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Microsoft Quietly Fixes Windows XP Resource Hog Problem
Redmond magazine ^ | 01/16/2014 | Kurt Mackie

Posted on 01/18/2014 9:44:36 AM PST by Utilizer

Microsoft indicated this week that it has fixed a Windows XP resource-hog problem associated with the system's SVCHOST.EXE processes.

Windows XP users affected by this problem typically found that the operating system was using up system resources for 15 minutes to an hour after startup, making it difficult to use the machine during that period. The Microsoft Update team had vowed last month to spend the holiday break tackling the issue, which has plagued some users for years.

The fix involved stopping the system from perpetually checking Internet Explorer updates. Microsoft indicated that the fix was rolled out on Tuesday.

...snip...

Microsoft did not announce the fix broadly. Instead, it released the above statement to Susan Bradley, a Microsoft MVP and moderator of the PatchManagement.org list-serve service, which is a discussion group for IT pros. Apparently, that's the only venue where the statement appeared publicly. Microsoft's January security bulletin announcing four patches and nonsecurity releases did not mention the SVCHOST fix for Windows XP.

Microsoft's fix took effect on Tuesday. It apparently stops systems from grinding through older Internet Explorer updates before releasing system resources. The fix also seems not to require any actions by Windows XP users or IT pros to take effect.

(Excerpt) Read more at redmondmag.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: linux; macos; microsoft; softwareos; svchost; windows; windowsxp; windulls; winxp
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To: Secret Agent Man

Restoring back to a known-good setup has solved many a problem over the years here as well, s’truth.


41 posted on 01/18/2014 10:51:38 AM PST by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: Utilizer

I vote for taking all of Bill Gates’ billions of $s and using it to fix all of the crappy products he has foisted on consumers over the years.


42 posted on 01/18/2014 10:56:28 AM PST by anonsquared
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To: Utilizer
I've experienced this.
43 posted on 01/18/2014 10:56:47 AM PST by Robert357 (D.Rather "Hoist with his own petard!" www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1223916/posts)
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To: Utilizer

So.....Microsoft is going to ‘fix’ a problem 12 years after the operating system was released and only three months before Microsoft stops supporting WindowsXP?

How magnanimous of Microsoft for being so forthcoming! I applaud them! /s


44 posted on 01/18/2014 11:07:59 AM PST by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (What we need is to sucker the fedthugs into a "Tiananmen Square"-like incident on the National Mall!)
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To: tomkat
[4 months left]...why bother' [after all those years]?

I'm guessing that they were about to be outed in some fashion, and the last thing MS needs is more bad PR baggage as they re-brand the next batch of "fixes to it's FAD useability disasters" of W8 as a brand new W9.

45 posted on 01/18/2014 11:08:35 AM PST by Calvin Locke
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To: GeronL

32 bit or 64 bit?


46 posted on 01/18/2014 11:08:41 AM PST by meatloaf (Impeach Obama. That's my New Year's resolution.)
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To: meatloaf

They have XP for 64-bit??


47 posted on 01/18/2014 11:12:33 AM PST by GeronL (Extra Large Cheesy Over-Stuffed Hobbit)
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To: Utilizer
What I found most annoying was running across a bit of new software more and more frequently that REQUIRED IE to run!

That's because a lot of software displays HTML content either online, internally generated or from a file, and the easiest way to handle it is to use the HTML viewer ActiveX control that is included with IE. There is a similar control that uses Firefox instead, but the last time I tried it there was still some missing functionality.

48 posted on 01/18/2014 11:22:40 AM PST by Squawk 8888 (I'd give up chocolate but I'm no quitter)
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To: GeronL

There is a 64-bit version but it wasn’t widely used.


49 posted on 01/18/2014 11:28:03 AM PST by Squawk 8888 (I'd give up chocolate but I'm no quitter)
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To: Squawk 8888

very interesting, 64-bit was kind of new to the consumer market back then wasn’t it?

not that I would know


50 posted on 01/18/2014 11:29:49 AM PST by GeronL (Extra Large Cheesy Over-Stuffed Hobbit)
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To: ShadowAce

Thanks for the ping. This fixed an issue with an old XP laptop that would hang for hours trying to determine what updates were required. Just tried it and it processed in a few minutes.


51 posted on 01/18/2014 11:33:17 AM PST by ken in texas
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To: Utilizer

I recently replaced a failed stick of ram in a NT 4.0 machine in a server farm.

it’s been plugging away with out issues all these years. Not exactly sure what they use it for, I’m there to fix hardware and they don’t like to get in to details about what the machine does.


52 posted on 01/18/2014 11:41:24 AM PST by cableguymn (It's time for a second political party.)
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To: Squawk 8888

That makes about as much sense as requiring you to have Adobe Reader installed because the documentation is in a pdf file before you can install the software. Why not make note of the fact that a certain type of functionality requires a particular type of display mechanism but lets the install proceed anyway? A separate source for the necessary file would then be up to the user. I do not need the Adobe Reader to properly display pdf files, nor do I need Netscape or Earthlink to access html files either.


53 posted on 01/18/2014 11:42:40 AM PST by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: smokingfrog

The 64 bit version is not limited to 3.8 gigs. It can see and use up to 128 gigs if memory serves me right.


54 posted on 01/18/2014 11:43:34 AM PST by cableguymn (It's time for a second political party.)
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To: cableguymn
You illustrate the point exactly. I still work with some machines that run Solaris 1.1.1 even. My job is not to tell the customer that their versions are not the newest. It is to fix the problem and get them running again.

Don't see the need a wireless fridge or microwave either.

55 posted on 01/18/2014 11:50:19 AM PST by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: Utilizer

a microwave?? or a web enabled microwave?

I find lots of uses from my microwave. a web connected fridge? umm no.


56 posted on 01/18/2014 11:53:00 AM PST by cableguymn (It's time for a second political party.)
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To: cableguymn
Web-enabled. There are refrigerators out there that keep track of things, apparently, and are web-enabled to notify you when you are getting low on items or if the power goes out. Also, a web-enabled microwave oven that emails or sends a text message when your meal is ready, I forget which. Read about them a couple of years ago and just thought that some people had too much of a driving need to spend lots of money on things.

Almost as bad as a gold-plated hammer or monkey-wrench, as far as I am concerned.

57 posted on 01/18/2014 11:59:40 AM PST by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: Utilizer

“Gold-plated” monkey-wrench, I should clarify.


58 posted on 01/18/2014 12:07:44 PM PST by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: Utilizer

I know when I am running low on things in the fridge. the empty shelves give that away. and my microwave does not stop reminding me it’s done until I open the door.

web enabled appliances are just a sales gimmick. Until they can fix me a sammich via a txt. I am not interested in them.


59 posted on 01/18/2014 12:16:25 PM PST by cableguymn (It's time for a second political party.)
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To: GeronL

The DEC alpha based desk tops were 64 bit machines at that time. They’ll run NT which, IIRC, is the core of windows now.


60 posted on 01/18/2014 12:19:53 PM PST by meatloaf (Impeach Obama. That's my New Year's resolution.)
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