I've had the same thing happening on my home machine since early in April
and to date had found nothing to address the problem (John's description has
captured it exactly). I hadn't noticed any problems here on my work
computer until today. A google on the matter using "svchost Windows
update", which hadn't worked in the past, brought up a couple of similar
solutions to what Cecilia has described and which I plan on trying. Thanks.
Jaime Galindo, Office of Planning and Budgets
-----Original Message-----
From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Acosta-Silveira, Cecilia
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 1:39 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Odd Windows Update / slow computer issue
Yes, the same thing happened to me, the way I fix it was going to
services.msc and stop and disable Automatic updates and Background
Intelligent Transfer Service. Then reboot and it let me in, under,
C:\windows\ rename the software distribution folder, then restart Automatic
updates and intelligent transfer service and it works fine after that.
-----Original Message-----
From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of John Resotko
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 12:15 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MSUNAG] Odd Windows Update / slow computer issue
Starting in mid-April, we started seeing an intermittant problem with some
Windows XP workstations running Windows Update and/or Microsoft Update
(which is Windows update for the OS plus MS Office and other installed
products). The symptoms seem to indicate that the Windows Update or
Microsoft Update is the source, as it always happens late Tuesday and early
Wednesday on weeks when Micosoft releases critical patches. What we see on
PCs and laptops is this:
A user boots their laptop or PC, logs in to the network and the local
workstation account, and then waits for their desktop to appear. The system
almost immediately begins to slow down, and after anywhere from one to five
minutes, reaches a point where 100% of CPU is consumed, and no programs can
be opened. If we manage to get Task Manager open, we find one of the generic
windows networking processes (svchost.exe) is eating up all remaining
available memory on the system until all 100% is in use. Also, the Windows
Update icon usually appears in the lower right of the task bar, indicating
it is downloading updates, but is at 0% downloaded. Killing the offending
svchost.exe process manually makes the Windows Update icon go away, and
returns the system to normal CPU and resource usage. However, manually
attempting to run Windows Update or scheduling it to run at a specific time
results in the same problem:
when Update kicks in, a svchost.exe process appears and consumes all
remaining C PU, and the system slows to a crawl and eventually locks up.
We've had some luck rebooting "stuck" machines and having them complete the
update process after sitting at max CPU for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.
We don't have all our WinXP machines trying to get updates from Microsoft at
the same time of day, so it isn't an issue of bandwidth or load. Also, the
problem is intermittant, in that a PC that had problems one week will run
Updates without a hitch the following week.
A search of Microsoft's Knowedgebase on WinXP and Update didn't produce much
useful information or any solutions. Has anyone seen something like this,
and is there a setting adjustment or obscure patch that anyone is aware oft?
If you've seen this problem and have any suggestions, I'd love to hear about
how you resolve it.
John A. Resotko
Head of Systems Administration
Michigan State University College of Law
208 Law College Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1300
email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 517-432-6836
Fax: 517-432-6861
Current Chairperson of the
MSU Network Communications Committee
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