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Windows Modules Installer Worker suddenly showed up and began using CPU?

Anonymous
2014-09-04T20:05:02+00:00

So today I booted my computer up and everything was running sort of normal, until I noticed it was hotter than it usually was when I'm just browsing the internet...

I opened up the task manager and noticed a process named "Windows Modules Installer Worker" was using up a lot more of my CPU than other stuff usually does, going from 10% to 20%. This went on for the two or so hours (?) that I used my computer and I noticed it wasn't stopping. It kept using up CPU.

All I know about it is that it manages updates and stuff, so I checked my updates. Last one was installed this Sunday, so what gives?

I asked a friend and teacher who's practically a wizard for this stuff and he told me it probably got stuck running an installation process and that I should reboot. And I did, I got a "Preparing Windows, don't power off" message, followed by the reboot going as usual, and now that process is gone and my computer's fine, though I really wonder what it could have been... Mainly because my update history doesn't list anything new.

The only thing I did yesterday was install GIMP to draw some stuff and change my network adapter's settings, so what could it have been? Was it really just some installation stuff that got stuck? But if so, what :o ? It's probably no big deal but I like to learn about these sort of things because I feel they're kinda gonna be important for me to make a living in the future given my career choice ._.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-09-04T22:34:40+00:00

    Hi

    The Windows Modules Installer Worker is controlled by the TIWorker.exe file.

    This is part of the normal System Maintenance Tasks that Windows runs on a regular basis.

    What it does is to check the Windows Component Store (C:\WinSxS folder) for files have been replaced by Windows Update and are safe to delete. If any of these outdated files are found it will remove the files. It will also compress some files. This helps to keep the component store optimized and prevents it from growing too large which was a problem in earlier versions of Windows.

    It is designed to start when the computer is idle and will continue until the task is finished.

    It isn't normally anything to be concerned about.

    Regards

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-04-14T20:27:46+00:00

    maybe it is designed to be activated when the pc is idle, but the design fails it runs always when i am working, and it slows down everything, and the only way to stop this is to disable in the services..

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-11-19T07:10:14+00:00

    >>

    It is designed to start when the computer is idle and will continue until the task is finished.

    <<

    If only that were the case.. On my Windows 10 laptop I run Addictive Drums 2 and Reaper and use the laptop in my band. At rehearsal today with both these apps running I noticed much disk activity and my drums were suddenly not triggering Addictive drums correctly. I looked at task manager and Windows Modules Installer Workerwas running at 80% of my CPU.

    I came home with a mission to delete it. But found this page with a Windoes MVP saying it should run with the computer is idle. Well I'm telling you now it fires up anytime it feels like it. Lucky for me I was at rehearsal. I hope to have this issue sorted before I get my setup on stage.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-03-19T07:12:57+00:00

    it seems to not ever be completing the task. Windows update failed 3 times before it finally succeeded. but the Installer Worker never stops now

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-12-21T19:21:10+00:00

    So... it's hogging the CPU but it's nothing to be concerned about?

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