QueryHistory API causes memory leak svchost

It appears that IUpdateSearcher: QueryHistory causes a small memory leak in
svchost.exe. If I repeatedly call this API in a loop, svchost.exe grows
steadily until it returns an out of memory error code. This is on a XP SP2
system.

To reproduce, copy the code below into a vbs file and run it using the
cscript program. If you examine svchost memory usage in task manager, you
will see it grow.

Set objSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
Set objSearcher = objSession.CreateUpdateSearcher
While 1
Set colHistory = objSearcher.QueryHistory(1, 1)
Set colHistory = Nothing
Wend

Could someone please confirm that this is a bug in WUAPI and suggest a
workaround (or perhaps a fix)? Thanks.

Another thing I noticed: if you change the QueryHistory parameters to include
a larger range [e.g. QueryHistory(0, 10)] the memory leak is more pronounced.

"Brian E" wrote:

> It appears that IUpdateSearcher: QueryHistory causes a small memory leak in
> svchost.exe. If I repeatedly call this API in a loop, svchost.exe grows
> steadily until it returns an out of memory error code. This is on a XP SP2
> system.
>
> To reproduce, copy the code below into a vbs file and run it using the
> cscript program. If you examine svchost memory usage in task manager, you
> will see it grow.
>
> Set objSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
> Set objSearcher = objSession.CreateUpdateSearcher
> While 1
> Set colHistory = objSearcher.QueryHistory(1, 1)
> Set colHistory = Nothing
> Wend
>
> Could someone please confirm that this is a bug in WUAPI and suggest a
> workaround (or perhaps a fix)? Thanks.

See if this explains anything:

QueryHistory Method of the IUpdateSearcher Interface
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa386532.aspx

There's a link at the bottom of the page to submit feedback to MS.


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


Brian E wrote:

> Another thing I noticed: if you change the QueryHistory parameters to include
> a larger range [e.g. QueryHistory(0, 10)] the memory leak is more pronounced.
>
> "Brian E" wrote:
>
>
>>It appears that IUpdateSearcher: QueryHistory causes a small memory leak in
>>svchost.exe. If I repeatedly call this API in a loop, svchost.exe grows
>>steadily until it returns an out of memory error code. This is on a XP SP2
>>system.
>>
>>To reproduce, copy the code below into a vbs file and run it using the
>>cscript program. If you examine svchost memory usage in task manager, you
>>will see it grow.
>>
>>Set objSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
>>Set objSearcher = objSession.CreateUpdateSearcher
>>While 1
>>Set colHistory = objSearcher.QueryHistory(1, 1)
>>Set colHistory = Nothing
>>Wend
>>
>>Could someone please confirm that this is a bug in WUAPI and suggest a
>>workaround (or perhaps a fix)? Thanks.

I looked for that but, in MS' infinite wisdom, couldn't find a relevant
link without standing on my head. <w>
Here's the URL for submitting feedback to the Microsoft Update Team:
http://blogs.technet.com/mu/contact.aspx

Perhaps that's the best way for the public to submit a bug to them [?]

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


Brian E wrote:

> Thanks. I have submitted feedback, but I think it is only for documentation
> comments. Is there a way to submit a bug?
>
> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>
>
>>See if this explains anything:
>>
>>QueryHistory Method of the IUpdateSearcher Interface
>>http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa386532.aspx
>>
>>There's a link at the bottom of the page to submit feedback to MS.
>>
>>
>>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
>>===============
>> *-343-* FDNY
>>Never Forgotten
>>===============
>>
>>
>>Brian E wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Another thing I noticed: if you change the QueryHistory parameters to include
>>>a larger range [e.g. QueryHistory(0, 10)] the memory leak is more pronounced.
>>>
>>>"Brian E" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>It appears that IUpdateSearcher: QueryHistory causes a small memory leak in
>>>>svchost.exe. If I repeatedly call this API in a loop, svchost.exe grows
>>>>steadily until it returns an out of memory error code. This is on a XP SP2
>>>>system.
>>>>
>>>>To reproduce, copy the code below into a vbs file and run it using the
>>>>cscript program. If you examine svchost memory usage in task manager, you
>>>>will see it grow.
>>>>
>>>>Set objSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
>>>>Set objSearcher = objSession.CreateUpdateSearcher
>>>>While 1
>>>>Set colHistory = objSearcher.QueryHistory(1, 1)
>>>>Set colHistory = Nothing
>>>>Wend
>>>>
>>>>Could someone please confirm that this is a bug in WUAPI and suggest a
>>>>workaround (or perhaps a fix)? Thanks.
>>

Thanks. I have submitted this issue there.

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> I looked for that but, in MS' infinite wisdom, couldn't find a relevant
> link without standing on my head. <w>
> Here's the URL for submitting feedback to the Microsoft Update Team:
> http://blogs.technet.com/mu/contact.aspx
>
> Perhaps that's the best way for the public to submit a bug to them [?]
>
> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>
>
> Brian E wrote:
>
> > Thanks. I have submitted feedback, but I think it is only for documentation
> > comments. Is there a way to submit a bug?
> >
> > "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>See if this explains anything:
> >>
> >>QueryHistory Method of the IUpdateSearcher Interface
> >>http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa386532.aspx
> >>
> >>There's a link at the bottom of the page to submit feedback to MS.
> >>
> >>
> >>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
> >>===============
> >> *-343-* FDNY
> >>Never Forgotten
> >>===============
> >>
> >>
> >>Brian E wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Another thing I noticed: if you change the QueryHistory parameters to include
> >>>a larger range [e.g. QueryHistory(0, 10)] the memory leak is more pronounced.
> >>>
> >>>"Brian E" wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>It appears that IUpdateSearcher: QueryHistory causes a small memory leak in
> >>>>svchost.exe. If I repeatedly call this API in a loop, svchost.exe grows
> >>>>steadily until it returns an out of memory error code. This is on a XP SP2
> >>>>system.
> >>>>
> >>>>To reproduce, copy the code below into a vbs file and run it using the
> >>>>cscript program. If you examine svchost memory usage in task manager, you
> >>>>will see it grow.
> >>>>
> >>>>Set objSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
> >>>>Set objSearcher = objSession.CreateUpdateSearcher
> >>>>While 1
> >>>>Set colHistory = objSearcher.QueryHistory(1, 1)
> >>>>Set colHistory = Nothing
> >>>>Wend
> >>>>
> >>>>Could someone please confirm that this is a bug in WUAPI and suggest a
> >>>>workaround (or perhaps a fix)? Thanks.
> >>
>

Could someone from Microsoft please take a look at this? This is causing a
real problem for us out in the field where customer machines gradually run
out of memory and have to be rebooted. Thanks.

"Brian E" wrote:

> It appears that IUpdateSearcher: QueryHistory causes a small memory leak in
> svchost.exe. If I repeatedly call this API in a loop, svchost.exe grows
> steadily until it returns an out of memory error code. This is on a XP SP2
> system.
>
> To reproduce, copy the code below into a vbs file and run it using the
> cscript program. If you examine svchost memory usage in task manager, you
> will see it grow.
>
> Set objSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
> Set objSearcher = objSession.CreateUpdateSearcher
> While 1
> Set colHistory = objSearcher.QueryHistory(1, 1)
> Set colHistory = Nothing
> Wend
>
> Could someone please confirm that this is a bug in WUAPI and suggest a
> workaround (or perhaps a fix)? Thanks.

In case anyone is wondering, Microsoft did get back to me on this. This is a
confirmed issue that will be addressed in a future version of windows update.

"Brian E" wrote:

> It appears that IUpdateSearcher: QueryHistory causes a small memory leak in
> svchost.exe. If I repeatedly call this API in a loop, svchost.exe grows
> steadily until it returns an out of memory error code. This is on a XP SP2
> system.
>
> To reproduce, copy the code below into a vbs file and run it using the
> cscript program. If you examine svchost memory usage in task manager, you
> will see it grow.
>
> Set objSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session")
> Set objSearcher = objSession.CreateUpdateSearcher
> While 1
> Set colHistory = objSearcher.QueryHistory(1, 1)
> Set colHistory = Nothing
> Wend
>
> Could someone please confirm that this is a bug in WUAPI and suggest a
> workaround (or perhaps a fix)? Thanks.