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
    2016-05-23T21:17:48+00:00

    Another county heard from...

    Functional doesn't necessarily = Supported

        • Support for Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender running in WinXP ended on 14 July 2015

            https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mmpc/2014/01/13/microsoft-antimalware-support-for-windows-xp/

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-05-23T21:10:41+00:00

    99.999% of anti-virus applications no longer support WinXP.

    Bitdefender, Avast, Panda and even MSE (v.4.4.304.0) still function, same for  Malwarebytes, Antimalware Zemana, Antimalware, Other frequently used antimalware tools such as RogueKiller, AdwCleaner, JRT, etc also work.

    Not sure they only account for 0.001% of available security products.

    ~rhab

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-05-23T19:24:10+00:00

    Can you explain this process for Windows XP?

    MowGreen doesn't live here anymore.

    ...we have never had this problem since 2004 when we first installed Windows XP through now, May, 2016 and when we run Task Mgr at boot-up, we can easily see wuaudt.exe at the top of the list using so much memory it stops us from doing anything.

    Maybe one or more of the following might explain it:

         • Support [and updates] for Windows XP ended on 08 April 2014

             http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/end-support-help

         • Microsoft security research paints bleak picture for WinXP users after 08 April 2014

             http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-security-research-paints-bleak-picture-for-xp-users-7000022537/

        • Cyber threats to WinXP: Guidance for Home Users & Small Businesses

             http://blogs.technet.com/b/security/archive/2014/03/24/cyber-threats-to-windows-xp-and-guidance-for-small-businesses-and-individual-consumers.aspx

    PS: Internet Explorer 6 (IE6), IE7 & IE8 haven't been supported for several years. (i.e., you won't even be able to access the Microsoft Update Catalog now). 99.999% of anti-virus applications no longer support WinXP.

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