Member Avatar for Gavsta83

Does anybody use Uniblue's registry cleaning tools at all?

I ran a registry scan using their trial version as I have a number of scvhost.exe apps running in my processes tab of the Task Manager and it said it found over 700 errors but the trial version can only fix 15.

Should I be concerned about the number of scvhost.exe that are present (there are 7 running at the moment)? Sorry, I'm not overly tech-savy when it comes to computers but I read that svchost is something that Microsoft Windows uses but, additionally, you can find it related to trojans and other nasties.

Can anyone shed some light on this? The reason I got to checking the registry is because I keep getting errors whenever I try writing to disc (DVD or data) and the errors referred to a registry problem - if I understood it correctly. :)

Thanks

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Michael_Knight

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Short version: don’t buy the registry-fixer to solve this. Trial scanners (including Uniblue-style tools) routinely flag huge numbers of “errors” to encourage upgrades; most of those entries are harmless and Microsoft does not support routine registry cleaners — they can make things worse. For background reading see Microsoft’s support policy and a good explainer on why registry cleaning rarely helps. (support.microsoft.com)

About the svchost worry: as and hinted, multiple service-host processes are expected. To go further without using the tasklist command, use Process Explorer (Sysinternals) to inspect each svchost instance, view the Services tab, check the image path and the digital signature — that will show whether the process is the real Windows host or something masquerading as it. Process Explorer is the easiest, safest inspector for this. (learn.microsoft.com)

Practical steps for the “cannot write to disc” errors (do these in order, with a restore point/backups first):

  • Try a different brand blank disc and burn at the slowest speed your drive supports; many failures are media/laser related.

  • Check the burning app’s log and Windows Event Viewer for the exact error text.

  • Disable/uninstall virtual-drive or packet-writing tools (Daemon Tools, Alcohol, old InCD); those install low-level drivers (SPTD) that often interfere with burning. If present, disable or remove SPTD first. (duplexsecure.com)

  • Update the drive firmware and IDE/SATA/USB drivers, reinstall the optical drive in Device Manager, then test again.

  • Verify system integrity and file-system health with System File Checker and Check Disk, then rerun the burn test:

    sfc /scannow
chkdsk C: /f

    (learn.microsoft.com)

Bottom line for : stop chasing registry cleaners. Use Process Explorer and an AV/malware scan to verify svchost instances, follow the burner troubleshooting list above, and only consider editing the registry if a single, documented key is implicated (and you have a backup/restore point). If the drive still fails after the checks, the drive or media is the likely fault.

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Member Avatar for Michael_Knight

"Svchost.exe" (Generic Host Process for Win32 Services) is an integral part of Windows OS. It cannot be stopped or restarted manually. It manages 32-bit DLLs and other services.

At startup, e checks the services portion of the registry to construct a list of services that it needs to load. In normal conditions multiple instances of Svchost.exe run at the same time. Each Svchost.exe session can contain a grouping of services, so that separate services can be run depending on how and where Svchost.exe is started. This allows for better control and debugging.

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Member Avatar for bobbyraw

micheal is correct and to add different programs call on the service hence the many instances you will see in the process tab in task manager. However, you should always check the spelling one letter off means it's a malware/spywaye. type this at your command prompt Open a command prompt and enter: tasklist /svc this will show you a list of whats running on each svchost.exe

commented: I feel generous :) +1
Member Avatar for Gavsta83

Thanks guys. All the spellings appear to be normal and nothing untoward seems to be listed in the tasklist/svc details.

Thanks for putting my mind at rest! ;)

Member Avatar for Michael_Knight

Your welcome, and thanks bobbyraw.

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