In Windows 11 "shell infrastructure host" process using a lot of CPU when viewing Photos on external SSD

Anonymous
2021-11-11T17:25:41+00:00

I have two computers on Windows 11 22000.318 and on both of them when I connect my 512GB Samsung SSD "shell infrastructure host" starts to use a lot of CPU and power usage is "very high" in task manager. I understand this may be normal when browsing large folders on the SSD or copying files to/from the SSD but even if I close all the File Explorer windows to the SSD "shell infrastructure host" continues to use a lot of CPU. If I try to eject the SSD it says its in use. So my only option is to log out of Windows and log back in and that stops "shell infrastructure host" and it goes back to normal. Could this problem be part of the Windows 11 memory leak bug with File Explorer I've been hearing about? Or maybe something to do with indexing going on? My external SSD has thousands of photos and I am using the Photos app.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-06-28T12:25:46+00:00

    Yep... Even by opening a picture in a folder containing > 200 photos using MS Photos, Shell Infrastructure Host burns the CPU. I think the best alternative, for now, is ImageGlass (Kobe-free version🙂): https://imageglass.org/release/imageglass-8-6-7-13-36

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-06-08T15:10:29+00:00

    No improvement after uninstalling Photos.DLC.MediaEngine and a reboot. Still 30% to 50% persistent CPU burn from Shell Infrastructure Host.

    Are there any other solutions?

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-04-12T16:01:04+00:00

    Same issue here using 20% of CPU or more till restart

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-03-04T13:14:26+00:00

    I can confirm that problem too. My laptop battery used to be enough for a few hours, after upgrading to windows 11 I noticed the laptop always draining the battery within an hour.

    Saw that process always around 50% of the CPU and the fan was always running high. Killed the process, it kills the explorer and taskbar, then reloaded the taskbar and fan slows down, no more issue without reboot.

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-02-13T20:14:57+00:00

    Wow, this is an ongoing problem. It reliably happens in photos when I am viewing many images. Nothing but reboot solves the problem, until the next time. Update sihost.exe at 9% cpu all else zero

    Not true in my experience and other's as well (see previous posts). You can log out and back in or you can kill the process with task manager.

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