click the bubble and this time click ?INSTALL? on the window that opened up. The window will resume to bubble size giving you the option to click on it which will allows you to watch the update install. This is just personal preference.  After this single update install. Click the close button and wait once again. WOOHOO!

 

Next on the list will be the next round of updates but you do NOT want to download all these updates. There is one update you MUST uncheck titled ?Windows Genuine Advantage? which is usually second from the bottom of the list. Scroll to the bottom and uncheck this update and then click the download button. After you click the download button, another screen will pop up and give you the option to make sure window doesn?t bother you with this update again. Be sure to check that box and then click OK. Then once again click the download button.

 

This batch of updates (about 126) will take much longer so sit back and give it a about 15 to 20 minutes. Once again depending on your connection speed. If you want to hover your mouse over the yellow update icon down in the taskbar, it will vaguely show you how your process is going. It's not always accurate so don?t count on it but it will give you a relative reading.

 

After the downloads are complete, you?ll see the update bubble pop up now asking for you to INSTALL the updates. Click the bubble and follow the prompts. Make the update window big again by clicking on the update bubble. Sit back and watch these updates install over the next 15 to 30 minutes. (Depending on the speed of your processor)

 

After all update are INSTALLED, click RESTART NOW and wait for computer to restart.

 

Next?go to CONTROL PANEL and click on the ?WINDOWS UPDATE ? link on the left hand side. IE will ask you some final question to install IE8 so go ahead and answer these.

 

Updates will now go and find WGA which should be good to download and install. Let that update do its thing and keep going to install the last few updates.

 

OPTION: You can leave the update setting as is, or change them to your desired setting

 

GOOD LUCK!

 

BTW?I?ve built three XP machines in this exact way in the last three weeks.

 

ENJOY!

GIGANTIC FONTS DON'T PROVE OR MEAN ANYTHING.  I've seen the same thing...either with virtual machines or physical. I'm interested on trying your solution, but YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL!

Neowinian

raynerph

Posted
Posted

I've just had the same problem with the November 2013 updates, and svchost at 99%.  And wasted several hours.

 

Having read the fix ideas, I looked to see if the November updates contain an update for Internet Explorer 8.  There is an update: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41074

 

I installed the update.  Rebooted.  Then ran Microsoft Update (I have updates turned "off", but with wuauclt.exe running as a service in the background).

 

This time the search for updates completed with only a few brief moments of svchost hitting 99%, and then the updates installed OK.

 

It seems crazy that you have to manually install the November Internet Explorer 8 update, before the update system will automatically find and install the other updates.

 

I had a lot of difficulty with the September updates too (same problem), but eventually the PC got there.  Whereas the October updates were no problem at all.

 

I am also running an old XP installation, on a slow (1.6GHz) single core, low memory (1024MB) PC; it's over 8 years old, and has never been re-installed.

  • GxB, +Warwagon and Zinomian
  • Like 3
Neowinian

richpasco

Posted
Posted

I am pleased to offer a definitive answer on this issue.

...

 

IE8: IE8-WindowsXP-KB2879017-x86-ENU.exe

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40390

 

I applied this patch a week or so ago and it fixed my "99% CPU" problem on my XP machine until today.  Now, the CPU load goes to 100% with svchost.exe within several minutes of booting, even if I don't do anything else.  If I kill svchost.exe then i have no network connectivity.

Neowinian

the_etech3

Posted
Posted

Thank you raynerph! (post #123)

 

I also had the same problem.  I wasted several hours trying past fixes with no luck.  After reading your fix, I applied the update: http://www.microsoft...s.aspx?id=41074

 

Rebooted and ran Microsoft Update (I also had the updates turned "off") and problem solved.  Thank you.

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