Windows Modules Installer Worker - high CPU usage

Anonymous
2014-05-03T15:13:42+00:00

Windows Module installer worker is constantly running with very high CPU usage.

My PC has suddenly ground to a halt.

All the latest updates are installed as well.

I'm running Windows 8.1 Pro 64 + update.

Thanks.

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

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Anonymous
2014-12-18T22:28:10+00:00

In Windows 8 or 8.1 laptop, sometimes CPU fan run very fast and make noise because Windows Module Installer Worker occupies CPU more than 50%.

In this case, you can solve the problem by changing windows update into manual mode.

How to do it:

  1. Open services.msc (In Windows 8, WindowsKey+R and enter services.msc)
  2. Search "Windows module installer".
  3. Double click the "Windows module installer", and make it manual. It is usually set Automatic.
  4. Search "Windows update".
  5. Double click the "Windows update", and make it manual.
  6. Open Control panel(click the right button of your mouse at the lower left of you display monitor or LCD, e.g., at the Windows logo. and then you can see control panel menu)
  7. Click "Windows update"
  8. In left you can see "Change settings"
  9. Change the setting into "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them". It is usually set automatic.
  10. Reboot

The Windows module installer workers cannot bother you anymore.

Important:

Because Windows update is set manual, you MUST check regularly (weekly or monthly) windows update by yourself.

Also, cleaning up your disk may help to reduce CPU usage by windows module installer worker

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Anonymous
2014-05-04T02:51:57+00:00

Hey Trek178 you should check if the PC is under schedule maintainance and try to troubleshoot the windows update to check if there was any problems. I've just got a same problem and troubleshoot it. Now it's over

Hope this may help you

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Anonymous
2015-01-11T07:32:43+00:00

Hi Louise,

Follow the steps given below.

  1. Press and hold the “Windows” button and the “W” button on the keyboard.
  2. In the search box situated in the upper right corner we need to write “Troubleshooting”
  3. Click(left click) on the “Troublesh o oting” icon.
  4. On the upper left corner of the Troubleshooting window we need to click(left click) on “View All
  5. Click (left click) on “System Maintenance”
  6. Click (left click) on “Next” and follow the steps presented on the screen.

Check for the issue and move to next method if you still face this issue.

  1. Press and hold the “Window” button and the “X” button on the keyboard.
  2. After the “Control Panel” is opened click (left click) on “Windows Updates”
  3. Select from the “View” menu in the upper right of the window “Large icons”.
  4. In the left side of the window click (left click) on “Check for updates
  5. After this is finished restart the Windows 8 PC and see if you still have this issue.

Let us know the status of the issue.

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208 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-04T04:06:19+00:00

    After all the misery that this has caused many, many people, I can't believe that MS has not come up with a solution. I alone have 2 computers with this problem. You can do NOTHING when WMI or WU are using all the cpu and/or disk resources. Usually the problem on both is 100% disk usage. Tonight this laptop had to run for 10-15 minutes before it was usable. MS had it right all the way up through Win7, then seemed to have gotten very stupid starting with Win8. Like one guy said on this forum "they need to hire some new programmers and/or engineers". This problem not being fixed is unconscionable. What a letdown from a formerly half decent company.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-07-28T20:02:47+00:00

    The initial resolution is fine for getting WMI and WUpdate to stop. But the fact remains, WMI will start again on it's own and I've seen it happen!

    I have windows update set to never, and manual, and WMI set to manual.

    I can check running services again later and look at that, WMI is running again EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT PERFORM A WINDOWS UPDATE!

    As well, when you run windows update and let in complete, windows update service stops but the WMI will continue to run.

    And when this happens, if you right-click on all the svchost.exe's services running on at a time and click go to services, in one of those you will find that Windows Update is still running, however it will not show up in the list of running processes.

    Microsoft needs to resolve this issue.

    When windows update finishes, it needs to stop the WMI and Wupdate services completely and there will be no more posts about making it stop!

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