I have an instance of svchost.exe process that consumes about 2.3GB of memory.

Question

I noticed a high memory usage on my windows 11 from the task manager by svchost. So, I used the process explorer to investigate more about it and found that all instances of svchost.exe memory usage is normal except for the one with command-line "C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService -p -s nsi".

It consumes about 2.3GB of memory. I scanned my machine using malwarebytes and no threats detected.

• I just wanna add one note, my windows machine kept lagging and freezing randomly 4 days ago. I searched for it on youtube and performed some actions:

1. I checked memory diagnostics
2. Hard disk health check using Disk Sentinel
3. performed the commands:
   1. chkdsk (for all my partitions)
      1. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
         1. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
            1. sfc /scannow
4. checked for windows and drivers updates and updated all
5. disabled (Sysmain, Background Intelligent Transfer Service, Windows Search) services
6. troubleshooting for "windows update" & "Background Intelligent Transfer Service"

And today, the svchost process surprised and confused me. I tried to kill it but once I reboot It starts again. I can't determine what happens to my system or what to do. can anyone help me??

Answer 1

Hello

I understand your concern about the high memory usage by the svchost.exe -k LocalService -p -s nsi process and the lagging and freezing issues on your Windows 11 machine. Here’s what I found:

High Memory Usage by svchost.exe: The svchost.exe is a generic host process name for services that run from dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) on Windows. It’s normal for multiple instances of svchost.exe to run at the same time. The specific instance you mentioned (svchost.exe -k LocalService -p -s nsi) is associated with the Network Store Interface (NSI) service, which is a crucial part of the Windows operating system. High memory usage by this process could be due to many factors, including but not limited to, system updates, running applications, and system settings.

Safety of svchost.exe: As long as the svchost.exe file is located in the System32 folder, it’s typically safe and essential for the smooth operation of your system. If you’ve scanned your machine with Malwarebytes and no threats were detected, it’s unlikely to be a virus or malware.

Lagging and Freezing Issues: These issues could be due to various reasons such as outdated drivers, limited system RAM, program conflicts, and corrupted system files. It seems like you’ve already performed several troubleshooting steps. If the problem persists, you might want to consider additional solutions such as updating your GPU driver, adjusting virtual memory allocation, or reducing your monitor’s resolution.

Restarting svchost.exe Process: The svchost.exe process will restart after a reboot because it’s a system process. Killing this process might lead to system instability. If it’s consuming high memory, it might be worth investigating what services are running under this process and if they’re all necessary.

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/ask-the-performance-team/getting-started-with-svchost-exe-troubleshooting/ba-p/372644