The Windows Module installer is a service provided by Windows that is responsible for updating the components of the system. This service operates in the background, continuously searching for the most recent updates and arranging them for installation by the user.
The service’s particular characteristics can pose a significant problem for older or less advanced systems, resulting in their dysfunction or complete freezing. Fortunately, it is possible to deactivate this service, avoiding any complications in your regular computer usage.
Solution: Disabling the automatic update feature in Windows
This method is the simplest one you can use to resolve the problem of high CPU usage.
Steps:
- Goto Settings > Updates and Securities
- To delay the update, click on the option to pause it for a period of 7 days multiple times until the option becomes inactive.
Please be aware that this solution is only temporary and will need to be repeated every 4-5 weeks.
Solution 2: Switching the updater from automatic to manual.
Steps:
- Press Windows + R key and open Run.
- Type services.msc and click enter
- Once the window pops up, locate the Windows Module Installer and perform a double click on it.
- In the window that appears, switch from the automatic setting to the manual setting and then click on the ok button.
- Restart your computer and navigate to the Settings menu. From there, click on Updates and Security to verify if any updates are currently in progress.
Solution 3: Modifying your network to a metered connection.
This method is simple and highly efficient, however, it requires repeating the process whenever you connect to a different network, whether it be Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Steps:
- Go to Settings > Network and Internet.
- If you are connected to a Wi-Fi network, go to the Wi-Fi signal icon and scroll down to select the option of setting the connection as metered, and turn it on.
- If you are using Ethernet, select the Ethernet icon and scroll down to find the option to set the connection as metered. Toggle the switch to turn it on.
- Once this action is taken, the updater service will be unable to download any updates, resulting in the process becoming idle.
Solution 4: Eliminating the Software Distribution Folder.
Sometimes, Windows saves updates within a folder located in its main folder. Occasionally, if this folder is deleted, it can prevent updates from occurring and consequently cause the process to not run. To accomplish this, perform the following actions:
Steps:
- Proceed to the C: Windows directory and locate the folder named Software Distribution.
- Access the folder and remove the files contained within it.
Occasionally, corrupted update files can lead to excessive CPU usage, causing the computer to become slow and unresponsive. Deleting these files straightaway may cause further problems instead of resolving the issue. In order to fix this, there are a few additional steps that need to be taken before removing the folder.
Steps:
- Access the Task Manager and locate the process related to the windows updater.
- Click on the task and click End Task.
- After you finish using the task manager, exit it and navigate back to the C:Windows directory. From there, proceed to remove the Software Distribution folder.
Conclusion
By this point, your problem should have been resolved. If not, try repeating the steps or attempting the alternative steps provided. If none of the aforementioned steps make any difference and you continue to experience high CPU usage, there may be another factor utilizing your system resources and making it appear as a Windows process, when in fact, it is merely malware. In such a circumstance, conduct a scan using Windows Defender to identify any detected malware. If none of these measures prove effective, reinstalling Windows from scratch is the most advisable course of action.
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