svchost and wuausrv at 100% CPU - Post SP3

Hello, I installed SP3 several weeks ago and have noticed that quite often in
the day my PC would freeze. Looking in task manager svchost is running at
100% CPU and 100MB + Memory.

I installed ProcessExplorer and split out automatic updates - wuausrv into a
seperate (none shared) service.

Still processor and memory are getting hit very heavily.

If I go wo the microsoft update site - it takes over an hour to complete a
custom installation scan

I've done a little reading up and it seems there was a problem similar to
this pre sp3 - a patch for windows update and a new version of MSI installer
was made available to fix the problem. I've verified and these cannot be
installed post sp3 (I guess they have been included)

Any ideas on how to get svchost and wuausrv back under control post sp3??

Thanks,

Andy

How have you ascertained that Automatic Updates is responsible for this
behavior?

How long do these "spikes" last?

If you make Windows Update (vs Microsoft Update) your default update source,
does this behavior persist?

[Go to Microsoft Update | Click on Change Settings in left pane | Scroll to
bottom of page | To Stop Using Microsoft Update | Disable Microsoft Update
software and let me use Windows Update only (check) | OK your way out. With
Windows Update as your default, you will need to check in at Office Update
to keep your Office applications fully patched:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/do...ncatalog.aspx]

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed? What
anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall
(if any)? Were any of these applications running when you installed WinXP
SP3?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/


Andy wrote:
> Hello, I installed SP3 several weeks ago and have noticed that quite often
> in the day my PC would freeze. Looking in task manager svchost is running
> at
> 100% CPU and 100MB + Memory.
>
> I installed ProcessExplorer and split out automatic updates - wuausrv into
> a
> seperate (none shared) service.
>
> Still processor and memory are getting hit very heavily.
>
> If I go wo the microsoft update site - it takes over an hour to complete a
> custom installation scan
>
> I've done a little reading up and it seems there was a problem similar to
> this pre sp3 - a patch for windows update and a new version of MSI
> installer
> was made available to fix the problem. I've verified and these cannot be
> installed post sp3 (I guess they have been included)
>
> Any ideas on how to get svchost and wuausrv back under control post sp3??
>
> Thanks,
>
> Andy

Andy ... could you help us out a little here before we fix this issue ?
What we need to know is the Version levels of the following files -

msi.dll
wuapi.dll
wuauclt.exe
wuaueng.dll
wuauserv.dll
wups2.dll
wups.dll
wuweb.dll

First, and you probably know this but ... show hidden files, folders,
and system files:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...l62.html#winxp

Using Windows Explorer, navigate to
WINDOWS\system32

Locate each file, *right* click them, choose Properties
Then click the Version tab. Please make a note of the Version levels.
Hopefully, they'll all be on the same level.

Next, navigate to
WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Datastore

*Right* click DataStore.edb and choose Properties.
Make a note of the Size of DataStore.edb.

Please post back with the Version levels of the update core files and
the Size of DataStore.edb.

Your cooperation will be *much* appreciated and perhaps we can figure
out why this issue is reoccurring after the application of SP3 on some
XP systems.

Also - was any AV or security software monitoring the system when SP3
was applied ?


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============



Andy wrote:

> Hello, I installed SP3 several weeks ago and have noticed that quite often in
> the day my PC would freeze. Looking in task manager svchost is running at
> 100% CPU and 100MB + Memory.
>
> I installed ProcessExplorer and split out automatic updates - wuausrv into a
> seperate (none shared) service.
>
> Still processor and memory are getting hit very heavily.
>
> If I go wo the microsoft update site - it takes over an hour to complete a
> custom installation scan
>
> I've done a little reading up and it seems there was a problem similar to
> this pre sp3 - a patch for windows update and a new version of MSI installer
> was made available to fix the problem. I've verified and these cannot be
> installed post sp3 (I guess they have been included)
>
> Any ideas on how to get svchost and wuausrv back under control post sp3??
>
> Thanks,
>
> Andy
>
>

"Andy" wrote:

> Hello, I installed SP3 several weeks ago and have noticed that quite often in
> the day my PC would freeze. Looking in task manager svchost is running at
> 100% CPU and 100MB + Memory.
>
> I installed ProcessExplorer and split out automatic updates - wuausrv into a
> seperate (none shared) service.
>
> Still processor and memory are getting hit very heavily.
>
> If I go wo the microsoft update site - it takes over an hour to complete a
> custom installation scan
>
> I've done a little reading up and it seems there was a problem similar to
> this pre sp3 - a patch for windows update and a new version of MSI installer
> was made available to fix the problem. I've verified and these cannot be
> installed post sp3 (I guess they have been included)
>
> Any ideas on how to get svchost and wuausrv back under control post sp3??
>
> Thanks,
>
> Andy
>
> Good morning I seem to have the same problem as you Andy for about a week or so. I have it on 2 of my laptops and my wifes. In answer to the last question you received, I have Norton 360 or Internet Sec. running on all. Could this be the problem? How do I get back to having happy laptops. PS Restore has not worked on any of them. Thanks for the help. bill

bill,

Please see this first:

XP SP3: Registry Corruption & Norton SymProtect
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33522


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============



bill wrote:

>
> "Andy" wrote:
>
>
>>Hello, I installed SP3 several weeks ago and have noticed that quite often in
>>the day my PC would freeze. Looking in task manager svchost is running at
>>100% CPU and 100MB + Memory.
>>
>>I installed ProcessExplorer and split out automatic updates - wuausrv into a
>>seperate (none shared) service.
>>
>>Still processor and memory are getting hit very heavily.
>>
>>If I go wo the microsoft update site - it takes over an hour to complete a
>>custom installation scan
>>
>>I've done a little reading up and it seems there was a problem similar to
>>this pre sp3 - a patch for windows update and a new version of MSI installer
>>was made available to fix the problem. I've verified and these cannot be
>>installed post sp3 (I guess they have been included)
>>
>>Any ideas on how to get svchost and wuausrv back under control post sp3??
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Andy
>>
>>Good morning I seem to have the same problem as you Andy for about a week or so. I have it on 2 of my laptops and my wifes. In answer to the last question you received, I have Norton 360 or Internet Sec. running on all. Could this be the problem? How do I get back to having happy laptops. PS Restore has not worked on any of them. Thanks for the help. bill

About Norton AntiVirus (SymProtect) & installing WinXP SP3
http://windowssecrets.com/2008/05/29...Windows-XP-SP3
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33522
http://norton.lithium.com/norton/boa...d=1624#M162 4
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

bill wrote:
> "Andy" wrote:
>
>> Hello, I installed SP3 several weeks ago and have noticed that quite
>> often
>> in
>> the day my PC would freeze. Looking in task manager svchost is running at
>> 100% CPU and 100MB + Memory.
>>
>> I installed ProcessExplorer and split out automatic updates - wuausrv
>> into
>> a
>> seperate (none shared) service.
>>
>> Still processor and memory are getting hit very heavily.
>>
>> If I go wo the microsoft update site - it takes over an hour to complete
>> a
>> custom installation scan
>>
>> I've done a little reading up and it seems there was a problem similar to
>> this pre sp3 - a patch for windows update and a new version of MSI
>> installer
>> was made available to fix the problem. I've verified and these cannot be
>> installed post sp3 (I guess they have been included)
>>
>> Any ideas on how to get svchost and wuausrv back under control post sp3??
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Andy
>>
>> Good morning I seem to have the same problem as you Andy for about a week
>> or so. I have it on 2 of my laptops and my wifes. In answer to the last
>> question you received, I have Norton 360 or Internet Sec. running on all.
>> Could this be the problem? How do I get back to having happy laptops. PS
>> Restore has not worked on any of them. Thanks for the help. bill

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> bill,
>
> Please see this first:
>
> XP SP3: Registry Corruption & Norton SymProtect
> http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33522
>
>
> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>
>
>
> bill wrote:
>
> >
> > "Andy" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Hello, I installed SP3 several weeks ago and have noticed that quite often in
> >>the day my PC would freeze. Looking in task manager svchost is running at
> >>100% CPU and 100MB + Memory.
> >>
> >>I installed ProcessExplorer and split out automatic updates - wuausrv into a
> >>seperate (none shared) service.
> >>
> >>Still processor and memory are getting hit very heavily.
> >>
> >>If I go wo the microsoft update site - it takes over an hour to complete a
> >>custom installation scan
> >>
> >>I've done a little reading up and it seems there was a problem similar to
> >>this pre sp3 - a patch for windows update and a new version of MSI installer
> >>was made available to fix the problem. I've verified and these cannot be
> >>installed post sp3 (I guess they have been included)
> >>
> >>Any ideas on how to get svchost and wuausrv back under control post sp3??
> >>
> >>Thanks,
> >>
> >>Andy
> >>
> >>Good morning I seem to have the same problem as you Andy for about a week or so. I have it on 2 of my laptops and my wifes. In answer to the last question you received, I have Norton 360 or Internet Sec. running on all. Could this be the problem? How do I get back to having happy laptops. PS Restore has not worked on any of them. Thanks for the help. bill

Well things got ugly later today one of laptops cannot finish boot up. Turn
it on runs almost all the way then shuts down and trys restart over and over
and over. once I saw the Blue Screen of Death. I did read the suggest sites,
the Norton site was interesting. Seems like they may have an auto fix in a
week, what about my other laptop? Ouch!
>

bill wrote:

>> Well things got ugly later today one of laptops cannot finish boot up. Turn
>> it on runs almost all the way then shuts down and trys restart over and over
>> and over. once I saw the Blue Screen of Death. I did read the suggest sites,
>> the Norton site was interesting. Seems like they may have an auto fix in a
>> week, what about my other laptop? Ouch!

There's a utility to fix the Norton issue here:
http://solutions.symantec.com/sdccom...080530144453EN

Check the following heading -
" I have already installed the Service Pack and I am facing problems "

There's a link to download the utility there.
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/englis.../SymRegFix.exe

To resolve the CPU utilization issue, if XP SP3 was just applied,
install the latest Version of the Windows Update Agent using the steps
laid out here:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blog...showentry=1172


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============



>
> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>
>
>>bill,
>>
>>Please see this first:
>>
>>XP SP3: Registry Corruption & Norton SymProtect
>>http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33522
>>
>>
>>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
>>===============
>> *-343-* FDNY
>>Never Forgotten
>>===============
>>
>>
>>
>>bill wrote:
>>
>>
>>>"Andy" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hello, I installed SP3 several weeks ago and have noticed that quite often in
>>>>the day my PC would freeze. Looking in task manager svchost is running at
>>>>100% CPU and 100MB + Memory.
>>>>
>>>>I installed ProcessExplorer and split out automatic updates - wuausrv into a
>>>>seperate (none shared) service.
>>>>
>>>>Still processor and memory are getting hit very heavily.
>>>>
>>>>If I go wo the microsoft update site - it takes over an hour to complete a
>>>>custom installation scan
>>>>
>>>>I've done a little reading up and it seems there was a problem similar to
>>>>this pre sp3 - a patch for windows update and a new version of MSI installer
>>>>was made available to fix the problem. I've verified and these cannot be
>>>>installed post sp3 (I guess they have been included)
>>>>
>>>>Any ideas on how to get svchost and wuausrv back under control post sp3??
>>>>
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>
>>>>Andy
>>>>
>>>>Good morning I seem to have the same problem as you Andy for about a week or so. I have it on 2 of my laptops and my wifes. In answer to the last question you received, I have Norton 360 or Internet Sec. running on all. Could this be the problem? How do I get back to having happy laptops. PS Restore has not worked on any of them. Thanks for the help. bill
>
>
> Well things got ugly later today one of laptops cannot finish boot up. Turn
> it on runs almost all the way then shuts down and trys restart over and over
> and over. once I saw the Blue Screen of Death. I did read the suggest sites,
> the Norton site was interesting. Seems like they may have an auto fix in a
> week, what about my other laptop? Ouch!
>