How can I analyze the CPU usage that is associated with a Windows thread or service? Sometimes my dual processor CPU will show 49% CPU usage for task SVCHOST - for example, yesterday it used 49% for over three hours. Now it's doing it again today.
Using Task Manager, if you right-click on the task and select 'Go To Service(s)' it will identify 18 services, but no detail for each. I have tried 'Process Explorer v16.2', but still no breakdown.
- Scanned for Malware, SpyBot, Virus = all clean.
- Looked at all of the system log's - nothing stood out.
- Boot in Safe Mode, problem seems to go away.
- Tried to install Windows SDK for WinDbg, but it fails with error.
- I am running Windows Vista (I can actually feel the groan - it is so loud! Long story, but my PC really does run as great as the day I bought it.)
New Info: I decided to go down the list of services running under the SVCHOST task and stop each service until either CPU decreased, or I crashed windows. When I stopped 'Windows Update', CPU went to normal.
After hours of searching for known issues, and attempting to apply solutions, the problem persisted. For the short term, I decided to set Windows Update to 'Manual Start' DO NOT DO THAT UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND THE RISKS!!!
My original need was to be able to identify the service using the high CPU by using some type of monitor. Although I got around that need, I would still like to know if such a tool exists.
