I'm helping a friend diagose an odd problem on his rather old AMD system
running XP with current updates. At times, usually a minute or two after
booting the computer, something kicks in and takes up ~95% of the CPU and is
shown as SVCHost in Taskmgr. This will tie up the CPU for up to four
minutes at a time, rendering his box literally useless.

I suspected it was indexing or some other service, so I set up services like
I have on my box, which doesn't have the problem. However, the issue
continued. Is there a way to find out what SVCHost is doing when it
undertakes this activity?



--

You'd better have a gander at the registry and see if anything odd is
running in

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Run

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run

SVCHost often is a disguise for virus/worm activity. Be careful, because
this is a good mask as SVSHost is usually reserved as needed Windows
processes.

I'd make sure there is a current Virus software package installed and that
it is fully updated and make sure any vulnerabilities are patched. Bug
writers now even write hacks that attach Antivirus software....


"Bob Davis" <nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:EEYRh.392008$Ju2.195173@newsfe16.lga...
> I'm helping a friend diagose an odd problem on his rather old AMD system
> running XP with current updates. At times, usually a minute or two after
> booting the computer, something kicks in and takes up ~95% of the CPU and
> is
> shown as SVCHost in Taskmgr. This will tie up the CPU for up to four
> minutes at a time, rendering his box literally useless.
>
> I suspected it was indexing or some other service, so I set up services
> like
> I have on my box, which doesn't have the problem. However, the issue
> continued. Is there a way to find out what SVCHost is doing when it
> undertakes this activity?
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>

Install Process Explorer to see what svchost is doing when it takes up 95%
CPU...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...sExplorer.mspx


------------------------------------------------
"Bob Davis" <nospam@nospam.net> escribió en el mensaje
news:EEYRh.392008$Ju2.195173@newsfe16.lga...
> I'm helping a friend diagose an odd problem on his rather old AMD system
> running XP with current updates. At times, usually a minute or two after
> booting the computer, something kicks in and takes up ~95% of the CPU and
is
> shown as SVCHost in Taskmgr. This will tie up the CPU for up to four
> minutes at a time, rendering his box literally useless.
>
> I suspected it was indexing or some other service, so I set up services
like
> I have on my box, which doesn't have the problem. However, the issue
> continued. Is there a way to find out what SVCHost is doing when it
> undertakes this activity?
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>

Process Monitor (from the same site) would probably be of use as well...

Ed Metcalfe

"Ronaldo" <private_email5********.com> wrote in message
news:eXsRQ3YeHHA.4004@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Install Process Explorer to see what svchost is doing when it takes up 95%
> CPU...
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...sExplorer.mspx
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------
> "Bob Davis" <nospam@nospam.net> escribió en el mensaje
> news:EEYRh.392008$Ju2.195173@newsfe16.lga...
>> I'm helping a friend diagose an odd problem on his rather old AMD system
>> running XP with current updates. At times, usually a minute or two after
>> booting the computer, something kicks in and takes up ~95% of the CPU and
> is
>> shown as SVCHost in Taskmgr. This will tie up the CPU for up to four
>> minutes at a time, rendering his box literally useless.
>>
>> I suspected it was indexing or some other service, so I set up services
> like
>> I have on my box, which doesn't have the problem. However, the issue
>> continued. Is there a way to find out what SVCHost is doing when it
>> undertakes this activity?
>>
>>
>>

Thanks for the tip!..

--------------------------
"Ed Metcalfe" <edmetcalfe********.com> escribió en el mensaje
news:eU3FzMZeHHA.4564@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Process Monitor (from the same site) would probably be of use as well...
>
> Ed Metcalfe
>
> "Ronaldo" <private_email5********.com> wrote in message
> news:eXsRQ3YeHHA.4004@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> > Install Process Explorer to see what svchost is doing when it takes up
95%
> > CPU...
> >
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...sExplorer.mspx
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------
> > "Bob Davis" <nospam@nospam.net> escribió en el mensaje
> > news:EEYRh.392008$Ju2.195173@newsfe16.lga...
> >> I'm helping a friend diagose an odd problem on his rather old AMD
system
> >> running XP with current updates. At times, usually a minute or two
after
> >> booting the computer, something kicks in and takes up ~95% of the CPU
and
> > is
> >> shown as SVCHost in Taskmgr. This will tie up the CPU for up to four
> >> minutes at a time, rendering his box literally useless.
> >>
> >> I suspected it was indexing or some other service, so I set up services
> > like
> >> I have on my box, which doesn't have the problem. However, the issue
> >> continued. Is there a way to find out what SVCHost is doing when it
> >> undertakes this activity?
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>

"Bob Davis" <nospam@nospam.net> wrote
> I'm helping a friend diagose an odd problem on his rather old AMD system
> running XP with current updates. At times, usually a minute or two after
> booting the computer, something kicks in and takes up ~95% of the CPU and
> is
> shown as SVCHost in Taskmgr. This will tie up the CPU for up to four
> minutes at a time, rendering his box literally useless.
>
> I suspected it was indexing or some other service, so I set up services
> like
> I have on my box, which doesn't have the problem. However, the issue
> continued. Is there a way to find out what SVCHost is doing when it
> undertakes this activity?

When you use Automatic Updates to scan for updates or to apply updates to
applications that use Windows Installer, you experience issues that involve
the Svchost.exe process
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932494/en-us

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

I got this from another newsgroup but it worked for me:

I've been stuggling with this problem myself. After days of looking
online, installing patches, and people telling me I had a
virus.....sort of hard to do since it was a FRESH install.
None-the-less, I'm glad someone has a solution that works.


Piet Slaghekke;2315297 Wrote:
> Problem: SVCHOST.EXE uses 60-100% cpu at bootup or when Microsoft
> Update is running.
>
> CAUSE: Bug in Microsoft Update (Microsoft Update scans all
> Microsoft
> software including office/
> Windows update only scans Windows for updates)
>
> FIX:
> go to windows update and check if the "get microsoft update today"
> banner is there, if it is then this is not your problem, if it's not,
> click on 'change settings' on the left, in the next window scroll down
> and un-tick microsoft update and click on 'apply changes now' , you'll
> now be back to windows update only.


"Bob Davis" <nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:EEYRh.392008$Ju2.195173@newsfe16.lga...
> I'm helping a friend diagose an odd problem on his rather old AMD system
> running XP with current updates. At times, usually a minute or two after
> booting the computer, something kicks in and takes up ~95% of the CPU and
> is
> shown as SVCHost in Taskmgr. This will tie up the CPU for up to four
> minutes at a time, rendering his box literally useless.
>
> I suspected it was indexing or some other service, so I set up services
> like
> I have on my box, which doesn't have the problem. However, the issue
> continued. Is there a way to find out what SVCHost is doing when it
> undertakes this activity?
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>

Try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder itself) & reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore

If no joy, try deleting the contents of this folder (or the folder itself) &
reboot:

C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution

Also see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891

Workaround: Change the default from Microsoft Update to Windows Update: 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).
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org


Bob Davis wrote:
> I'm helping a friend diagose an odd problem on his rather old AMD system
> running XP with current updates. At times, usually a minute or two after
> booting the computer, something kicks in and takes up ~95% of the CPU and
> is
> shown as SVCHost in Taskmgr. This will tie up the CPU for up to four
> minutes at a time, rendering his box literally useless.
>
> I suspected it was indexing or some other service, so I set up services
> like
> I have on my box, which doesn't have the problem. However, the issue
> continued. Is there a way to find out what SVCHost is doing when it
> undertakes this activity?