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Ecompro

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Automatic Updates (svchost.exe) pegs CPU at 100%

I've googled and found several posts about Automatic Updates (running under svchost.exe) causing extremely high CPU utilization, but no answers.  

We have one machine on the network which suffers from this (Server 2003, SP1, all patches current).  If we disable the Automatic Updates service, machine is fine.  But as soon as we start the Automatic Updates service, CPU utilization climbs to 100% and the machine slows to a crawl.

I had no luck finding any other info on a possible solution.  Anyone else seeing this, and found a resolution?
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TheCleaner
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Possibly here: http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.tabletpc/browse_thread/thread/321a955dd287889/c4ea81fd1b6b89db%23c4ea81fd1b6b89db

I would say that your best bet since I am unaware of a specific issue with this, is to use Sysinternal's process explorer like that guy did and try to find the problem child.

Let us know if you need assistance.
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Ecompro

ASKER

I did see that article while googling around.

First thing I did was download and run Process Explorer, which showed the instance of svchost.exe running the Automatic Updates service was the CPU hog.  

Stopping the Automatic Updates service dropped CPU back to normal (under 2%).  Machine will run like that indefinitely.  As soon as I start the Auto Updates service, CPU spikes back up to 100%.

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ASKER

Actually, the response from Abs_jaipur was not applicable.  We don't use Dell servers and we do not run Norton Antivirus.  The closer answer was from TheCleaner which suggested Process Explorer, which I'd already done (and noted so in my followup post).  

In googling around, I've found numerous posts with the same problem as us-- high CPU *specifically* related to the Windows Update service-- but zero answers.

I recommend closing this question as unresolved.
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vsg375

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