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SVCHOST CPU Usage issue

There are a number of threads in the Microsoft Windows Update Newsgroup and around other well known sites regarding the infamous SVCHOST Issue!

The main issue that people are reporting is the high CPU usage from the process SVCHOST.exe, generally fluctuating between 20 and 85 percent CPU usage, in some cases using all of the CPU cycles and leaving the computer un-usable.

The cause of this is the Automatic Update service during its detection process; this is where the client PC either checks in to the local WSUS server or accesses the Windows Update site and determines which MS updates are required from the update catalogue.

All of this information is very good... I hear you say, however where is the fix!

Ok, after much web crawling and some testing, below is the method I have used for my clients which has proved sucessfull:

  1. Firstly stop the Automatic Update service either through services.msc or with the command line net stop "Automatic Updates". This will ensure the update process is as quick as possible.
  2. Next apply the first of two patches; an update to the Windows Update Agent, the current version is 2.0, this patch updates it to version 3.0 which is pushed out via WSUS v3.0:
  3. Apply the hotfix for this issue, originally stated in KB916089 and then superseded by KB927891 which provides an update for the Msi31.dll (exact name depends on operating version) with basically a more efficient detection algorithm in place:
  4. Finally reboot the client PC and start the Automatic Update service if it is not set to start automatically.
I hope this solution is effective for everyone who reads this article as it was for me, and there are only one statement to make; Thanks again MS... another fine mess you have gotten us into.. however at least you are keeping us in our jobs!