svchost.exe using 50% CPU

If the system update readiness tool does not work then I would advise you go to the Sysnative Forums, register, and start a thread explaining the 0x80070057 error on trying to do an update.

It's stalled again. Laptop fan is howling.

"Installing Hotfix for Windows (KB947821) (update 1 of 1)... "

Really not in the mood to register somewhere else and go through all this bleep again, but looks like I have no other choice. Thanks for the tip.

EDIT: Hotfix was applied, but I'm still getting the 0x80070057 error. I started a thread here: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/windows-update/19561-win7-wont-update-since-4-12-wuauserv-50-cpu-usage.html

Edited by feckingcomputer, 14 April 2016 - 09:00 PM.

Sorry we could not fix the problem. There are experts at Sysnative that can check your sfc scan logs and provide the necessary fixes. Please post an update at BC if your problem gets solved. Thanks.

Here we are again. On this month's May updates getting svchost at 50% and the fan running full. The IE11 update went okay but the security updates are refusing to download. I can't believe this. Microsoft has really dropped the ball on Windows 7 updates. 

Here we are again. On this month's May updates getting svchost at 50% and the fan running full. The IE11 update went okay but the security updates are refusing to download. I can't believe this. Microsoft has really dropped the ball on Windows 7 updates. 

Is KB3153199 installed? If not, you can manually download and install it from here:

https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/MS16-062

(This patch solved the same problem on my Vista today: High CPU usage, checking forever for updates..)

It took a long time but I am finally downloading updates. It seems the last few updates I selected included KB3153199. Thanks. I hope this isn't a monthly problem for me.

HEY JOHNC! I feel like we're old friends now, we've been through a disaster together.

KB3153199, you say? Okay, I've successfully installed it. Going to re-enable Windows Update again, crossing my fingers...

EDIT: Seems to have solved my issues, for now. Spreading this information to as many websites as I can...

I hope this isn't a monthly problem for me.

I have a bad feeling about this...

Edited by feckingcomputer, 11 May 2016 - 03:55 PM.

JohnC_21, you said, "I hope this isn't a monthly problem for me."  Well, for me it has been a monthly problem...at least for the last three or perhaps four months.  This month and last month were the worst.  As soon as the 2nd Tuesday of the month rolled around my laptop would begin using very high memory, CPU and the fan would be blasting like a turbine.  It appears to begin when updates are available but the updater cannot notify/find/and/or/download those updates.  The only thing that has brought my computer back to normal operation was to eventually get the new updates downloaded and installed, however, it keeps getting more and more difficult to reach that end, it is taking longer and longer to accomplish that task, and, it seems close to becoming an improbable end result.  I don't know exactly what has been going on, however, I do know that there have been a number of previous updates to Microsoft's updater to ready it for the Windows 10 OS download/install.  I have not installed those previous updates because I don't want Windows 10.  So, I think that I am now paying the price...the older version updater is not working properly any longer and perhaps Microsoft is not unhappy with that situation because it might force some additional folks into reconsidering Win 10 due to the extreme difficulty Window's 7 users are experiencing with updates.  Anyway, right or wrong, those are my thoughts on this issue...I am beginning to dread the 2nd Tuesday of each month. 

Edited by agolden, 12 May 2016 - 07:59 AM.

I have this problem on 3 machines, including the one I'm typing on.

2 laptops and a desktop... basically the computers with less than 4 cores and under 4gb of ram. Both 32 bit and 64bit 7 ultimate. No issues until 10 came on the scene, YEARS of the same win7 install. I've tried all new update clients, readiness tool, dll, microsoft update fix that "fixes" the store, deleting the cache, everything. I even tried using autopatcher and all of the updates fail or force high CPU usage and never succeed.

The quad with 16gb of ram is the only computer that crunched the updates. What can I say... I'm really suspicious of this behavior. I can't find any rootkits or rogue processes not signed by microsoft.This laptop was able to crunch the nonsense last month, overnight, and now I''m back to square 1. The other laptop I have to disable windows update, the desktop I've tried to fix since it choked down the last updates in january or march. None of the fixes online work more than temporarily, the logs don't help.

... I don't know exactly what has been going on, however, I do know that there have been a number of previous updates to Microsoft's updater to ready it for the Windows 10 OS download/install.  I have not installed those previous updates because I don't want Windows 10.

Without updating the Windows Update client the communication between the client and the Update Servers will not work properly and create problems updating for sure.

To block the Windows 10 install use GWX Control Panel

Also make sure to install the latest Windows Update client because only the recent versions respect/install the Windows Policy created to stop the Windows 10 install offer.

- Open Resource Manager (Processor) and see under "Services" how much CPU "wuauserv" uses. If it's a lot then simply stop (NOT disable) the Service. Then CPU should go down to almost zero.

Hey there! Press "CTRL + SHIFT + ESC" on your keyboard. Once Task Manager opens, click and you should be able to find "svchost.exe" somewhere in the Task Manager. In fact, you should be able to find several of them. Right click each one, hover over "Set Priority", and select the lowest or second to lowest option. This way, it will be less prioritized and your CPU will be less used up.

Hope I helped!

Thanks for your replies, SleepyDude, Willy22 and Daniel...I appreciate it. 

OH GREAT, WUAUSERV POPPED UP AGAIN 

MS have finally come up with a specific fix for this problem:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/3161608

Has worked for me on all the PCs I provide support for.  It's an 'optional' update, but I guess the people who need it won't be seeing it via automatic updates anyway.