[UPDATE:Bugfix bricks USB, audio, and more] The Very Hungry Cortanapillar - Cortana eating 40%+ CPU usage with update despite tester warnings

[Cyberspirit]

21 hours ago, Mr Prince said:

Cortana has never been enabled in my country, i think they gave up.

It was the same for us as well but, they Enabled her recently so, you are not safe yet.

[Trik'Stari]

On 9/3/2019 at 7:59 AM, Princess Luna said:

Of course! It's really simple:

 

Open Task Manager and locate the Cortana process, right click and "open file location".

 

Once you done that Windows will take you to the native folder of Cortana which is named as Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy

 

Select the folder and attempt to add an .old to the end of the folder name, hit ok and it will fail because Cortana is still running:

 

But it's good to have this window so now you can go back to Task Manager and kill Cortana's process, this will give you about 2 seconds before Windows attempts to restart Cortana process in this time window hit the Try Again and it should successfully change the folder name.

 

Once done the .old extension will make Windows know the Cortana files are in there so it won't try to restore them through Windows Update in any way but at the same time the registry entries that tries forcing Cortana to restart won't find it since the directory has changed essentially killing it forever.

 

There you go Cortana will no longer be present on your system, do note that you'll need Classic Shell or be on Windows 10 1903 or later otherwise your Windows Search Bar will not work without Cortana!

 

-

 

Why not do the Registry Method listed above? Windows Update often will fix the entries restoring Cortana after a while.

Tried the regedit method, did not work. Cortana still running upon restart.

 

Tried your method, and it's fucking dead. Windows search isn't working, but I really don't ever use that on this machine.

 

Thank you, so very much.

[BiG StroOnZ]

58 minutes ago, Trik'Stari said:

Tried the regedit method, did not work. Cortana still running upon restart.

 

Tried your method, and it's fucking dead. Windows search isn't working, but I really don't ever use that on this machine.

 

Thank you, so very much.

 

Simply run this and the search function should be fixed: 

 

https://drive.google.com/uc?id=18udlbgBakZO-9uEuzkh5gq-uKykWugT7&export=download

 

How it works:

 

https://streamable.com/skzcf

 

Where I found the fix:

 

[Trik'Stari]

6 minutes ago, BiG StroOnZ said:

 

Simply run this and the search function should be fixed: 

 

https://drive.google.com/uc?id=18udlbgBakZO-9uEuzkh5gq-uKykWugT7&export=download

 

How it works:

 

https://streamable.com/skzcf

 

Where I found the fix:

-snip

 

My search function isn't blank, nothing happens when I click start and begin typing.

 

And honestly, I'm fine with that.

[BiG StroOnZ]

13 minutes ago, Trik'Stari said:

Nothing happens when I click start and begin typing.

 

I don't follow? In Windows 10, search isn't in start currently, ASFAIK. I'm guessing this is an earlier build?

[Trik'Stari]

30 minutes ago, BiG StroOnZ said:

 

I don't follow? In Windows 10, search isn't in start currently, ASFAIK. I'm guessing this is an earlier build?

The only search I've used has been clicking start and you type something, as far as Windows 10 goes.

[BiG StroOnZ]

18 minutes ago, Trik'Stari said:

The only search I've used has been clicking start and you type something, as far as Windows 10 goes.

Do you use Classic Shell or any of its similar alternatives? Since in Windows 10, the only option to have the search bar/box, is in/on the taskbar. Unless you use something like Classic Shell. Again though, that's AFAIK. 

Regardless, I wouldn't be surprised if the batch file fixes it any way. Guess that's up to you if you want to try it out or not, can't hurt. 

[Trik'Stari]

5 minutes ago, BiG StroOnZ said:

Do you use Classic Shell or any of its similar alternatives? Since in Windows 10, the only option to have the search bar/box, is in/on the taskbar. Unless you use something like Classic Shell. Again though, that's AFAIK. 

Regardless, I wouldn't be surprised if the batch file fixes it any way. Guess that's up to you if you want to try it out or not, can't hurt. 

Nope, just Windows 10 professional.

 

Search has always been clicking on the start button, and start typing. At least for me it has. The search menu comes up when you start typing.

 

It's probably an older version. I usually wait a while before updating because Microsoft isn't known for quality updates.

[Drak3]

1 hour ago, BiG StroOnZ said:

Do you use Classic Shell or any of its similar alternatives? Since in Windows 10, the only option to have the search bar/box, is in/on the taskbar. Unless you use something like Classic Shell. Again though, that's AFAIK. 

If you open start, and just start typing, it automagically switches to Cortana/Search.

[BiG StroOnZ]

1 hour ago, Drak3 said:

If you open start, and just start typing, it automagically switches to Cortana/Search.

Yeah, but after playing around with settings to replicate what @Trik'Stari was describing, I discovered: It's because the individual has the Search Bar/Box on the Taskbar set to hidden or icon. Which is technically not the same. Yeah, you can click the Start/Windows Icon/Button and start typing to begin a search. However, it's actually opening the Search box separately as soon as you start typing. 

 

When you Right Click the Taskbar and alter the search settings, you can select: Hidden, Show search icon, and Show search box. I'm assuming, Windows 10 in its Vanilla form either has it selected and defaulted to Hidden or Icon. Wherein, if the user goes to the Start Menu, and begins typing; it immediately brings up the Search query automatically. This is different though than how it was handled in Windows 7, the way he described it (It's slightly a placebo). The Search function is still tied to the Taskbar. It's just a matter of whether you noticed it or not, and changed the Taskbar settings. When set to "Icon," you simply get a Magnifying Glass next to the Start (Windows Icon) button (That you can click and start a search). When set to "Hidden" you get nothing (Magnifying Glass disappears and/or there's no trace of a bar of sorts); but this still allows the search function to remain functional when you go to Start, and begin typing a search request. Lastly, when you select Search box, it gives the full-fledged Search box that I'm familiar with. 

 

Took me a couple of minutes experimenting to see what was going on to understand what he was explaining. I guess the difference in my use case, is that I have always modified the Taskbar settings to have the Search box either visible with the Magnifying Glass icon, or fully enabled as the "Type here to search" bar (and not set to Hidden). This is at least on my end how I understand it.

[rcmaehl]

UPDATE (Source: Forbes)

Quote

Picked up by Windows Latest, KB4515384 - an update Microsoft released to fix the CPU spiking search problem - is not only causing new search problems, reports state it is breaking the Start menu, Action Center and USB connections while also causing audio problems. “This update again introduces the same problem as the previous update,” wrote another on Microsoft’s Feedback Hub. “Part of the problem is a high CPU usage (~30%) and a totally broken search function. Currently, I see no other option than to blacklist this update also to prevent update [from reinstalling] again and again.” Windows Latest reports the Start menu stops working for some users who have upgraded to KB4515384 with Windows 10 delivering the following errors: “We’ll try to fix it the next time you sign in” and “Critical Error - Your Start menu isn’t working” “I tried [to] install KB4515384 on one of my workstations with no luck. Menu start stopped working with critical error and sign out demand. After uninstall latest CPU problem with start menu was solved but action center won't open now. Windows 10 especially 1903 is the most bugged OS ever.” Windows users are always industrious and some have found workarounds for these issues while they wait for an official fix. But the fact remains that right now Windows 10 updates (particularly those for the 1903 upgrade which is still being forced upon users) are a minefield.

[circeseye]

i have this installed so does my son and daughter and dont see anything wrong with the update.
im wondering if its system specific? certain hardware set ups?
2 amd 8350 w rx590's.....1 amd 6300 w rx 560

[rcmaehl]

Just now, circeseye said:

i have this installed so does my son and daughter and dont see anything wrong with the update.
im wondering if its system specific? certain hardware set ups?
2 amd 8350 w rx590's.....1 amd 6300 w rx 560

May be configuration specific (E.g. only affects realtek or only affects intel HD audio) but enough people are complaining for forbes to pick it up.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

sigh ...
 

On 9/2/2019 at 5:18 PM, Captain Chaos said:

If only the Windows team could write 2 lines of code without introducing 7 new major bugs ...

 

That's from this very thread.

[mr moose]

5 hours ago, circeseye said:

i have this installed so does my son and daughter and dont see anything wrong with the update.
im wondering if its system specific? certain hardware set ups?
2 amd 8350 w rx590's.....1 amd 6300 w rx 560

It's more than possible that this bug effects a much smaller number of people than the articles and response makes out.  I also have it installed with average CPU usage at 3% tops (Ryzen3600 16G).  I manage about 16 win 10 PC's for friends and family and don't manually check for updates, I leave the settings at recommended and extremely rarely have update issues.

 

 

[Drak3]

7 minutes ago, mr moose said:

It's more than possible that this bug effects a much smaller number of people than the articles and response makes out.

That's typically the case.

 

7 minutes ago, mr moose said:

I also have it installed with average CPU usage at 3% tops (Ryzen3600 16G).

5930K

4130T

9750H

All sub 10% typical, sub 20% spike.

[TechyBen]

On 9/4/2019 at 8:01 AM, mr moose said:

MS really need to inform users that clicking "check for updates" is the equivalent of signing up to be a beta tester.

A beta tester would be safer at this point. Pressing "check for updates" is about as safe as letting a 3 year old on the computer.

[RejZoR]

They totally fucked up and dumbed down the audio stack so it would "cause less problems" and then they still manage to cock it up. Well, congrats MS, I guess...

[Unixsystem]

On 9/4/2019 at 12:06 AM, AkatsukiKun said:

I think at this point Microsoft has sullied the name Cortana, such a cool thing back then, now it's just a sad former shell it once was.

The double fun part is that they named it Cortana and then a few years later they turned the character it was named after into an insane, genocidal maniac who wanted to rule over all life in the galaxy. 

 

Truly a masterclass in corporate synergy. 

[jagdtigger]

They really wanna live up to the "microsh!t"  nickname...

[samcool55]

Well not really a bugfix when it doesn't fix any bugs...

It's a bugpack actually.

[TempestCatto]

This is why I never let Windows update itself. I'll install a security update manually from their site. Otherwise, I've never actually let the Windows Update Service even run. Never an issue

[Guest]

I guess Microsoft sometimes forget that people pay for Windows. Not acceptable from a consumer standpoint. 

[Donut417]

Here is how I solved all my issues with Microsoft: https://system76.com/pop

 

Been a much happier computing experience. 

[The King of the Undead]

On 9/14/2019 at 2:27 PM, Donut417 said:

Here is how I solved all my issues with Microsoft: https://system76.com/pop

 

Been a much happier computing experience. 

manjaro for me.