Microsoft WUAUCLT.EXE update process help!

[slowday444]

Lately, on an XP SP3 desktop, at boot this is jumping to some 500k of RAM usage, thus running my 1G of RAM to 90% with all the other processes running. Avast 5 (free) and Windows Defender are the other security apps that run real time. Has anyone else noticed this lately? Thank You!

[DennisD]

I can't say I have slowday, but as a stopgap for now if this maxing out lasts for any length of time, you could stop the "Automatic Updates" service from running, and then activate it again when the next cycle of patches is due.

 

Not a solution, but will prevent the CPU maxing out until a solution is found. Leastways it should.

 

Googling brings up examples of this issue quite some time back, and it was supposed to be fixed by an MS patch. Can't find much at all in way of recent examples, but someone else might.

[slowday444]

I can't say I have slowday, but as a stopgap for now if this maxing out lasts for any length of time, you could stop the "Automatic Updates" service from running, and then activate it again when the next cycle of patches is due.

 

Not a solution, but will prevent the CPU maxing out until a solution is found. Leastways it should.

 

Googling brings up examples of this issue quite some time back, and it was supposed to be fixed by an MS patch. Can't find much at all in way of recent examples, but someone else might.

 

This may do it!

 

http://lounge.windowssecrets.com/index.php?showtopic=777777&st=0&gopid=856173entry856173

[Andavari]

It will typically use allot of RAM/resources when it runs, I've noticed with SP3 it seems heavier than ever. I made two batch files to stop and start it which I saved in the Windows folder and created a shortcut to, I usually stop it a few seconds after startup which I'd rather do than permanently turning off Automatic Updates.

 

Here's the batch files I made, one to stop it, and one to start it.

 

Stop Automatic Updates.bat

net stop "Automatic Updates"
cls
exit

 

Start Automatic Updates.bat

net start "Automatic Updates"
cls
exit

[slowday444]

Appreciate the suggestions!

[DennisD]

Deleted by poster.

Edited August 27, 2010 by DennisD

[DennisD]

I've just been sorting out a neighbours second hand laptop with a diabolical slow running problem. I thought I had it sorted after doing a complete cleanout of useless software, updating to SP3 (XP) etc etc, but then halfway through doing the above post, the computer slowed back to a crawl.

 

And it was WUAUCLT.EXE.

 

Stopping and starting Automatic Updates worked until the laptop was rebooted, and then back to a crawl.

 

Have tried the switch to Windows Update, and after a host of patches to install, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the change from Microsoft Update works.

[ishan_rulz]

Check

http://www.file.net/process/wuauclt.exe.html

 

and

 

http://www.spywareremove.com/removewuaucltexe.html

 

 

From what I googled, it might be a virus disguised as wuauclt.exe. Seeing you have a good A-V, it might not be the case, but just thought you should check it.

[Andavari]

With the slowdown AU causes I just manually search the Microsoft Update site on Patch Tuesday, then I don't have to worry about the resource hog AU.

[DennisD]

Fingers crossed all seems OK now.

 

After changing to "Windows Update", up popped 60 updates which "Microsoft Update" didn't generate.

 

This was more in line with my expectations after just installing SP3 off my CD.

 

Thanks to slowday for finding that solution.

[DennisD]

 

 

From what I googled, it might be a virus disguised as wuauclt.exe. Seeing you have a good A-V, it might not be the case, but just thought you should check it.

 

Thanks for the info and links ishan, although I already checked that out. Might be useful info for others.

[Aethec]

Actually, nearly all Windows processes have their corresponding viruses