Fix: High Network Usage And Memory Leak Caused By svchost.exe (netsvcs)

Is the svchost.exe (netsvcs) causing high network usage and memory leak? We'll explain what the issue is and all the ways to fix it.

When there’s a visible sign of reduced performance, CPU or network-related, the first thing to check is the Task Manager panel.

A few users who noticed a dramatic decline in computer performance reported spotting the svchost.exe process as the main cause in Task Manager.

If you’re facing the same issue and searching for a way to resolve it, this guide has the answers you need.

Let’s get into it.

Table of ContentsShow

What Is The “svchost.exe” Process?

Problem

Before getting into the possible solutions for this problem, it’s worth explaining the “svchost.exe” process, why it’s on your computer, and how it can be the primary cause of poor PC performance in a specific situation.

The “svchost.exe” process is used by Windows as a “shell program” to launch different DLL files. DLL files are files with the “.dll” extension, and they are libraries containing data and code which can be utilized by multiple programs at a given time, but Windows can’t launch them directly, which is why it uses svchost.exe for the task.

This is all simplified, but it should be enough to give you a slight idea of what the svchost.exe process does and why it is important.

Now, “netsvcs” is a subprocess nested under the svchost.exe process, and you may see it on your process list, as shown in the screenshot below.

Windows svchost.exe (netsvcs)

When there’s a malfunction or a memory leak, you’ll see the svchost.exe (netsvcs) process consuming an abnormal amount of CPU resources and/or network bandwidth.

Although this is not normal, it’s a common error that you can fix by following the methods listed in the sections below.

Is The “svchost.exe (netsvcs)” Process A Virus?

As mentioned above, the svchost.exe process is not a virus. It’s a legitimate, integrated Windows process that plays an important role in keeping your computer stable and functional.

With that said, you should not disable or delete the svchost.exe process as that could potentially make some Windows functions inaccessible or unstable.

However, in the past, some users reported having a virus or malware disguised under the svchost.exe process name, so unless you are sure of your computer’s security, it may be worth checking the location of the resource-consuming process, its origin, and ultimately, finding out how it ended up on your computer.

One of the most common ways of disguising viruses and malware is by using system process names, such as svchost.exe (netsvcs) and others.

With that said, if the process is not a virus, yet you’re experiencing the high resource demand bug, you can try and fix it using the solutions below.

Fix 1: Run A Thorough Virus Scan On Your PC

Antivirus

We often like to add exclusions to specific files and folders so that our antivirus program doesn’t flag them as potential threats. Although this is a valid method, since false positives are becoming more and more common, it’s also possible that we made a mistake and some of those excluded files is indeed a virus or malware.

To tackle this issue, ensure that the process using up resources isn’t a dangerous program by scanning with antivirus software. We suggest scanning through all folders, even the ones already excluded.

If the scan result shows no threats found, move on to the other methods below.  

Fix 2: Clean The Event Viewer Logs

Delete or Remove

This method is a common fix used for the network usage and memory leak issue caused by the malfunction of the svchost.exe process.

It requires the user to access the Event Viewer panel within Windows and clear the logs under the Windows Logs category.

If you haven’t attempted this previously and are interested in the proper way to do it, follow the step-by-step instructions provided below.

  1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard to launch the Windows Run utility.
  2. In the box, type in eventvwr and click the OK button.
    Windows + R eventvwr
  3. When the panel opens, expand the Windows Logs category shown in the left sidebar menu, then click on Application. Choose Clear Log on the right side, as shown in the image below.  
    Windows Logs Application
  4. Repeat the same steps for the other listed items, Security, Setup, and System.
  5. When done, restart your PC and see if the problem persists.

When your PC reboots, the problem should be fixed. This method is a simple yet effective one that many users relied on to successfully fix the issue.

Fix 3: Install The Latest Windows Update

Install

Some users pointed out that during Windows updates, the svchost.exe (netsvcs) process consumes a lot of CPU resources and spikes the network usage up to what seems like an abnormal level.

Although in normal circumstances this shouldn’t be a problem, as it would only last until the Windows update files are downloaded on the computer, in some cases, the process gets “stuck” and causes a long-term problem.

To fix this, we recommend force-installing the Windows update.

If you experience issues updating Windows, we cover the solutions in our Windows 10 won’t update guide.

Fix 4: Disable The “Wuauserv” And “BITS” Services

Disable

By disabling these two services, you can potentially fix the high network and CPU usage issue caused by the svchost.exe process. Please note that this method does not always for everyone, but many users managed to fix the problem only by doing the following:

  1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run panel feature.
  2. In the Run box, type in services.msc, then either press the OK button or Enter on your keyboard.
    Windows services.msc
  3. Find the Background Intelligent Transfer Service process on the list, then right-click it and choose Properties.
    Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service
  4. Set the startup type of this process to Disabled.
  5. Now, find the Windows Update (Wuauserv) service on the list and repeat the same steps, disabling it from launching on computer startup.

The final step is to reboot your PC. Once it is back on, you should no longer experience the high network usage and memory leak issues. These two services, often-related to the problem, will not be automatically launched and running in the background. 

Conclusion

That’s what you need to know about the svchost.exe (netsvcs) process causing a high CPU and network usage on Windows.

Though it is a worrying and confusing problem, hopefully the methods listed in this guide will help you overcome it and restore regular PC functionality.

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Bojan Veselinovikj
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Bojan is a video-game developer and a tech enthusiast. Combining these two passions allow him to keep you informed on everything that's new in this fast-paced digital world.