ccsvchst.exe uses 50% of CPU

tkroon · ‎04-23-2012

Ever since the last update, Norton continuously uses 50% of CPU. 8 hours with online support hasn't fixed it. First one, and then another of the techs tries the same routine and it doesn't change anything. I've used Norton Removal Tool repeatedly and reinstalled repeatedly. Techs have done something with checklist and tried different settings for the software. One had me do a full scan. Didn't help. Is there any hope, or do I just need to get rid of it and try a different vendor?

twixt · ‎09-26-2011

tkroon wrote:
Ever since the last update, Norton continuously uses 50% of CPU. 8 hours with online support hasn't fixed it. First one, and then another of the techs tries the same routine and it doesn't change anything. I've used Norton Removal Tool repeatedly and reinstalled repeatedly. Techs have done something with checklist and tried different settings for the software. One had me do a full scan. Didn't help. Is there any hope, or do I just need to get rid of it and try a different vendor?

Hi, tkroon. There are several possible reasons why you are having this problem. See the following:

1. First of all, usually 50% of CPU means you are running a Dual Core CPU and one of the two cores is loaded 100%. What that means, is ccsvchst.exe is trying to process something that never finishes - thus ccsvchst runs the CPU for that particular process at 100% for the core on which ccsvchst is running. Consider yourself lucky. If you were on a single-core CPU, just moving the mouse would take 30 seconds to respond. Regardless, it is not healthy to have half your total CPU capacity consumed by something that's not doing anything useful.

2. Since ccsvchst works properly on many many many machines (including my own) - there is something unique to your particular machine which is "arguing" with ccsvchst - and causing ccsvchst to run at full CPU utilization continuously. The problem then becomes finding out what that "something" is up to - and why ccsvchst is arguing with that "something".

3. There are several ways to investigate item 2. One of the most bulletproof ways is to back up all your data, reinstall Windows from scratch (including a full hard disk reformat procedure), immediately add NIS to your system after the installation of Windows is complete, and then reinstall all your software - one program at a time - until you find out what is causing the problem. Many people do this and it solves their problem and they never learn what the problem was - because improvements in software install routines in the various programs installed on your machine - between the time you originally installed your system the first time and the day you reinstall your system - have cleaned-up the error that is currently causing your problem.

4. The problem with the method described in item 3 is it is long, tedious and painful. Furthermore, there is no guarantee you will get to the end of the reinstall process and actually have a working system. Sometimes, you get halfway through the process and during the install of something totally unrelated to NIS - the 50% CPU utilization reoccurs. What you've learned at that point is which program amongst the stuff installed on your machine is responsible for causing ccsvchst to "hog the CPU". At that point, you contact that software manufacturer for an update to solve their compatibility problem with NIS. If I remember correctly, this has happened over the years with HP Printer Drivers, both ATI and NVidia Video Drivers, and several software utilities such as Snagit.

5. The problem can also occur due to errors in Symantec's installation of ccsvchst. However, your machine has been investigated and cleaned by Product Support - multiple times - with no improvement. This would indicate the problem is not on the Norton side - but is a compatibility issue with some other software package.

6. Another thing that can cause the problem with ccsvchst is installing NIS over top of an existing malware infection. Ask Quads (another forum member who is an expert in malware removal) for info on how to properly perform a malware scan on your machine that can find stuff that NIS may not be able to currently detect. Follow his instructions exactly. Do not monkeydiddle. Do not do more than you are told to do in each step. Do not try to "do it your way" - you can end up with a system that will not boot properly. Malware must be removed in precisely the correct manner and multiple infections (which is possible) must be removed in the right order.

Note: Quads will refuse to work on your system if you are not capable of accurately following instructions - because he will not take the blame for having your system crash because you did things out of order or at the wrong time. This is a common rule for many many many malware removal experts on many many many more websites than just the Symantec forums.

Hope this helps solve your problem.

RonMcCartney · ‎04-25-2012

Hello Twixt I have the very same problem with my computer since renewing my 2011 subscription for NIS12. High CPU alerts even when IE is not accessed. Also receiving 'ccsvchst' error messages upon closing down. Computer locks up for no apparent reason. Regards Ron

tkroon · ‎04-23-2012

Thanks for this thoughtful and detailed response. It sounds overwhelming, however. I'm tempted to think I should just get rid of NIS and go with another product. I don't know what to do really. it worked so well until the last product update. Somewhile after that I suspected NIS and went to its support feature which ran some sort of diagnostic thing and found something it fixed. It just didn't fix the problem that I knew I had. I don't think I have the time and attention and resources to do that careful rebuild of my software world. Fortunately, (or maybe not) my wife's computer is identical and her's is working very well, even after the update. It would be a shame to run two different systems, and a shame to get rid of her's which is working so well. Anyway, thanks for your guidance. It is at least an explanation that makes sense, which the tech support folks never offered nor broached.

twixt · ‎09-26-2011

RonMcCartney wrote:
Hello Twixt I have the very same problem with my computer since renewing my 2011 subscription for NIS12. High CPU alerts even when IE is not accessed. Also receiving 'ccsvchst' error messages upon closing down. Computer locks up for no apparent reason. Regards Ron

Hi, Ron. The first thing to try, when dealing with high ccsvchst loads - is a reinstall. In many cases, this is the "magic bullet" that solves the problem - which is why Product Support used that method to try and solve tkroon's problem.

There are three different ways to uninstall/reinstall NIS. First of all, you are going to need two files which you download from Symantec. Then you are going to need your Product Key for your existing installation.

The first file is the Norton Removal Tool: www.norton.com/nrt

The second file is the latest installer for NIS 2012: www.norton.com/nis12

Your Product Key is kept in your Norton Account. Log into your Norton Account and retrieve your key. Write it down. You can also retrieve your key from your installation CD-ROM if you purchased a retail CD.

Download both of the above files to your desktop. Just leave them there for now. The Installer for NIS 12 is the file you are going to use first. This file contains an updated version of the NIS installer - which has a bunch of bulletproofing-bugfixes that perform improved housekeeping during the installation of NIS. Often, using the updated NIS installer in the downloaded version fixes things during install that will not get fixed if you reinstall from an older CD-ROM disk or an older version of the NIS 2012 installer.

Note: The functionality of the program is identical whether you use your CD-ROM Disk or the downloaded installer. You get all the features in the download you get when you use your CD-ROM disk - it's just that the downloaded installer is "brainier" about fixing things because it is newer than the installer on your CD-ROM.

Now that you have all the files you need to do your housekeeping - completely back up your Identity Safe data - if you use that function in NIS. Do not just back up to your Norton Account. Back up to an External Hard Disk or a second Hard Disk partition - somewhere where that data will survive - even if you are absolutely certain that nothing could possibly go wrong, go wrong, go wrong....

Installation Methods:

Method 1 - this is the easiest method. Try this first. Go on to the second method only if the first method fails to solve the problem.

1. Disconnect from the Internet. Unplug your network cable - which is all that is required. You do this because you are going to be running temporarily without either antivirus or firewall. This is dangerous. You do not want to be on the Internet while you are doing your investigations.

2. Uninstall your existing copy of NIS using Add/Remove Programs. When asked whether you want to keep your existing files and settings, answer using the option that keeps your existing configuration. Once the uninstall has run to completion, it will ask you to reboot your machine. Do so.

3. Double-click on the file you downloaded which contains the NIS installer for NIS 2012. This will unpack automatically into the proper set of folders to perform an install - and the install process will begin. Answer whatever questions the installer prompts you about. Because you have kept your existing configuration - you should not be asked to reinput your Product Key. Follow whatever instructions the Installer requests.

4. As part of the install process, NIS will complain that it cannot connect to the NIS Authentication Server to validate and activate your new installation. This is normal and correct - since you have the network cable unplugged. When NIS complains, plug the network cable back in. (Yes, you have a valid firewall at that point.) Wait 30 seconds. Retry the authentication process. This time it should properly authenticate and activate your new installation.

5. Run Live Update as many times as is required until Live Update tells you there are no further updates to install. Test your installation of NIS 2012. In the vast majority of cases - this is all that is required to solve your problem.

Method 2 - this method is identical to Method 1, except that when you uninstall NIS - you tell it not to preserve your existing settings. This will tell the NIS installer to remove all your customizations. Sometimes, the Registry Values for your customizations become corrupt - causing ccsvchst to have fits. Having the Installer remove those corrupt Registry Values allows a reinstall of NIS to rebuild the Registry Values from scratch. Corruption removed - NIS works again.

Note: Method 2 may require you to re-enter your Product Key. Do so when prompted. The installation procedure for Method 2 is identical to Method 1 - other than instructing the NIS uninstaller to remove your customizations. Perform the steps detailed above for Method 1 - with the proper change to the procedure so the uninstaller removes your previous customizations.

Method 3 - this is the "full-pull reinstall" - which is used when nothing else works.

1. Disconnect from the Internet.

2. Uninstall NIS using Add/Remove Programs - telling the uninstaller to remove all your customizations. DO NOT AVOID THIS STEP. There are things the standard uninstall process does that the Norton Removal Tool may miss. Things get messy when you do stuff in the wrong order. Reboot at the end of the uninstall process, as directed.

3. Once you have your machine back, click on the Norton Removal Tool. Follow the prompts. The first time you run the Norton Removal Tool - it will probably ask you to reboot at the end of the uninstall process. This is normal and correct. Even if you are not prompted to reboot, do so anyways.

4. Once you have your machine back, click on the Norton Removal Tool again. Follow the prompts. This time, the Norton Removal Tool will not prompt you to reboot at the end of the uninstall process. This is normal and correct. Reboot anyways.

5. Once you have your machine back, click on the Norton Removal Tool again. Follow the prompts. This time, the Norton Removal tool will again not prompt you to reboot at the end of the uninstall process. This is normal and correct. Reboot anyways.

6. Perform steps 3, 4 and 5 as many times as is required to get two consecutive runs of the Norton Removal Tool where you are not prompted to reboot at the end of the uninstall process - yet you have rebooted anyways. At that point, you have as clean a system as the Norton Removal Tool can produce - including the removal of all possible Registry Items that the NRT thinks could affect the stability of your Norton installation.

7. Reinstall NIS 2012 using the downloaded installer and rerun Live Update as many times as is required to bring NIS completely up-to-date. Test NIS for correct operation.

If the above steps do not solve your problem:

1. Download the NIS 2011 installer: www.norton.com/nis11

2. Confirm you have your Product Key.

3. Disconnect from the Internet.

3. Remove NIS 2012 using Method 3.

4. Install NIS 2011 using the 2011 installer you downloaded in Step 1. Do not use your old CD-ROM. Again, you want the "smarts" in the updated NIS 2011 installer to find-and-fix whatever is causing ccsvchst to misbehave. Reinput your Product Key when prompted.

Note: Your product key is valid for NIS 2010, NIS 2011 or NIS 2012. The system does not care which version you are running - it only cares about the number of valid days left in your subscription. This permits you to experiment with a new version and revert to an older version if your system "burps" when the new version is installed.

5. Reconnect to the Internet when the NIS 2011 installer complains it cannot validate and activate your product. Retry the activation process and allow NIS 2011 to be activated.

6. Run Live-Update as many times as is required to bring NIS 2011 completely up-to-date. Check NIS 2011 for correct operation.

7. At this point, you can either continue running with NIS 2011 - or you can remove NIS 2011 using Method 3 above and reinstall NIS 2012. Your choice.

Note: The reason you pulled and reinstalled NIS 2011 is because it is possible that "something" in NIS 2011 was corrupted in a fashion that the NIS 2012 installer could not find and fix. Using the "smarts" in the latest NIS 2011 installer should fix that mystery "something". With the offending stuff properly removed - NIS 2012 should now install properly. If not, you have a compatibility issue in NIS 2012 that has not yet been addressed - and it is appropriate for you to continue to run NIS 2011 until that problem has been resolved.

Hope this helps.

highlandhoh3 · ‎05-02-2012

Oh come on. All the above reasons ccsvckhst.exe is causing are BOGUS. Just like he said, ever since the last upedate I am getting 50% usuage. I want a solution to a problem that obviously been caused by Norton itself. And it is since the last update. I know as I use this pc like 6 hours every day - everyday. And I have other protection programs that have consistently shown no malware.

We are suppossed to have confidence in Norton to protect us from the bad guys when it causes us big problems itself ????

Don't list a bunch of reason why it is Norton's fault - just solve the problems so we can get to what we need to spend our time on.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And it looks like your 10 mintue to call back support is bogus also. No call yet. Maybe I need to be looking for other solutions, especially ones who won't blame the user for THEIR problems.