svchost, possible virus?

[TRDCorolla1]

When the laptop boots, seems like the hard drive is working like forever!!! So I check it out in Task Manager to see what's hanging. Sure enough, the stupid svchost is hogging 99% of the CPU cycle. I end it, then everything loads right up!!!!! Things get fast again. What the hell is this svchost anyways? Doesn't seem like it does any good, just give headaches, slowing down the system, causing applications to hang, etc.

Any of you guys have this kind of problem too? I did a fresh install of Windows awhile back too, so the laptop's pretty clean. Maybe it's from all the crap I downloaded that somehow triggers the svchost, don't know.

 

[borat_sagdiyev]

its a safe process. but a virus can hide behind it.

http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/svchost/

 

[TRDCorolla1]

I read through that article before. It doesn't help me to resolve the problem permanently. I know how to end the process and all that, but I would have to do it everytime I turn on the laptop. That is not right. It shouldn't come down to ending the process of svchost every single time. A noob wouldn't know what to do and would just let the PC hang for the longest time.

 

[borat_sagdiyev]

start > run > msconfig > startup tab > remove anything suspicious

 

[Raffaz]

Do the obvious like adware/ spyware/AV scans. Also have a look in event viewer for clues in there (in admin tools)

 

[joe pic]

whenever i end svchost.exe, a dialog appears and counts down 1 minute, and restarts the computer. i can't cancel it. does anyone know?

 

[borat_sagdiyev]

cuz svchost runs more than one thing. that is why theres like 4-5 of them depending on what you have installed. svchost runs the theming on windows xp and some crucial features too.