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

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.

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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
    2015-05-17T18:04:25+00:00

    I have a brand new Dell laptop with an I5 processor & plenty of RAM. I am having the same issues as other here. WMI running at around 30% for hours. I followed all the ideas on these threads and found that switching off updates did indeed work - for a time. After about 24 hours WMI switches itself back on! Services shows its goes back to 'Automatic' startup. I checked this several times today after setting it to manual again yesterday. It was manual each time I checked then suddenly this afternoon I noticed a load of activity and it was WMI. Checking services again showed it had switched back to automatic. I did find that setting the priority to Low via Task Manager does at least mean it doesn't batter your interactive processes while your trying to work. 

    What interests me here is the lack of progress on this issue. This thread has been around for ages and the problem seems to affect every windows 8 machine (we have 3 - all are affected). So far Microsoft have failed to provide any useful help. What is going on Microsoft? This is a major issue for many people so how about some positive action?......

    Microsoft asked for clarification of the issue earlier so lets make it nice and simple:

    Windows Module Installer Worker keeps running, often for many hours, using around 30% or more of processor time, slowing down peoples computers. Its no sooner completed and it then restarts for another marathon session. Please provide a fix for this issue.

    UPDATE*

    WMI has now been running for 3 days.....still going...........................

    UPDATE 2*

    WMI ran over 4 days, I then had an entire evening free of it. Tonight it wanted to do an update which I did install. Now WMI is running again!!!!!

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-04-20T14:55:53+00:00

    Hi Pranav,

      Over 30+ years of using Microsoft products, I wonder why the company has never learned that arbitrarily taking more than half of the system resources for basic OS functions like updates **** people off. Is it a company policy to screw up the user experience for everyone, or does it just work out that way?

    Genuinely Curious.

    I am having this problem too and second this.  Microsoft - perhaps we should start BILLING you for the totally unnecessary usage of the processing power on our PCs?  Would that get your attention?

    Just telling customers not to turn off auto-updates and doing nothing to fix the problem is an insult.

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