Automatic updates wreaking havoc on my network

I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?

Yes I am with a laptop. Same issue!

Something is definitely up

"TKovacs" wrote:

> I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
> at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?

yes

"TKovacs" wrote:

> I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
> at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?

this is too crazy. i am sick and tired of this crap. this happens to me
several times a year.

"Oldsurferjoe" wrote:

> Yes I am with a laptop. Same issue!
>
> Something is definitely up
>
> "TKovacs" wrote:
>
> > I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
> > at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> > issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> > just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=927891
--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"TKovacs" <> wrote in message news:95FD38FD-66C7-44BB-A1C2-...
>I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
> at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?

Yes, I work as IT support and this problem has been happening more and more
for the past 2-3 months. I found if I disable Automatic Update service,
reboot and the rename the softwaredistribution folder in %winnt%, then
re-enable and star auto update service it sometimes fixes it, but not always.
Right now I'm at a computer which was unable to get updates, I did these
steps and nothing has changed.

"Peter Foldes" wrote:

>
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=927891
> --
> Peter
>
> Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
> Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
>
> "TKovacs" <> wrote in message news:95FD38FD-66C7-44BB-A1C2-...
> >I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
> > at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> > issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> > just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?
>

Here ya go - worked for me!

There are numerous threads in the Microsoft Windows Update Newsgroup that
deal with the Infamous SVCHOST Issue
MS states that it's caused by the Windows Installer, specifically the msi.dll.
There are even 2 MSKB articles that offer a newer version of msi.dll.
KB916089 states that one should not even bother with it. Instead, MS states
KB927891 supercedes KB916089

Symptoms of the issue usually appear when a system first boots up, is
awakened from Standby, Sleep, or Hibernation, and/or, accesses the Windows or
Microsoft Update sites.
When systems with the Automatic Updates service running do any of the above
, SVCHOST will start to consume most of the CPU cycles while spawning the
wuauclt.exe [Windows Automatic Update Client] process.
SVCHOST may even take all of the CPU cycles, effectively locking the system
up, temporarily, until the detection scan has finished.
Other contributing factors in this issue may also be disk fragmentation,
data | log corruption, left over files,binaries, or metadata in the
SoftwareDistribution folder, and/or interference | file corruption by
security software.

Temporary steps that will help mitigate this issue :
1) First, show hidden files, folders, and system files
2) Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the
WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder.
Delete the contents of this folder. Exit Windows Explorer.
Initiate a manual visit to the Windows|Microsoft Update site.
If that did not resolve the issue
3) Go to Start > Run > type in net stop wuauserv
Click OK or press Enter
Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the
WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore folder
Delete DataStore.edb
NOTE: This will remove the update history that one sees on the Windows |
Microsoft Update sites
4) Go to Start > Run > type in net start wuauserv
Click OK or press Enter
Initiate a visit to the Windows|Microsoft Update site.
5) If the above does not resolve the issue, then stop the Automatic Updates
service from either the Services console or by running the command previously
given.
Then either rename the SoftwareDistribution folder to
SoftwareDistribution.old or delete it's contents, not the folder itself.
Now restart the Automatic Updates service.
The contents of SoftwareDistribution will be recreated the first time the
system accesses the Windows | Microsoft Update sites or when the Windows
Automatic Update Client is spawned.


"TKovacs" wrote:

> I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
> at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?

Courtesy of MVP Emeritus Ottmar Freudenberger:

First, install this fix: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891

Now install the newly released 'standalone' version of Windows Update Agent
3.0, v.
7.0.6000.374, for 32 bit machines (*not* Vista or any x64 version of
Windows!):
http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...gent30-x86.exe

The MS update team believes that this solves all three svchost problems that
folks have been experiencing. See
http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archiv...update-on.aspx

Also see
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blog...showentry=1071

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). cf.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901037

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...incatalog.aspx
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org


TKovacs wrote:
> I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process
> running
> at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?

Dozens and dozens of computers having these problems. Most have disabled
automatic update services. Surprising thing is a just did a "fresh" install
of WIN XP Pro w/SP2 and it continues to hang at the website with error
number# 0x8DDD0009. Seems to be mostly with Microsfot Update and not Windows
Update as alluded to before. The computers updating from a local server
(WSUS) seem to be fine.

"PA Bear" wrote:

> Courtesy of MVP Emeritus Ottmar Freudenberger:
>
> First, install this fix: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891
>
> Now install the newly released 'standalone' version of Windows Update Agent
> 3.0, v.
> 7.0.6000.374, for 32 bit machines (*not* Vista or any x64 version of
> Windows!):
> http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...gent30-x86.exe
>
> The MS update team believes that this solves all three svchost problems that
> folks have been experiencing. See
> http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archiv...update-on.aspx
>
> Also see
> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blog...showentry=1071
>
> 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). cf.
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901037
>
> 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...incatalog.aspx
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
> AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org
>
>
> TKovacs wrote:
> > I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process
> > running
> > at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> > issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> > just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?
>
>

Thanks for all the ideas for things to try. In my haste, I should have added
that I use WSUS, and that none of the computers on my network (about 60
workstations) were known to have this problem before yesterday when all 6
computers started acting up.

Ted

"TKovacs" wrote:

> I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
> at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
> issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
> just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?