Windows 7 Slow PC - dllhost.exe hogging memory

[bmxfreakrider]

I have had this problem basically since I installed Win7, I dont know if something I installed triggered it. This is my school laptop so I'm not in the position to uninstall software to stop the problem, everything I have on here I use actively. Ok, so the problem

I have noticed the laptop takes an average time to boot, hits desktop, starts loading the programs and services (~30s) then it feels like the pc freezes. Basically I click something and it takes about a full minute for it to open, and the whole computer is sluggish in general. I dealt with it for 3 days and got completely fed up with it and found a temporary fix and the cause of the problem.

I opend task manager to see what was hogging the cpu, but there was nothing, sorted by memory usage, and BAM 700mb straight to dllhost.exe. I have gotten task manager open during startup and watched what it does: floats from 2-10mb usage then just skyrockets, reacking 700mb usage in just under 5 seconds. That is when the pc feels like an old PII. If I end the process the sluggishness goes away, and there are no noticeable problems from ending the process. Thinking that the process is useless, i bypassed windows file security and deleted the file, but when I did that, explorer.exe took over the memory hogging problem, promptly jumping to ~700mb usage, then shorty after erroring out. Did a system restore and got the pc functional again, just still dealing with the slowness. This laptop is pretty fast, competes with my gaming desktop in vista, so its not my hardware, it slows down when the dllhost.exe process hogs my memory.

SPECS:

Gateway MT6729
Intel Pentium Dual Core T2330 1.6ghz
2gb DDR2-667
160gb WD SATA 1.5mbps 8mb cache 5400rpm
Drivers updated through windows update

Also battery life has rapidly degraded after the install of windows 7, from 1.5hrs to just under 40min... Help?

 

[carnageX]

Its a Beta, it's going to have problems. Have you tried disabling startup items in mscofig to see if that helps? Disable everything and enable things one by one.

 

[bmxfreakrider]

My startup items are stripped. I also went thru services.msc and tried to get rid of any un-necesary services to fix the problem, but that didnt change anything. I know its beta, the point of beta is to find the problems and fix them, the only thing is, im running the x86 version of it, and they are having the same type of problem but they get an error in the x64 version. Im trying to see if i can find the main cause of this problem so not only can I compute in peace and speed (lol) but also help the beta team in getting this version of windows ready for launch without the problems. If its a problem for me, im pretty certian its gonna be a problem for multiple peoples, so if theres a cure then its going to make the os more stable and the consumers would be more happy with the end product. i really love windows, this version is pretty planned out except for the dllhost.exe problem. I have googled but that has turned up nothing, and microsoft hasnt heard of this problem on the x86 platform as of yet (according to their forums)

 

[KSoD]

This is my school laptop so I'm not in the position to uninstall software to stop the problem, everything I have on here I use actively.

Well here is the problem.

Win7 is a Beta and the very first thing you read in the EULA is not to install this on any type of production machine or machine that is vital for everyday use. Because it is a BETA. Are you sure every piece of software you have running is Win7 Compatible?

Get Process Explorer to find out what software that dllhost.exe is linked to. If you need this laptop for school you are better of dual booting rather than depending on a Beta to run perfectly for you.

Yes the point of the Beta is to find problems and fix them. But you also have to remember this is VERY dependent on the co-operation from developers to get their software updated to work. None of them will do it till it gets released. So what you may call a bug or a problem with Windows 7 is not truly a problem with Windows itself but a problem with the software not being compatible and your trying to force it to run.

 

[bmxfreakrider]

I understand that it is BETA, and am proud to be part of the "beta team" as you would call it, finding problems, reporting, hopefully helping to fix and finalize to the production. I don't have a problem if the laptop goes down, i have stuff backed up to a flash drive, and this is HS, were not even supposed to have them! but my teachers dont care so I type essays and stuff on it.

Thankyou on the idea for process explorer, i never thought of that. Ill DL it right now and check it out