svchost.exe using 100% CPU

Happens when Windows tries to use Automatic Update. This problem happened to my pc which I fixed after a couple of days googling and yahooing for a fix.

The !@#$ problem also happened during my final exam, the database programming course, I had to restart - yeah RESTART THREE TIMES not by shutting down but by pressing the power button because I couldn't save my files or quit the application. I lost my data three times.

So before I continue I would like to thank the ITSS at Saint Mary's University for the fantastic support and quality of work. Really! to lose my data three freaking times in the final exam and waste about 30min trying to get the damn thing to work. What a !@#$ lab is that?!

Anyway, I found this "fix" which is easy and actually works! cuz the other fixes I found either didn't work or messed up the registry. This fix from Microsoft Windows Live OneCare forum.

Here we go:

1. Click Start->Run, type "services.msc" (without quotation marks) in the open box and click OK.

2. Double click the service "Automatic Updates".

3. Click on the Log On tab, please ensure the option "Local System account" is selected and the option "Allow service to interact with desktop" is unchecked.

4. Check if this service has been enabled on the listed Hardware Profile. If not, please click the Enable button to enable it.

5. Click on the tab "General "; make sure the "Startup Type" is "Automatic". Then please click the button "Start" under "Service Status" to start the service.

6. Repeat the above steps with the other service: Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS).

Now re-register Windows Update components and Clear the corrupted Windows Update temp folder:

1. Click on Start and then click Run.

2. In the open field type "REGSVR32 WUAPI.DLL" (without quotation marks) and press Enter.

3. When you receive the "DllRegisterServer in WUAPI.DLL succeeded" message, click OK.

4. Please repeat these steps for each of the following commands:

REGSVR32 WUAUENG.DLL

REGSVR32 WUAUENG1.DLL

REGSVR32 ATL.DLL

REGSVR32 WUCLTUI.DLL

REGSVR32 WUPS.DLL

REGSVR32 WUPS2.DLL

REGSVR32 WUWEB.DLL

After the above steps are finished. Since temporary folder of Windows Update may be corrupted. We can refer to the following steps to rename this folder that:

1. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window: net stop WuAuServ (note, you might need to reboot before the net stop command will work)

2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir% and press Enter.

3. In the opened folder, rename the folder SoftwareDistribution to SDold.

4. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window: net start WuAuServ

DONE!

As always with Windows, it's good to reboot when you're done just to make sure it works.