cpu usage 100%

dmerkel88

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Nov 7, 2013
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After a clean install of XP and a forced manual install to SP3, I have noticed svchost.exe SYSTEM hogging 100% cpu usage. After some fiddling around and killing the process tree, I have come to the conclusion that this problem is some how related to Updates/Automatic Updates. I have auto update on and no updates have installed, I even had to manually upgrade to SP3. My system does not fail and nothing seems off when I kill the process. Any suggestions on why this may be happening, or if I need a certain update?
 
Solution
There is a bug MS are currently trying to fix - which causes Windows Update and Automatic Updates under XP to get stuck searching for updates.

See: http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=2315886#post2315886
And : http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/microsoft-fix-windows-xp-update-svchost-redline-issue-soon-230940

Download IE8 for XP - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/internet-explorer-8-details.aspx
Download latest IE8 Security Update: IE8-WindowsXP-KB2898785-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41404

Install both and reboot - Updates should now work.

If you don't want to install IE8 you can update your current IE version with the KB2898785 update

IE6...

2x4b

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Oct 28, 2013
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Yes, it is the automatic updates.
Installing the (numerous) .Net framework versions will require the machine to compile a large number of assemblies in the background. It is supposed to run at a lower priority so as not to interfere with the user (but it always does..)
Give it some time (many hours, perhaps an entire day depending on the HDD and CPU) and it should settle down.
 

dmerkel88

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it is an old laptop a single core celeron 1.4ghz and only 500mb ram and 80gb harddrive. Funny thing is, i let it sit all night and no updates installed. When I searched for updates 8 came up and I installed them, but that is it so far. should I clean install again, let all SP2 updates complete, then update to SP3? The automatic upates were not working for SP2. The windows update link in Control Panel brought me to a microsoft website but i got an error 404 I believe, the page wouldn't load and I couldn't search for updates.
 

2x4b

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You have to manually load the next version of the Windows update. Let me hunt around and see if I can find it. I had to manually download it from the Microsoft site.

Yes, your 'silver haired' machine is going to take a while to chew through that.. assuming its dentures are in good shape.
 

DougCuk

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There is a bug MS are currently trying to fix - which causes Windows Update and Automatic Updates under XP to get stuck searching for updates.

See: http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=2315886#post2315886
And : http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/microsoft-fix-windows-xp-update-svchost-redline-issue-soon-230940

Download IE8 for XP - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/internet-explorer-8-details.aspx
Download latest IE8 Security Update: IE8-WindowsXP-KB2898785-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41404

Install both and reboot - Updates should now work.

If you don't want to install IE8 you can update your current IE version with the KB2898785 update

IE6: WindowsXP-KB2898785-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41458

IE7: IE7-WindowsXP-KB2898785-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41442

 
Solution

dmerkel88

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Install is not need since Windows Update Agent is already installed. Didn't let me chose a version, A download started as soon as I clicked your link. command did not work. I just clicked Run.


IE is already up to date to version 8
 

DougCuk

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Not sure from your post if you are OK now?

The point of my post was that you need to install the LATEST IE8 Update - this blocks the problem with Windows Update - and stops SVCHOST running the CPU at 100%

So unless you have managed to install KB2898785 the December 10th update for IE8 you will still be at risk of the 100% CPU problem

IE8: IE8-WindowsXP-KB2898785-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41404
 

dmerkel88

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ok update. 100% cpu usage is cured. DougCuk your IE8 link did solve the issue. These are the steps that I took.

Clean Install of XP SP2. No updates were automatically installed. Windows Update was not working or would not let me find or search for updates. **IE 8 WAS INSTALLED IN SP2.** I manually installed SP3 from microsofts website. Automatic Update would not find updates, but 8 did show up, I Express installed. KB2813345, KB2698365, KB2691442, KB946648, KB974112, KB975560, KB978695, KB2481109.

SVCHOST.EXE SYSTEM was still hogging 100% usage. no more updates after 24 hours of searching would show or initialize.

I installed IE 8 from DougCuk's link. IE 8 was hanging for 2 hours with out installing, I cancelled. Re installed IE 8 again this time **I UNCHECKED INSTALL UPDATES FOR IE 8 BOX** For IE 8, Killed SVCHOST.EXE SYSTEM process tree. IE 8 INSTALL informed me that IE 8 was installed on a previous XP service pack and warned me that this was irreversible, I continued. IE 8 was installed successfully.

I was finished for the night and shut down computer, Windows Started installed updates before shutdown, 67 updates to be exact. Not sure if this was all the updates since my WIN 7 computer had 200+. But computer is running fine and **SVCHOSTE.EXE IS NO LONGER USING 100%**

**I did not see update KB2898785, I do however see update KB2898715. Thanks DougCuk

 

Jeroen Houtman

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Dec 20, 2013
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Hi Dough,

In my case IE8-WindowsXP-KB2898785-x86-ENU.exe did the trick!

Thnx!





 

AtlantaUser

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Jan 10, 2014
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Just installing the IE8-WindowsXP-KB2898785-x86-ENU.exe update unfortunately did not work for me, but dmerkel88 updated answer did work. Thanks dmerkel88 for the follow-up, and DougCuk for the links :)

1. First I had to reinstall IE8 using DougCuk's posted link
2. During the IE8 re-installation, I made sure to un-check the INSTALL UPDATES FOR IE 8 BOX (its checked by default)
3. Then I re-installed IE8-WindowsXP-KB2898785-x86-ENU.exe, and restarted XP
4. When the new IE8 opens for the first time, it'll ask if you want to INSTALL UPDATES FOR IE 8, be sure the un-ckeck this box too.

I had the updates disabled (it was stressing the poor CPU), and when I clicked on Windows Update, the updates started and the CPU usage is normal.