wuaudt.exe is really bogging down my computer

Anonymous
2010-08-03T18:57:06+00:00

Recently, when I first start my computer for the day, wuaudt.exe runs and really bogs down my computer.  In Task Manager it shows it is using a lot of memory along with one of the many svchost.exe's that are running.  I had my computer set up to notify me when updates are available.  I have investigated this problem and found about the only thing to do is disable automatic updates altogether.  I have turned off Automatic Updates, unchecked Automatic Updates under the Services tab in msconfig and in services.msc I have set Automatic Updates to manual.  This seems to keep wuaudt.exe from running.  I read in one place that Microsoft issues updates on the first and third Tuesday's of each month so I plan on doing manual updates at those times.  Does anyone know why wuaudt.exe is suddenly such a memory hog? It only seems to be a problem the first time I time turn my computer on (I turn it off when not in use to save electricity).  If I shut it off and restart it later in the day, there is not a performance problem.  I have a Dell Dimension 5100C, Windows XP Pro SP3, 512 MB RAM, Pentium 4 3.00 Ghz processor. 

 I would like to be able to be notified of critical updates when they are issued but I don't want wuaudt.exe running every day if it is going to  bog me down.  Any ideas?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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Anonymous
2010-08-22T19:22:13+00:00

Thanks for the info!  I've opted out of Microsoft Updates as you and PA Bear have suggested.  Keeping my fingers crossed that everything works normally tomorrow!

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Anonymous
2010-08-20T19:29:09+00:00

Update: Due primarily to exchanges with several MS MVPS on the behalf of users like you, Microsoft is aware of and has acknowledged the issue:

"We have gotten reports from multiple sources and consider this to be a live service issue and we are investigating it as a Priority 1."

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-09-02T17:42:22+00:00

    I've done this, and the setting keeps getting reset. I've even had to do it more than once over the course of an 8 hour day.

    Either you're not clicking the Apply changes now  button or security software is preventing the opt out. I highly doubt that malware would prefer that you update the system from MU. <w>

    Here's the "official MS method " from  - How to enable and to disable Microsoft Update

    I am currently using Microsoft Update. How can I access Windows Update?

    To stop using the Microsoft Update Web site and start using the Windows Update Web site, follow these steps:

    1. On the Microsoft Update site, click Change Settings.
    2. Scroll down the page, click to select the Disable Microsoft Update software and let me use Windows Update only check box, and then clickApply changes now.
    3. You receive the following message:

    Windows Automatic Updates will not be able to deliver updates from Microsoft Update Service.

    Are you sure you want to continue?

    Click Yes.

    MowGreen Update Services - Consumer Security

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-09-02T15:02:33+00:00

    => HOW TO make Windows Update your default update source (WinXP ONLY!) 

    Open IE (only) to Microsoft Update website | Click on Change Settings in left-hand menu | Scroll to bottom of page | To Stop Using Microsoft Update | Disable Microsoft Update software and let me use Windows Update only (check this option).

    I've done this, and the setting keeps getting reset.

    I've even had to do it more than once over the course of an 8 hour day.

    Opening the command prompt and stopping the wuauserv service by typing "net stop wuauserv" gets things back under control, when it does act up, but this is only a temporary fix.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-09-02T05:30:30+00:00

    Before I found this thread, per another au victim's advice, I just reset the autoupdater to once a week at 3am...

    Technically, that's just when AU would (attempt to) install updates.

    ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

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