svchost.exe eating up non page pool memory in xp pro

netman8655 0 Newbie Poster

20 Years Ago

I have been tracking this for several weeks and it appears that svchost.exe over about a 12 hour period is using up available non paged memory and causing the system to not respond and needs to be rebooted. Have run several anti-virus checks and spyware removals, but problem still exists. Here is a copy of hijack this and many thanks to anyone who can offer assistance.
P.S. Please keep responses to a newbie level. (i.e. step-by-step) thanks

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 4:23:34 PM, on 12/5/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

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\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\PcCtlCom.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_04\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb10.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\hpcoretech\hpcmpmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Multimedia keyboard utility\1.3\KbdAp32A.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\Internet Security 2005\pccguide.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\Tmntsrv.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\tmproxy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\fxssvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\TmPfw.exe
C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Steve\Desktop\Hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.adelphia.net/
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [InstantAccess] C:\PROGRA~1\TEXTBR~1.0\BIN\INSTAN~1.EXE /h
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_04\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [REGSHAVE] C:\Program Files\REGSHAVE\REGSHAVE.EXE /AUTORUN
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickFinder Scheduler] c:\Corel\Office7\Shared\QFinder7\QFSCHED.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISUSPM Startup] C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\INSTAL~1\UPDATE~1\ISUSPM.exe -startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [FLMK08KB] C:\Program Files\Multimedia keyboard utility\1.3\MMKEYBD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPDJ Taskbar Utility] C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb10.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Component Manager] "C:\Program Files\HP\hpcoretech\hpcmpmgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [pccguide.exe] "C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\Internet Security 2005\pccguide.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISUSScheduler] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\issch.exe" -start
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_04\bin\npjpi150_04.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_04\bin\npjpi150_04.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O15 - Trusted Zone:
O16 - DPF: {0E5F0222-96B9-11D3-8997-00104BD12D94} (PCPitstop Utility) -
O16 - DPF: {11260943-421B-11D0-8EAC-0000C07D88CF} (iPIX ActiveX Control) - http://www.ipix.com/viewers/ipixx.cab
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) -
O16 - DPF: {41F17733-B041-4099-A042-B518BB6A408C} - http://a1540.g.
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) -
O16 - DPF: {A1337CC4-FF8E-11D1-9C48-00A0CC20E0D0} (EZListings) -
O16 - DPF: {A1337CC4-FF8E-11D1-9C48-00A0CC20E0D2} -
O16 - DPF: {D1ACD2D8-7312-4D06-BECD-90EB094D2277} -
O16 - DPF: {EB387D2F-E27B-4D36-979E-847D1036C65D} (QDiagHUpdateObj Class) - http://h30043.www3.hp.com/hpdj/en/check/qdiagh.cab?316
O16 - DPF: {F7A05BAC-9778-410A-9CDE-BFBD4D5D2B7F} (iPIX Media Send Class) -
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{4EAB7B2D-ED18-419D-9B00-4B60B61C5F3E}: NameServer = ,
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{4EAB7B2D-ED18-419D-9B00-4B60B61C5F3E}: NameServer = ,
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Central Control Component (PcCtlCom) - Trend Micro Incorporated. - C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\PcCtlCom.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Real-time Service (Tmntsrv) - Trend Micro Incorporated. - C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\Tmntsrv.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Personal Firewall (TmPfw) - Trend Micro Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\TmPfw.exe
O23 - Service: Trend Micro Proxy Service (tmproxy) - Trend Micro Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\TRENDM~1\INTERN~1\tmproxy.exe

1 Contributor
0 Replies
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Dani AI

Generated 10 Months Ago

reported svchost.exe steadily consuming nonpaged pool over roughly a 12 hour window. On Windows XP that pattern most often points to a kernel‑mode leak (a buggy driver or kernel component that allocates nonpaged memory and never frees it). svchost is only the visible host for services; the real leak is usually in a device driver or an in‑kernel extension rather than in the userland svchost code itself.

Practical steps (simple -> advanced):

Map which svchost instance hosts which services with Process Explorer (run elevated and check the Services tab for each svchost). That narrows the candidate service set to test by temporarily stopping or setting those services to Manual, then monitoring whether nonpaged usage still grows.
Watch the OS counter Memory\Pool Nonpaged Bytes with Performance Monitor (perfmon) while testing; that shows the actual kernel nonpaged pool trend over time.
For precise identification, run PoolMon (part of the Debugging Tools) to find pool tags with monotonic growth; a growing tag points to the leaking driver. Microsoft documents PoolMon usage here: .
To force a driver fault and identify the culprit, use Driver Verifier against suspect drivers (careful: this can cause BSODs; read guidance and be able to boot Safe Mode). See: Driver Verifier.
Always update device drivers and kernel‑level security software first, and back up/recover steps before running aggressive tests.

These steps are the reliable path from symptom to root cause on XP; PoolMon + driver updates/verification finds the offending kernel component in most cases. For tools to inspect services and processes, see Process Explorer: Process Explorer.

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