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svchost.exe spiking cpu usage

Started by Mertek , Jun 28 2005 02:51 AM

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#1
Mertek
Posted 28 June 2005 - 02:51 AM

Mertek

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Recently, I've noticed that my mouse cursor has been frequently flickering to the hourglass image, even when the computer is idle. Further investigation led to odd behavior of my CPU usage meter in Windows Task Manager, showing that every 5 or 10 seconds, the meter jumps right up to 100%. I checked out the process, and it was svchost.exe, run by system. During this behavior, the memory usage moves a little bit, decreasing about 25 KB, then jumping back up 30 or 40. Such a systematic behavior would clearly be programmed, and that leads me to believe that there is some sort of spyware or malware on my hard drive.

I have followed the extensive guide, and the problem still exists. I did not install Service Packs 1 or 2, as the guide stated not to if malware was on the disk. However, I installed all of the other updates available. Before trying all of that out, I did attempt to kill the offending svchost.exe process, and my audio output was killed as well, but the problem stopped. If you're having trouble visualizing the CPU graph, I uploaded an image, here: Graph Notice the systematic behavior on the left side, and the regular behavior on the right, after I had killed the process. Keep in mind that I rebooted and performed all of the directions in the guide after I had killed the process.

Here's my HijackThis log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 4:24:27 AM, on 6/28/2005
Platform: Windows XP (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\LiteStep\litestep.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\CDANTSRV.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTsvcCDA.EXE
C:\Program Files\Executive Software\DiskeeperLite\DKService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\runservice.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\atiptaxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_03\bin\jusched.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\devldr32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuauclt.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Cliff Lent\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = file:///c:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Cliff%20Lent/Desktop/page.html
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://google.com
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\blank.htm
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar3.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar3.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [POINTER] point32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AtiPTA] atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_03\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar3.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar3.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar3.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar3.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar3.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_03\bin\npjpi150_03.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_03\bin\npjpi150_03.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {120E090D-9136-4b78-8258-F0B44B4BD2AC} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\ms.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: MaxSpeed - {120E090D-9136-4b78-8258-F0B44B4BD2AC} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\ms.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\PROGRA~1\MESSEN~1\MSMSGS.EXE (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\PROGRA~1\MESSEN~1\MSMSGS.EXE (file missing)
O16 - DPF: Buffer -
O16 - DPF: Framing -
O16 - DPF: Overrun -
O16 - DPF: {04E214E5-63AF-4236-83C6-A7ADCBF9BD02} (HouseCall Control) - http://housecall60.t...all/xscan60.cab
O16 - DPF: {11260943-421B-11D0-8EAC-0000C07D88CF} (iPIX ActiveX Control) - http://www.ipix.com/download/ipixx.cab
O16 - DPF: {27527D31-447B-11D5-A46E-0001023B4289} (CoGSManager Class) - http://gamingzone.ub...s/GSManager.cab
O16 - DPF: {39B0684F-D7BF-4743-B050-FDC3F48F7E3B} (FilePlanet Download Control Class) - http://www.fileplane...DC_1_0_0_44.cab
O16 - DPF: {402EE96E-2CE8-482D-ADA5-CECEEA07E16D} (TurnTool Scene) - http://www.turntool....ewerInstall.exe
O16 - DPF: {5CA42785-ABC3-11D2-9F81-00104B2225C5} (Immersion Web ActiveX Control) - http://www.immersion...gins/ImmWeb.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://v5.windowsupd...b?1103839554949
O16 - DPF: {70BA88C8-DAE8-4CE9-92BB-979C4A75F53B} (GSDACtl Class) - http://launch.gamesp...nch/alaunch.cab
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai...all/xscan53.cab
O16 - DPF: {7CF052DE-C74F-421B-B04A-3B3037EF5887} (CCMPGui Class) - http://64.124.45.181.../proxy/CCMP.cab
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoft.../as5/asinst.cab
O16 - DPF: {B8BE5E93-A60C-4D26-A2DC-220313175592} (ZoneIntro Class) - http://zone.msn.com/...ro.cab34246.cab
O16 - DPF: {ECF5F2BD-C78B-4C6F-91BB-2A311FCCA4C7} (WTApp Class) - http://www.shockwave...ic/CMonline.dll
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: C-DillaSrv - C-Dilla Ltd - C:\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\CDANTSRV.EXE
O23 - Service: Creative Service for CDROM Access - Creative Technology Ltd - C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTsvcCDA.EXE
O23 - Service: Diskeeper - Executive Software International, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Executive Software\DiskeeperLite\DKService.exe
O23 - Service: LexBce Server (LexBceS) - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
O23 - Service: LicCtrl Service (LicCtrlService) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\runservice.exe
O23 - Service: Virtual CD v4 Security service (VCDSecS) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Virtual CD v4\System\vcdsecs.exe (file missing)
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#2
Mertek
Posted 30 June 2005 - 01:56 PM

Mertek

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Well, I'm fairly certain I fixed it myself. I realized that svchost was connected to services, so I cracked open the Services list in Computer Management, and sorted by status to find the ones that were currently running. After this, I systematically checked each one to see if it was a form of svchost. When I found one, I disabled it, rebooted, and waited to see if the CPU spike would stop. If it didn't, I enabled the service again, and continued my search.

This went on for a while, until I hit the Automatic Updates service. Disabling that and rebooting removed the CPU spiking indefinitely. It's still working, two days later.
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