SD5 random CPU spikes to 50%

[PJWilkin]

Randomly, SD5 causes the CPU to peak to 50%, no scans are active, and it appears no applications are being used or accessing files.

This never occured with SD4, and when it does occur, the PC slows right down almost to unusability

The process appears to be SWDSVC.exe, and occurs in Build 5.0.179

Anyone else experiencing this ?

[AChen]

Hi PJWilkin,

Appreciate the info. We'll investigate this further.

[wembely]

No reason - just starts happening after my PC has been on for a few days. if I reboot - it stays away typically. Only happens sometimes. I notice it when I open Firefox or Explore. However it is totally random and my PC must be up for several days for it to occur and then - its not every time. Description is Not much help I know...

[krishancanag]

Randomly, SD5 causes the CPU to peak to 50%, no scans are active, and it appears no applications are being used or accessing files.

This never occured with SD4, and when it does occur, the PC slows right down almost to unusability

The process appears to be SWDSVC.exe, and occurs in Build 5.0.179

Anyone else experiencing this ?




Yes is the short answer, this is the worst product upgrade in the history of security software. I am still running ver. 4 after ver 5 killed my PC, ie., its useability.

The only advice I have for anyone is go back to ver.4, let the "I have another better to do with life" chaps carry on playing with ver.5

krishan

[JulianL]

No reason - just starts happening after my PC has been on for a few days. if I reboot - it stays away typically. Only happens sometimes. I notice it when I open Firefox or Explore. However it is totally random and my PC must be up for several days for it to occur and then - its not every time. Description is Not much help I know...

I see exactly the same, including it only happening after the computer has been up for a few days and it usually going back to normal for a while after a reboot.

I should say that I also see this in SD4 and in fact it's worse for me in SD4 than in SD5 (the CPU spkes up to a higher level with SD4). It's the main reason I'm really hoping that PC Tools can get SD5 working properly.

9 out of 10 reboots on my system are down to wanting to clear this CPU-spiking behaviour once it's started.

- Julian

[tom.tdw]

I see exactly the same, including it only happening after the computer has been up for a few days and it usually going back to normal for a while after a reboot.

I should say that I also see this in SD4 and in fact it's worse for me in SD4 than in SD5 (the CPU spkes up to a higher level with SD4). It's the main reason I'm really hoping that PC Tools can get SD5 working properly.

9 out of 10 reboots on my system are down to wanting to clear this CPU-spiking behaviour once it's started.

- Julian
just wait for an update. spyware doctor might not be the main problem

[PJWilkin]

just wait for an update. spyware doctor might not be the main problem

Spyware Doctor 5 is the main problem .. remove it, and the problem goes away

As I stated in my posting, it only occurs with SD5. SD4 didnt do this.

I run SD5 on two PCs and am considering junking it as it makes them both unstable/unusable at points

I've even seen SD5 interfere with Quicktime playbacks (disabling onguard stops it)

A for effort PC tools, but minus several million for problems

[socrfan]

Again, I must believe these problems to be system/computer specific since I'm not experiencing any of them. And this is not the worst update. For the last two updates to SD5 I have had no problems at all. It's working just as well as version 4 did.

[tom.tdw]

Spyware Doctor 5 is the main problem .. remove it, and the problem goes away

As I stated in my posting, it only occurs with SD5. SD4 didnt do this.

I run SD5 on two PCs and am considering junking it as it makes them both unstable/unusable at points

I've even seen SD5 interfere with Quicktime playbacks (disabling onguard stops it)

A for effort PC tools, but minus several million for problems
it is probably reacting badly to another program you have on both pc's.
it has been completely rebuilt since v4 so it reacts completely differently

[PJWilkin]

it is probably reacting badly to another program you have on both pc's.
it has been completely rebuilt since v4 so it reacts completely differently

Well apart from XP, Office XP and Norton AV 2007 and ATI Control Panel/drivers, the PC's are different only in minor ways (very basic apps/games)

Problem is these bits of software are probably used by thousands of people

As you say SD5 is a complete rebuild .. looks like it needs it again.

[AChen]

Hi Guys,

We are currently analyzing the CPU spiking to 50%. If you are coming across this, could you please "Enable the kernel compatibility mode" to see if this helps. To do this go to Settings-> tick the checkbox for 'Enable kernel compatibility mode-> Apply-> Reboot.

Enabling the kernel compatibility mode does not compromise the security or SD in any way. It does not affect the OnGuard tools or the scanning capabilities of Spyware Doctor. It changes the method in which Spyware Doctor integrates with the system but has the same capabilities.

[dr_Acula]

Well.. when ON-Guard turned ON, i think its scanning. Coz it detects few malware and removed it on my system. I saw the CPU went up to 50% too.

and it happens randomly, means u guys TURNING ON AND OFF frequently.
Correct me if im wrong..

btw, im using build 5.0.179 on XP SP2

[tom.tdw]

turning onguard on and off regually might cause some problems but i don't think this is the problem

[wembely]

I had no issues once I did that - I was rather happy with its performance. However .179 is now randomly killing my browser - I wish my CPU usage only went to 50% - it hits 95%+ on my machine and pretty much stops the machine from running anything else! Unless I want to wait 5 or 10 minutes for it to finish - I have to reboot to kill whatever it is doing.

[tom.tdw]

could you all tell me the specification of your cpu's (in case you all use amd's or something like that)

[Naturd]

The cpu on my computer also spikes above 50% when on-guard mode is enabled. But the worst thing is that when Bit-defender (antivirus) tries to update, the cpu rises to 100% and freeze for a few minutes and then go to bluescreen. :confused:

I also experience a lot of trouble when on-guard mode is disabled; Firefox / explorer / winamp / bitdefender, etc. etc. are very unstable, and often result in crash of explorer (no reboot needed).

I have a Dell2400 (old’n slow… I know…)

I only activate SD when I need to scan, once a week or so.

[tom.tdw]

sounds like are experiencing hell:(

if you haven't already tryed it enable kernel compatibility mode

if that doesn't work you may have to revert to v4 or format

[InvisibleMan]

For what it is worth, I have removed SD4 & SD5 from my PC until the complaints diminish on the forum. But, I have a Norton tool called Norton System Doctor which monitors misc. PC component sensor's status of my choosing. I have programmed it for one sensor to monitor and update the level of disc defragmentation once per day. When it checks and updates, the CPU actvity increases significantly for a few minutes, until finished.

[tom.tdw]

yes that is generally how cpu's work:D

[InvisibleMan]

tom.tdw:

Are you messing with my big ego? Factually, I am not a PC techie.
Now my big ego will speak: I am actually a TV Broadcast Engineer for a major US Network. I hardly know "jack" about computers, but even in the U.K., you have probably seen News programming that has gone through my hands.

OK, I will crawl back into my hole, now. :o

[tom.tdw]

sorry
just making sure
not intending to be condescending

[dgallo]

Has there been any news or updates on this problem recently? I am also having this problem. I have been watching my system to try to get a handle on the problem. The CPU spike seems to come after larger memory loads from other processes.

One fishy diagnostic from my machine is the number of page faults. At the time I am writing this, my machine has been up for about 30 minutes. The swdsvc.exe process has a virtual size of 300 MB, a working set of 8 MB and the number of page faults is 750,000. The process with the next highest page fault count is svcntaux.exe. 45 MB virtual size, 375 K working set with 700,000 page faults. I have 2 GB of ram. Not sure how normal this is or if it helps at all but hopefully it does.