Multiple wuauclt.exe instances

I recently replaced my hard drive so I had to reinstall XP (SP3) which it was
running before I reloaded the OS. Ever since that time automatic updates
starts accumulating multiple instances of the wuauclt.exe in the task
managerat the rate of about one per hour. If I have not rebooted within the
last 24 hours I will build up between 25 and 30 seperate processes in the
task manager for wuauclt.exe. Each running instance of wuauclt.exe consumes
about 2MB of memory and shows no cpu usage. I have never gotten an error
message, things just quit working. The version of wuauclt.exe I have
installed is 7.2.6001.788

After 3 - 4 instances accumulate I can no longer launch any program. I can
use anything that is already running, and any new program will appear in the
task manager list, but no user interface will ever appear. This limitation
also restricts my ability to shut down the computer. Start > Shutdown no
longer appears to do anything, I've waited for as long as 30 minutes with 99%
System Idle Process after clicking on the Shutdown button but no shutdown
dialog box ever appears. I just have to hit the hard reset button.

After 6 - 8 instances accumulate I can no longer exit any running program or
process. As before any running program already open runs fine, I can just no
longer open or close any program.

At the present time I am running with updates turned off and manually
running update from IE (v7). This works (because no wuauclt.exe runs all the
time) unless I have an IE window open at which time even though automatic
update is disabled I will start accumulating wuauclt.exe processes even if I
have not visited any Microsoft related website.

Does Windows Update website work for you and are you able to install updates
that way?

Open Add/Remove Programs | make sure the Show Updates box at the top is
checked | scroll down and tell me if the following 2 updates are listed:

- Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB960714)

- Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB961260)

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)? Were any of these applications running
in the background when you installed IE7 (and/or SP3)?

Has a Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this machine
(e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought it and
which may have been reinstall, but invalid, when you reinstalled WinXP)?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

Cyanman wrote:
> I recently replaced my hard drive so I had to reinstall XP (SP3) which it
> was running before I reloaded the OS. Ever since that time automatic
> updates
> starts accumulating multiple instances of the wuauclt.exe in the task
> managerat the rate of about one per hour. If I have not rebooted within
> the
> last 24 hours I will build up between 25 and 30 seperate processes in the
> task manager for wuauclt.exe. Each running instance of wuauclt.exe
> consumes
> about 2MB of memory and shows no cpu usage. I have never gotten an error
> message, things just quit working. The version of wuauclt.exe I have
> installed is 7.2.6001.788
>
> After 3 - 4 instances accumulate I can no longer launch any program. I can
> use anything that is already running, and any new program will appear in
> the
> task manager list, but no user interface will ever appear. This limitation
> also restricts my ability to shut down the computer. Start > Shutdown no
> longer appears to do anything, I've waited for as long as 30 minutes with
> 99% System Idle Process after clicking on the Shutdown button but no
> shutdown dialog box ever appears. I just have to hit the hard reset
> button.
>
> After 6 - 8 instances accumulate I can no longer exit any running program
> or
> process. As before any running program already open runs fine, I can just
> no
> longer open or close any program.
>
> At the present time I am running with updates turned off and manually
> running update from IE (v7). This works (because no wuauclt.exe runs all
> the
> time) unless I have an IE window open at which time even though automatic
> update is disabled I will start accumulating wuauclt.exe processes even if
> I
> have not visited any Microsoft related website.