SkyDrive Sync Engine Host

Anonymous
2013-10-19T14:50:56+00:00

So far the update to Windows 8.1 has gone very well. I have, however, noticed an issue on ONE of my PCs that's been updated.

The SkyDrive Sync Engine Host process in Task Manager is constantly consuming 12 - 15% of the CPU. Now all of my files that I've chosen to sync have already synced properly. The 'Size' and 'Size on Disk' match for all of the folders I've marked to sync offline.

I've rebooted the PC and, upon restart, the process goes right back in to its CPU consumption.

I will note, that even though the CPU consumption is up, the Network Utilization is not. So it can't be constantly downloading or uploading anything since it's not using the network.

Any ideas as to why this is happening and how I can fix it?

Thanks in advance.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-13T13:42:05+00:00

    Have you tried to:

    1. Get all available updates from Windows Update
    2. Kill the Skydrive processes (there are two, one for files sync and the other for settings)
    3. Delete the AppData\Microsoft\Windows\Skydrive folder (all of it)
    4. Delete your Skydrive folder (or move its contents to a different location if you are not sure you have everything on the cloud)
    5. Run the Skydrive Troubleshooter I posted above

    ?

    If not, give it a try, just in case :)

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-13T11:59:49+00:00

    Im having the same problems on my Surface Pro 2 (Win8.1); 20-30% CPU usage by both the skydrive sync engine process and the search index process, along with constant 100% disk usage.

    I tried the troubleshooter, which resets skydrive, and resolves the problem but only until restarting windows. Go to the desktop/task manager and the processes are there both thrashing again.

    I've also found that the disk usage is actually skydrive creating log files in the AppData\Microsoft\Windows\SkyDrive\Log folder; it seems to be creating event log files constantly.

    Any ideas? It must be something messed up with the skydrive client, and needs a fix from microsoft. Its killing my surface battery, unless I remember to go and kill the process almost everytime I turn it on.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-13T03:27:02+00:00

    I had no idea that tool existed.  Ran it, and rebooted (to install the one automatic update that had been downloaded), and it is much better. The SkyDrive Sync Engine Host process still runs and consumes CPU, but it hovers around 3-5% instead of 50%, and drops back to zero after a couple minutes.  Much better.

    Thank you very much for this info.

    I'm glad that helped you.

    Otherwise, yeah, that 3-5% at the beginning is due to some reinitialization of the service ("checking for changes), but it should (as in your case and mine) drop to zero once all the files are synchronized.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-03-13T00:37:31+00:00

    Finally got it solved by:

    • Running Microsoft Skydrive Troubleshotter (direct link), and choosing "Reset SkyDrive".

    Hope that may help other people, since it was really easy and quick for a fix.

    I had no idea that tool existed.  Ran it, and rebooted (to install the one automatic update that had been downloaded), and it is much better. The SkyDrive Sync Engine Host process still runs and consumes CPU, but it hovers around 3-5% instead of 50%, and drops back to zero after a couple minutes.  Much better.

    Thank you very much for this info.

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  5. Anonymous
    2014-03-12T03:53:40+00:00

    Had the same problem.

    Tried to no avail:

    • Restart the PC, kill and restart SkyDrive, etc.
    • RaCoutu solution at the end of page1 on this thread

    Finally got it solved by:

    • Running Microsoft Skydrive Troubleshotter (direct link), and choosing "Reset SkyDrive".

    Hope that may help other people, since it was really easy and quick for a fix.

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