svchost.exe using 100 % CPU time

creativecreative
edited March 2010 in Science & Tech
Hi ,

I am using WIN XP .
RAM 1.5 GB

not sure what is is the problem , just a couple days back i noticed that svchost.exe using 100 % CPU time . i dint install anything new or remove anything . can anyone help me here please?

Comments

  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited March 2010
    This wouldn't happen to be a laptop, would it?

    If so, do you see the same behavior when plugged in as not? I've seen this issue occur on a few different laptops, all were fixed by replacing the power supply (don't really know the exact mechanism behind it, but there's something there that can cause it, I suppose)
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    Sorry i didn't mention that info. its a dell inspiration Desktop
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2010
    There are a number of programs that run through svchost. It's been my experience the most common reason for it to spike like that are a windows update that didn't finish completely. First you can kill the offending process without any problems. Then do a windows update and make sure you get all the updates and reboot in the process I'd say 7 out of 10 times that's fixed the issue.

    The other times it's usually been related to a printer spool job that was also going out of whack even though the spooler service didn't report an issue.
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited March 2010
    kryyst wrote:
    There are a number of programs that run through svchost. It's been my experience the most common reason for it to spike like that are a windows update that didn't finish completely. First you can kill the offending process without any problems. Then do a windows update and make sure you get all the updates and reboot in the process I'd say 7 out of 10 times that's fixed the issue.

    The other times it's usually been related to a printer spool job that was also going out of whack even though the spooler service didn't report an issue.

    I've also had (what I believe was) a faulty on-board sound card create this issue. Killing the offending process also stopped my audio controls.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2010
    I'm not saying my suggests are the only ones, just the ones I've encountered the most often on the pc's I manage at work. Windows updates and Printer spools (often ridiculously large expanded pdf prints in particular).

    At any one time there are 8-12 svchost process running so yeah, you're right it could be a sound card, power sensor or any number of things. But I'd start with windows updates and work from there.
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited March 2010
    Sorry, I wasn't trying to discount your suggestions, just add to them.

    As stated: There are so many svchost.exe processes at any given time, it's difficult to figure out where the offender is.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2010
    Yeah no worries, wasn't really trying to be argumentative or discredit yours. Guess what I'm primarily saying is you are often better off to trouble shoot software issues before hardware issue in these kinds of cases.
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    Kryyst / alex .Thanks for the quick response i'll try your suggestions and let you know about the performance
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    kryyst , i turned off the windows automatic updates and disable it some time before when i reinstall the OS. so it wont be the problem with the windows update anyway. The systems was working fine 2-3 days before . systems was slow down couple day before . i done a scan and there were no malicious spywares/malwares.

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  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2010
    have you installed any anti-virus software it could be stuck as well. I had AVG do that to me a couple times where it was the scan engine update causing svchost to hit 100%.
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    i am using avast anti virus . how can i know which one is hitting 100% in svchost 100%?
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited March 2010
    You'll need a tool like ProcessExplorer, which will show you the entire command line of the svchost processes.

    Unfortunately, that still won't tell you everything, as svchost can be used for multiple duties using the same instance.
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    ok . that means we cant do anything to identify and decrease the cpu time for svchost?
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited March 2010
    You should be able to narrow it down. I was saying that it could be difficult because of the nature of the way svchost is used.
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    can you let me know how can i narrow it down pls?
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited March 2010
    Process Explorer (free utility) is a good start. Also, make sure Windows is up to date and no available updates are showing up as failed.
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    i down load the process explorer
    i found the one using 96 % of cpu time . its "generic host process for win32 services" . when i double click and look at the thread its 'kerner32.dll!create thread+0x27 '

    do i kill this? this will solve my problem? please advise
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited March 2010
    That's not one I've seen before, myself.

    Anyone else have any input?
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2010
    I assume you mean kernel32.dll and not kerner32.dll if it does actually say kerner32 you likely have a virus. If it says kernel32.dll. Then start reading here Basically of all the various processes that can svchost to go nuts, that's the one you don't want.

    First if you haven't done all the windows updates yet do them first, could be a simple driver error. Then I'd suggest starting by getting a program called ccleaner and running that to clean your reg. Then do memtest86. Next you may need to clear out and recreate your page file assuming everything else is working up until this point.

    One other possibility I just thought of that isn't usually associated with this, but if you have drive indexing on and the drive index is corrupted it could cause a similar error to this also. In windows explorer right click on your harddrive and go into properties and if indexing is checkmarked turn it off and apply it to everything. Indexing really isn't needed ever.
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    Kryyst , Thanks for your response.

    its kernel32.dll .

    i done drive indexing and registry clean with ccclean .

    not sure how to do a memtest and recreate page file?

    once thing i noticed that while setting the svchost.exe priority thru process explorer to 'low/idle' then the machine is fast (loading files , opening movies etc.. ). but still the total cpu time used was 100% .
    however while i logoff and login back the priority is again set to normal . again i change to low/idle thru process explorer then the machine is fast.

    anything else i can do here? pls advise
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited March 2010
    Yeah, setting to low/idle is just a temporary thing. Basically, the system lets the process use 100% as long as nothing else wants it, which is why your other processes will run fast.

    To do a thorough memtest, you can download a memtest86 CD image, burn it (as an image, not the file), and then boot from that disc. It will allow you to exhaustively test every bit of your system memory.
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    is there any other thing i can do to reduce the svchost.exe using 100% cpu time?

    by the way i ran a kaspersky online scan . there is no virus/malware in the system
  • creativecreative
    edited March 2010
    Alex/Kryyst , for some reason the problem is solved . now svchost.exe not using 100% cpu time . :) i don't know why . please close this thread . Thanks for your responses
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2010
    Well that's good, which we could have narrowed it down to a specific problem. But usually in most cases it's something simple each time.
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