wicainventory. exe causes high CPU usage

Anonymous
2014-05-17T23:22:50+00:00

I need a solution to the problem that I have with my computer accusing a VERY HIGH CPU usage by the file system WICAINVENTORY.EXE.   NO information or solution available (if any) in the Microsoft support area nor community.  This was installed in April as an automatic update, since then I have observed the cooling system (fan) starting very frequently and at high speed.

For your reference:

wicainventory.exe                       installed version 6.3.9600.17057

operative system                        windows7 home premium with service pack1 installed.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2014-07-04T17:13:47+00:00

After an extensive Web search, I discovered that Wicainventory is installed as part of the "Recommended" Win7 update KB2952664

Microsoft's Knowledge Base article for that update lists the files involved but does not say what it does, other than it is a  "Compatibility update for upgrading Windows 7"

Some of its files are dated mid-April, 2014, and it was installed on my system in late April.

Of course, many of us are not in the least interested in upgrading Windows 7 to any currently offered alternative.

For instructions on uninstalling Windows updates, see

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/remove-update#1TC=windows-7

Uninstalling it from my system did not require a reboot, but supposedly it'll be offered every time updates are available.

Was this answer helpful?

8 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

48 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2014-11-12T08:29:09+00:00

    Ok. My next SSD will be payed by Microsoft if Microsoft is not going to provide an answer how to stop wicainventory from constantly keeping my harddrive busy. Maybe my new laptop too for keeping the fan of this one running where there used to be absolutely no need to.

    Get us a tool to get rid of this program.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2014-10-29T14:59:57+00:00

    This is a virus supplied by Microsoft. I assume it is designed to force users to upgrade from win 7 to 8. The uninstall does  uninstall, but it is immediately reinstalled.  You cannot delete the .exe   you need "TrustedInstaller" permissions to delete it.  This type of behavior is wrong and a complete disservice to windows 7 users.  Microsoft FIX THIS!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2014-10-24T22:58:33+00:00

    I'm in a similar boat, but I'm on a Windows 8 machine.  Why wicainventory.exe is even running on a Windows 8 machine is beyond me.  I too have tried deleting it, but can't because of permissions.  This includes trying to delete it via the command line (run as administrator) and through Windows Explorer.  The previously mentioned Windows Update isn't part of Windows 8, so there's no way to remove it there.  

    Even if I kill it through Task Manager, it's almost always there an hour or so later, hogging the entire disk.  I'm almost to the point of booting on a Linux live USB stick so I can browse the hard drive and delete the wretched application.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2014-10-17T17:52:03+00:00

    I'd just like to thank all the (non Microsoft) replies to the original post. It looked like WicaInventory.exe arrived on my win 7 PC today and promptly went mad consuming all the disk time - cpu was at 2 % but nothing would work as the disks were at 99%!

    Luckily I found the KB2952664 update and was able to remove it. Further investigation showed the blasted thing in 8 separate locations on my disk. Oddly all of them had different install dates and I have no idea why windows would need 8 copies of the same thing or what switched it on today.

    Thing is I cannot delete them as I need permissions from 'Trusted installer' to do so. I'm admin, it's my damn PC let me delete it Microsoft!

    WicaInventory.exe spawned 6 separate versions of itself as running tasks while I watched, - before I decided to splat it - and ran amuck over all my disks but mainly the c: drive. If this is how Windows 8 behaves Linux here I come!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments