The WMI Provider Host is a process that is an integral part of Windows which runs in the background. WMI stands for Windows Management Instrumentation and provides a standard way of providing information about your Windows system to software and processes that request it. Although this does not use up a lot of CPU resources there are instances when it does and this can usually occur when another software is asking for information about your system. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will tackle the WMI Provider Host high CPU usage on windows 10 issue.
How To Fix The WMI Provider Host High CPU Usage On Windows 10 Issue
Before performing any of the recommended troubleshooting steps listed below its best to restart your computer first. This will refresh the operating system and remove any corrupted temporary data that could be causing the problem.
Restart the WMI
One of the best ways to fix this problem is to restart the WMI. This will fix any glitches that originates from this process.
- Hold the Windows key on your keyboard and Press R
- In the run dialog; type services.msc
- From the services console; locate the Windows Management Instrumentation Service
- Choose Restart to restart the service
Check if the WMI Provider Host high CPU usage on Windows 10 issue still occurs.
Restart Other WMI Provider Host Related Services
If the issue persists then you should try to restart the other services that work in tandem with the WMI Provider Host.
- Type “cmd.exe” in the search bar to bring out the Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
- In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one and then hit Enter.
net stop iphlpsvc
net stop wscsvc
net stop Winmgmt
net start Winmgmt
net start wscsvc
net start iphlpsvc
Check if the WMI Provider Host high CPU usage on Windows 10 issue still occurs.
Scan your computer for Viruses
There’s a possibility that your computer is infected with a virus or malware that in turn is causing this problem. Make sure that your antivirus software has the latest definitions installed before letting it scan your computer. If a virus or malware is found then make sure to quarantine it.
Check if the WMI Provider Host high CPU usage on Windows 10 issue still occurs.
Perform a clean boot
A clean boot on Windows 10 means that you will be starting the system with only the essential files and services required by the operating system. This is a good troubleshooting technique used to identify and fix performance issues within the booting process, including software conflicts, error messages and more.
- Hold the Windows Key and press R.
- Type msconfig and click OK in the Run dialog box.
- Choose the Services Tab, then put a check on Hide All Microsoft Services and select Disable All.
- Click Apply, and Click OK. This prompts you to restart; choose Restart Later.
- Hold the Windows Key and Press R.
- Type msconfig and click OK.
- Choose Start Up and select Open Task Manager.
- At the last field called Start-Up Impact disable all the ones with High Impact.
- Reboot your system and it will start up in the clean boot mode.
If the issue does not occur in clean boot then the problem could be caused by a software installed in your computer. Start by enabling one service at a time in the same manner and stop when the high CPU usage comes back. You should reinstall the service or application that is causing the problem.
To undo the clean boot
- Open Start.
- Search for msconfig and click the top result to open the System Configuration experience.
- On the General tab, select the Normal startup option.
- Click the Services tab.
- Check the Hide all Microsoft services option.
- Click the Enable all button.
- Click the Startup tab.
- Click the Open Task Manager link.
- On the Startup tab, select each item and click the Enable button.
- Close Task Manager.
- Restart your computer.
Locate the Process Using Event Viewer
You can locate the process that is causing this problem using the event viewer then proceed with uninstalling it.
First you will need to find the process ID number
- Press Windows Logo key + X to open the WinX Menu
- Click on Event Viewer in the WinX Menu.
- Click on View in the toolbar at the top of the Event Viewer window
- Enable the Show Analytic and Debug Logs option.
- Go to Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > WMI-Activity.
- Double-click on WMI-Activity to expand its contents, and click on Operational in the list of its contents to open the WMI Provider Host’s operational logs.
- Look for any errors, and when you find one, click on it to display its specifications at the bottom of the window.
- Under the General tab of the specifications of the error you clicked on, look for the term ClientProcessId, and when you find it, note down the number(s)
Uninstall the process
- Close the Event Viewer and open the Task Manager
- Navigate to the Services tab and look for the service that has the same Process ID (PID) as the number(s) that followed the ClientProcessID term.
- Disable it and then go to Control Panel > Programs & Features and uninstall the program that the culprit service was for.
Check if the WMI Provider Host high CPU usage on Windows 10 issue still occurs.