Windows 10: Why does the Windows Modules Installer Worker require such a high CPU usage?

This service is a resource hog, and it becomes clearer the older a CPU is. Now, I have laptops from 2008, 2012, 2016 up to 2020. The newer CPUs have no issue with the service, but a simple Windows Update brings the Core 2 Duo T6400 to it's knees. If you skip a couple of months of updates, forget about it. I'm better off just installing the next major Windows 10 update fresh in that case. The question is why is this such a resource hog? Note that this laptop has a vanilla Windows 10 64-bit install on an SSD that runs great when not getting updates. Heck, since it has a GPU, I can still run Star Trek Online or Team Fortress 2 on it. The service has always been an issue with how slow it performs on older laptops due to the high CPU usage, but today I got hit extra hard as I hadn't updated in 6 months. In my opinion, an integral part of Windows as updates are shouldn't be something that's resource intensive. Any plans for improving it?

:)

 

Windows Modules Installer Worker - high CPU usage

Hi Gregory,

The Windows Modules Installer Worker is a background application that checks for new updates from the Windows server and install them in your computer. It's task takes high usage of CPU that causes load on the system especially when Windows Update is running.

We recommend that you check the following first:

• if your device is running the Scheduled Automatic Maintenance
• if the Windows Update is running and installing

You may check the resolution provided by TnTzzz on this thread.

Update us with the results.

 

Windows Modules Installer Worker - high CPU usage

Windows Modules Installer Worker - high CPU usage

Windows Module installer worker is constantly running with very high CPU usage .

I'm running Windows 10 Pro

Version 1703

OS Build 15063.540

Product ID 00330-80000-00000-AA902

Processor AMD A6-3400M APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics 1.4 GHZ

Installed RAM 6.00 GB (5.48 GB usable)

System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Pen and touch No

***Post moved by the Forum Moderator to the appropriate forum category.***

 

How to fix high CPU usage by Windows Modules Installer Worker?

Hi Abhilash,

For us to isolate your concern with high CPU usage by Windows Modules Installer Worker, we would like to know the following:

• Is this the first time you experienced the issue?
• To make sure that we have not missed on anything, what troubleshooting steps have you done so far?
• Have you checked in safe mode if it's the same?

We look forward to your response.