A Computer Problem - svchost.exe virus

[Kylora]

I know that this is a boating forum, but I trust you guys and gals, and you all use computers to a greater or lesser extent so the expertise is out there. I just need to tap into it.

Anyway, my problem is that one of the svchost.exe processes on SYSTEM is running at 98/99% so everything else is veeeery slooooow. I'm having to use my grandkids machine to write this post. If I use Taskmaster to stop this process then things speed up but the laptop doesn't run properly.

From what I can read, I would appear to have a virus.

I'm currently running a System Restore to a previous date to see if this will fix things.

Can anyone recommend a fix, free download or otherwise.

BTW - Running IE7 on Windows XP on a Sony Vaio. I run AntiVirus and AntiSpyware protection as supplied by NTL (now Virgin) the cable company, who are my ISP.

TIA

Ash

 

[chuckaduck]

Brendars where are you ????????????????????

 

[BobA]

Try going to this web site and letting them have the details.

http://www.webuser.co.uk/forums/postlist.php/Cat/0/Board/hijackthis

it is another IPC forum with loads of expert help.
Worked for me when I had a problem
Bob

 

[Norman_E]

Svchost is part of the Windows operating system.
I have found this web page which claims to have a fix for errors.
I advise caution however as I am aware that there are many claimed fixes on the internet which are in fact nothing of the sort. I am suspicious of this site because it offers a "free scan". In my experience such things always tell you that you have a problem and try to sell you a "cure."
Or maybe I am just an old cynic.

Perhaps someone here will know if this site is genuine and safe.

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
Anyway, my problem is that one of the svchost.exe processes on SYSTEM is running at 98/99% so everything else is veeeery slooooow.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ash,

I have had the same problem with svhost and, since I did something it hasnt happened again.

I cant recall what I did, but rest assured there is a cure, and I'm sure Brendan or someone will have it at their fingertips.

it might have been downloading and running ccleaner regularly that solved it.

 

[Kylora]

Thanks Bob

I'll go on to my own machine and have a look.

BTW - I've system restored twice, and I'm now back a week, and the task manager is showing a CPU usage is 2% to 4% so maybe I've got rid of it - we'll see.

I try to be particular about the sites I visit, but I have my suspicions about a couple of emails which I sometimes get, offering cheap software with dollar prices. I always delete them but Outlook Express sometimes opens them before I can delete. I probably need to look at my email settings.

I see I have a new YBW message so will have a look at that now.

Ta

Ash

 

[Kylora]

Norman

Ta - Tried that site earlier - free download found 555 faults but of course you had to sign up to fix them. I uninstalled that software - I'm an old cynic too - which is why I'm now seeking advice from those I trust.

Richard

Ta - I'll try a google

Ash

 

[Anonymous]

Some of the recent MS update downloads look a bit iffy and might take a bit of processor time if installed. I had one this morning that was a malware removal tool - Windows Update would have installed this for me had I not (as I always do) ticked 'Custom for Advanced Users' rather than 'Express, recommended'. The download was 1MB and said that it would locate and remove certain viruses. But I have a perfectly good anti virus and scan the system and have no probs, so what do want with a removal tool in Widows Update???? Anyway, could you have inadvertently just downloaded this update without realising it?

 

[Kylora]

That is a distinct possibility - I tend to 'trust' the MS site - maybe mistakenly!

I'm currently running on a restore point of last Friday, and all seems well at the moment but I haven't tried restarting yet.

Ash

 

[stevebirch2002]

Hi Ash

Try CC Cleaner, great tool and free.

Good to see another Vega on the forum...

Brendan will asnwer soon, he knows everything. He helped me with my slow laptop and now I runn CC Cleaner every week. I downloaded it from www.filehippo.com

Cheers

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
That is a distinct possibility - I tend to 'trust' the MS site - maybe mistakenly!



[/ QUOTE ]

That could have been it! an MS update slowed things down... restored to preupdate, (whatever it was), then prevented the update that had happened installing again.

But then it could have been something else.


Almost certainly not a virus.

but do ccleaner anyway..... be aware it wipes out some cookies, so you have to log in to certain sites that previously remembered you. I think you can force it to keep cookies from certain sites.

 

[geoffatstanpit]

I have (or had - it seems to have gone away for the moment) a thing called synchost.exe with much the same properties described. It seemed to start after my computer tried (unsuccessfully I think) to automatically download a Windows upgrade. On the turn-off sequence it said to leave it to get on with it and it would turn off automatically. It didn't, so I had to pull the plug to get it to start again. In spite of expert advice I never got to the bottom of it but it seems to be OK at the monent.

 

[Kylora]

Hi Steve

Ta for info.

If my machine stays up to speed, I'll be sending you a email very soon re ordering the Beta.
[ QUOTE ]
Try CC Cleaner, great tool and free. Brendan will asnwer soon, he knows everything. He helped me with my slow laptop and now I runn CC Cleaner

[/ QUOTE ]
Ta - 2 votes for CC Cleaner and lots of votes for Brendan.

[ QUOTE ]
Good to see another Vega on the forum...

[/ QUOTE ]

Except my avatar is 'at anchor'! - I only have one photo of 'Mistral' under sail, and it's not great quality.

Ash

 

[SvenglishTommy]

It's very hard to tell what the problem is if it's being identified through svchost as this just hosts services (basically just other programs), which of course could be viruses. Just killing svchost is unlikly to work as it may be running multiple services, so you may well be killing the virus, but also take out things that you actually needed.

You can get a bit more information on what svchost is actually running from the command prompt. (to get this up go start -> Run then type cmd then click Ok. You should now get a text window which is your command prompt)

In the command prompt type tasklist /svc and press enter. This will display a list of everything that is running, but unlike the TaskManager it will also show you exactly which services svchost is running. Ok, so it may be running quite a few services, but at least now you know their names and google them to see if they are services you want running.

I would recommend that you get a good antivirus and do a scan. They vary greatly in their performance and the free ones are not so good, an antivirus is one of the few pieces of software I'm prepared to pay for rather than using freeware or making my own. Personally I use Kaspersky, but Nod32 is also excellent. They both do free trials I think, so give them a go and see which you like.

 

[Jomo]

Hi ashley,

Try turning off automatic updates

Ian

 

[lille_bee]

I read in a computer magazine that there was a difference between svhost.exe and svchost.exe :
SVCHOST.EXE is legit (Microsoft Service Host process),found in Windows\system32 folder;
SVHOST.EXE (without the letter C) is more likely to be a virus of the mydoom sort, camouflaging as a legitimate piece of software.
The legitimate file should be in the Windows\System32 folder, many applications and processes use this file during normal operation.

.

A description of the real svchost file

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314056

 

[Kylora]

Hi to everyone who has posted advice so far.

I downloaded and ran CC Clear - It removed a lot of memory - cookies and such like, and resolved 174 issues but didn't sort my problem.

I downloaded and ran Kapersky Internet Security 6.0. 75 minutes later, it finished but had found no threats.

[ QUOTE ]
You can get a bit more information on what svchost is actually running from the command prompt. (to get this up go start -> Run then type cmd then click Ok. You should now get a text window which is your command prompt)

In the command prompt type tasklist /svc and press enter. This will display a list of everything that is running, but unlike the TaskManager it will also show you exactly which services svchost is running.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've tried the above and below is my result - it must be me cos I found the same instructions when following lille_bee link.

<span style="color:blue"> Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Ashley Smith>tasklist/svc
'tasklist' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Documents and Settings\Ashley Smith> </span>

When I start up the laptop, I have to very quickly bring up the Task Manager, get on to the web, then end the svchost.exe process to be able to use machine at any speed. The CPU usage by svchost.exe builds up over 1 to 1.5 minutes till it's at 98/99%. If I end the process before getting on the web, the laptop can't find any wireless networks.

It's driving me crazy, and to drink /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Ash

BTW - I must learn to not try to post at 23.30 hrs. Edit - Maybe it wasn't ybw - I couldn't get other sites either - must have been NTL/Virgin doing their backup - I'm back now.

 

[Anonymous]

Is your a Dell? I have recently managed to get a very tricky problem sorted out with the help of the Dell Forum....very knowledgeable folk there, and very patient. If yours is not a Dell maybe your PC has a user group or forum?

 

[Kylora]

Not a Dell - a Sony Vaio. There is a Club Vaio so may have to try that though I don't think that it's the hardware - though it might be if I toss it across the room!!

Ash

 

[Anonymous]

They should give operating system support because very often OS problems are some kind of issue with specific hardware. They probably also support bundled software shipped with the product. It's well worth while getting familiar with that resource in case you need it in the future.