Devicecensus.exe stopped working

Question

Hi

Since Tuesdays updates, every day I log in I get a red 'x' in reliability monitor stating Devicecensus.exe stopped working.

This is not after every boot it's a scheduled task I think.

I tried turning off all my privacy settings, it still happens.

Windows 10 64 bit 1803

Description

Faulting application name: devicecensus.exe, version: 10.0.17134.1, time stamp: 0x79a09a4b

Faulting module name: WaaSAssessment.dll, version: 10.0.17134.1, time stamp: 0xb7ab6594

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x0000000000008ee5

Faulting process ID: 0x25c4

Faulting application start time: 0x01d40481f1ae92d5

Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\devicecensus.exe

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\WaaSAssessment.dll

Report ID: 1484900c-7d45-4080-9832-809c7f22eda3

Faulting package full name: 

Faulting package-relative application ID: 

[Moved from: Windows / Windows 10 / Security & privacy]

[Original title: Devicecensus.exe stopped wotking]

Answer 1

Hi

Removing my anti virus (Eset Internet Security) has stopped the daily errors.

Thanks

Answer 2

Update to my previous reply:

I went in and renamed devicecensus.exe to devicecensus.exe.org so to keep the file but rendered the application as non operational.  This took care of my problem with the daily red X when looking at my reliability report.

There is another helpful thread which tells you how to change the ownership from Trusted Installer to Administrator.  Once I did this it allowed me to rename the file and took care of my problem.

I run Defender and Malwarebytes and only had issues with the file after installing 1803. 

Since I still have the application, I can change back if necessary.

ram5thwheel

Answer 3

Update #2: Devicecensus.exe was not the cause of the lockups. The problem seems to be power management and workload related. Devicecensus.exe was just one of those processes that also could cause the system to lockup, but it was not the only process to cause that problem. I dialed back the minimum processor power state by a tiny amount from 99% to 97%. I ran my machine with a minimum processor power state of 99% for a long time prior to Windows Version 1803. If the processor power state is the problem, I am not sure why it is a problem now. There were a couple other software changes that might be the problem, but I cannot share those here.

Update: I deleted the Task from the Task Scheduler under Microsoft -> Windows -> Device Information. Hopefully the problem goes away. At first, I tried to disable the Task, but the Task Scheduler kept failing to disable it, so I just deleted the task instead. I cannot have my work computer locking up while I am away from the office. I cannot reboot it remotely nor should I have to do that anyways.

Faulting application name: devicecensus.exe, version: 10.0.17134.1, time stamp: 0x79a09a4b

Faulting module name: WaaSAssessment.dll, version: 10.0.17134.1, time stamp: 0xb7ab6594

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x0000000000008ee5

Faulting process id: 0x40ac

Faulting application start time: 0x01d409ff5a90f22e

Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\devicecensus.exe

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\WaaSAssessment.dll

Report Id: 20faf59d-993e-4633-bf59-32d7d004c3bf

Faulting package full name: 

Faulting package-relative application ID: 

---

This was the last event before my system froze! I had to do a hard reboot.

---

Here are my stats on my machine from my last Geekbench Run:

https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/3138024

---

If it matters, my machine has dual processors.

---

Processor Information

Name: Intel Xeon X5675

Topology: 2 Processors, 12 Cores, 24 Threads

Identifier: GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 44 Stepping 2

Base Frequency: 3.06 GHz

Package: Socket 1366 LGA

Codename: Westmere-EP

L1 Instruction Cache: 32.0 KB x 6

L1 Data Cache: 32.0 KB x 6

L2 Cache: 256 KB x 6

L3 Cache: 12.0 MB x 1

Answer 4

Faulting application name: devicecensus.exe, version: 10.0.17134.1, time stamp: 0x79a09a4b

Faulting module name: WaaSAssessment.dll, version: 10.0.17134.1, time stamp: 0xb7ab6594

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x0000000000008ee5

Faulting process id: 0x40ac

Faulting application start time: 0x01d409ff5a90f22e

Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\devicecensus.exe

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\WaaSAssessment.dll

Report Id: 20faf59d-993e-4633-bf59-32d7d004c3bf

Faulting package full name: 

Faulting package-relative application ID: 

---

This was the last event before my system froze! I had to do a hard reboot.

---

Here are my stats on my machine from my last Geekbench Run:

https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/3138024

---

If it matters, my machine has dual processors.

---

Processor Information

Name: Intel Xeon X5675

Topology: 2 Processors, 12 Cores, 24 Threads

Identifier: GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 44 Stepping 2

Base Frequency: 3.06 GHz

Package: Socket 1366 LGA

Codename: Westmere-EP

L1 Instruction Cache: 32.0 KB x 6

L1 Data Cache: 32.0 KB x 6

L2 Cache: 256 KB x 6

L3 Cache: 12.0 MB x 1

Answer 5

Hi Adam,

Devicecensus.exe is a part of the Windows system files that run in the background. To help you resolve the issue, please follow the instructions provided by Michelle Her from this thread. Make sure that you're signed in as the administrator before performing the steps she outlined.

Let me know the results.