Explorer.exe constantly using cpu

[cacoe]

I've had a fresh install of windows 8 consumer preview installed since it was released. I've pretty much left it "as is" and only added a few simple apps like chrome so I can't see what the problem is.

Explorer seems to be using something in the region of 25-30% CPU even when the system is idle and nothing else is running. This isn't random spikes, it's constantly this high.

Anyone heard of this issue, maybe with a fix? How could I go further and find out what is causing the problem if not?

Thanks.

[Detection]

Try process explorer

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653

Could also be a driver issue

[cacoe]

I've had a look at the threads relating to explorer.exe with process explorer and there seems to be one thread causing the high cpu usage.

combase.dllCleanupTLSOleSlate+0x3b0

When I kill the thread, nothing seems to go wrong, it simply appears to run as it should. Any thoughts on this?

[spikey_richie]

It might be trying to tidy up your WinSxS folder... which you can't do much about other than let it finish.

[Detection]

I've had a look at the threads relating to explorer.exe with process explorer and there seems to be one thread causing the high cpu usage.

combase.dllCleanupTLSOleSlate+0x3b0

When I kill the thread, nothing seems to go wrong, it simply appears to run as it should. Any thoughts on this?

Do you have "Rising AntiVirus 2011" installed ?

Quick search points that "combase.dll" is part of that AV

Other things are saying it is part of a runtime in win 8, maybe update dot net and runtime visual C++ etc ?

[cacoe]

I perhaps installed that.

I mean, I (rather stupidly) installed an app. I had a missing directx dll so I went on one of those dll library sites. It had an option for an installer and a simple zip with the dll in it. Feeling lazy, I just thought I'd grab the installer which appeared to also install some crap with it, which went on attempting to scan my system. I think it was legit software (after all, the zip option contained a legit directx dll) but it wasn't welcome so I uninstalled it.

I have a feeling that there's a remnants of it left, is there a way to unregister this dll?

[Detection]

I would install something like Malwarebytes and do a full scan with that, make sure you don't have any bad guys on there

Find the location of that .dll using process explorer > right click the .dll > properties > Path > Take a note of the path

Boot in safemode and find the .dll in that location and move it to the desktop to make sure its not important, if all is well after booting normally, delete it.

Also Start > Run > msconfig > make sure nothing weird is set to start with Windows in there

Empty temp folders during safemode, User temp and Windows temp

Scan with Hijack This > delete anything suspicious

See how you get on after that, might not be malware and removing the dll might sort it, but a few suggestions incase

[wiNacht]

I've had a look at the threads relating to explorer.exe with process explorer and there seems to be one thread causing the high cpu usage.

combase.dllCleanupTLSOleSlate+0x3b0

When I kill the thread, nothing seems to go wrong, it simply appears to run as it should. Any thoughts on this?

Hello, i got exactly the same issue without any antivirus expecting build in MSE/Defender and On Windows Version 8 Final ? must kill combase.dll through process explorer everyboot else by cpu gets lots of heat After a while and everything is lagging anyway if i don't. If you open combase stack it shows To have something To do with New Windows Push notification Service that i deactivated but No change. How did you fix it? Registred only here because My Special Problem was described just here.

thank you

[cacoe]

Hello, i got exactly the same issue without any antivirus expecting build in MSE/Defender and On Windows Version 8 Final ? must kill combase.dll through process explorer everyboot else by cpu gets lots of heat After a while and everything is lagging anyway if i don't. If you open combase stack it shows To have something To do with New Windows Push notification Service that i deactivated but No change. How did you fix it? Registred only here because My Special Problem was described just here.

thank you

I'm sorry to say that this was a long time ago. It was a Windows 8 Consumer Preview version too, I don't believe I ever fixed it as such, it just isn't a problem any more now that I have RTM

[cropcircles]

I was having this problem a couple months back. I cleared out my windows temp folder and ended my explorer.exe and started a new one and problem went away.