my daughter bought her PC over for me to have a look at as it started to run extremely slowly. when i first booted up i had a windows error staring me in the face "wuauclt unable to start". i then had a look in the task manager and the process wuauclt.exe is using %100 of the CPU and its eating the ram big time, think it pecked at 250Mb. i tryed to kill it which didn't work "unable to end process". so at the moment as you can Imagen the PC struggles to do anything. having searched through google it seems its to do with ms auto updates so i disabled the auto updates but i have still got the problem??. i need some suggestions please xp pro/sp 2 120gb hdd plextor dvd-r mats---a dvd-rom Abit NF7-S V2.0 Mobo, xp2500 mobile @ 200x11/1.575v, 2X512 crucial Pc3200, MSI X800 Pro-TD256 AGP 256M PA9C-42CU cooper hea

wuauclt.exe usually is the windows automatic update client ... or malware if NOT located in the system32 windows-subfolder. you can stop the automatic update service (run 'services.msc'), if necessary in safe mode to check if the problem persists. more info: http://www.geocities.com/lclane2/wu... http://www.ppedia.com/p1_wuauclt-wu... http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/sta... Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'

i ran the services.msc to originally to disable it but the process is still running? i also did a search and i have wuauclt in.... c\windows\system32 " \temp " \lastgood\system32 " \software\distribution " \i386 xp pro/sp 2 120gb hdd plextor dvd-r mats---a dvd-rom Abit NF7-S V2.0 Mobo, xp2500 mobile @ 200x11/1.575v, 2X512 crucial Pc3200, MSI X800 Pro-TD256 AGP 256M PA9C-42CU cooper hea

rename the file in system32 (i.e. wuauclt.bak) in safe mode and check again. Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'

well.......... this is driving me nuts. iv just cleared wuauclt from c\windows\system32 " \temp " \lastgood\system32 " \software\distribution " \i386 while i was wating for a reply(safe mode) may have overdone it. i still have it still running, help!!! the wuauclt in c\windows\temp that i delete resporns everytime i reboot. xp pro/sp 2 120gb hdd plextor dvd-r mats---a dvd-rom Abit NF7-S V2.0 Mobo, xp2500 mobile @ 200x11/1.575v, 2X512 crucial Pc3200, MSI X800 Pro-TD256 AGP 256M PA9C-42CU cooper hea

martin16v, neuber.com says the following, " Process name: Windows Update AutoUpdate Client Product: Windows Company: Microsoft File: wuauclt.exe Security Rating: Windows Update AutoUpdate Client. Background process which checks with Microsoft website for updates to the operating system. Shows up on the Task Manager's processes list when it is waiting for a response, e.g. to confirm permission to download an update. Note: The wuauclt.exe file is located in the folder C:\Windows\System32. In other cases, wuauclt.exe is a virus, spyware, trojan or worm! Check this with Security Task Manager. Virus with same name: Backdoor.Clt - Symantec Corporation Troj/Cult-B - Sophos" Are you guys on dial-up or somehow turn off internet access when not using it? I have noticed that programs that want to call home will keep trying and trying even though there is no internet connection - thus slowing down a computer. But, in your daughter's PC case, I am thinking that she may have a virus considering this file was found in the temp folder I would first turn off Windows Update by right-clicking on "My Computer," select "Properties" from the sub-menu, select the Automatic Updates" tab and turn off the Automatic Updates for now. Go to "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch" and delete everything in that folder except the "layout.ini" file. Then make sure to empty the Recylce Bin. See if you can get the anti-virus program to run and do a thorough scan of the system. If not, try Symantec's free online scanner at http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/... . Post back and tell us what you found.

martin16v, neuber.com says the following, " Process name: Windows Update AutoUpdate Client Product: Windows Company: Microsoft File: wuauclt.exe Security Rating: Windows Update AutoUpdate Client. Background process which checks with Microsoft website for updates to the operating system. Shows up on the Task Manager's processes list when it is waiting for a response, e.g. to confirm permission to download an update. Note: The wuauclt.exe file is located in the folder C:\Windows\System32. In other cases, wuauclt.exe is a virus, spyware, trojan or worm! Check this with Security Task Manager. Virus with same name: Backdoor.Clt - Symantec Corporation Troj/Cult-B - Sophos" Are you guys on dial-up or somehow turn off internet access when not using it? I have noticed that programs that want to call home will keep trying and trying even though there is no internet connection - thus slowing down a computer. But, in your daughter's PC case, I am thinking that she may have a virus considering this file was found in the temp folder I would first turn off Windows Update by right-clicking on "My Computer," select "Properties" from the sub-menu, select the Automatic Updates" tab and turn off the Automatic Updates for now. Go to "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch" and delete everything in that folder except the "layout.ini" file. Then make sure to empty the Recylce Bin. See if you can get the anti-virus program to run and do a thorough scan of the system. If not, try Symantec's free online scanner at http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/... . Post back and tell us what you found.