Computer Freezing Randomly - Possible link to WUDFHost.exe Issues

Question

I am having an issue with Windows freezing and becoming completely unresponsive. in an attempt to solve the issue, i have run every diagnostic test i know of, none of which are reporting problems, and i have also completely wiped my hard drive and put a fresh installation of windows on it. The only thing i have found that might explain the issue is a series of problem reports in the diagnostic data viewer app that say that the WUDFHost.exe is experiencing a driver host process timeout. the timestamps of the problem reports seem to closely match the times that my computer froze. besides the timestamps, all the problem reports show up in 1 of 2 ways, both of which i will list below.

Problem report 1:

Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework Host Process

Description

Faulting Application Path:     C:\Windows\System32\WUDFHost.exe

Creation Time:             5/19/2020 1:55:15 AM

Problem:             Driver host process timeout.

Status:                 Report sent

Problem signature

Problem Event Name:           WUDFHostProblem

EventClass:                   HostProblem

Problem:                      HostTimeout

DetectedBy:                   2

UMDFVersion:                  2.29.0

ExitCode:                     103

Operation:                    3

Message:                      11b00

Status:                       ffffffffffffffff

HardwareId:                   HID\VID_0951&PID_16A4&REV_0030&MI_03&Col02

Extra information about the problem

Bucket ID:             b06289a9214fd64b1c6bbfd926ddbd66 (2047941394950896998)

Problem report 2:

Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework Host Process

Description

Faulting Application Path:     C:\Windows\System32\WUDFHost.exe

Creation Time:             5/19/2020 12:52:38 AM

Problem:             Driver host process timeout.

Status:                 Report sent

Problem signature

Problem Event Name:           WUDFHostProblem

EventClass:                   HostProblem

Problem:                      HostTimeout

DetectedBy:                   2

UMDFVersion:                  2.29.0

ExitCode:                     103

Operation:                    0

Message:                      0

Status:                       ffffffffffffffff

HardwareId:                   HID\VID_0951&PID_16A4&REV_0030&MI_03&Col02

Extra information about the problem

Bucket ID:             359edf8bfdc33eb1b8507bdc83ca5da0 (1752036442081222048)

Answer 1

Hi,

I really don't know how to address that specific problem.. There also may be a driver issue involved somewhere as well..

I actually disable that service on most of my machines because for some unknown reason it causes a CPU spike when I use Windows Media Player..

It is located in System32.. You would need to take Ownership of the file and Add your account as a User with Full Permissions to be able to rename it.. That is the only way I could find to disable it..

I simply put a + mark at the front of the name and reboot..

After doing this you will see a yellow triangle with exclamation for some of your devices in Device Manager as well as Devices and Printers.. Mostly Hard Drives... Mine all work normally despite this..

Looking at the devices with the yellow triangle with exclamation may also give you a clue as to what device "Might" be involved..