Task manager shows 8 x svchost.exe - 4 system, 2 local,2 network.Computer very slow - causing some programs to not respond.How to rectify problem?1 person needs an answerI do too

It is not necessarily abnormal to have multiple svchost processes running. A little further down is a link to an article that will explain everything, but start with some basics first.The svchost processes you see in your Task Manager will have one or more XP services running behind it that you can't see in Task Manager. You will sometimes observe 6 or 8 or more svchost processes running in Task Manager and that is not necessarily a problem. Sometimes malicious software will hide behind one of your svchost processes while it is doing whatever it is doing.What is your system make and model?What is your XP Version and Service Pack?Describe your current antivirus and anti malware situation: McAfee, Norton, Spybot, AVG, Avira!, MSE, Defender, ZoneAlarm, PC Tools, Comodo, etc.No matter what you are using for malware detection and removal:Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware detection programs:Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/They can be uninstalled later if desired.After a reboot, if you think you still see an issue with one of your svchost processes, do this:Download Process Explorer so you can see what is "really" running, especially behind those multiple svchosts you see running in Task Manager. You'll like PE when you get the hang of it. PE is the Windows Task manager on steroids. PE installs nothing, and only runs on demand. It looks a little intimidating at first, but you will start to like the way it works.http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspxExpand the columns, make the screen bigger, etc. so you can see the most information as in the window.The CPU column is usually the most interesting to get started with performance issues - who is using the most? It is okay and normal to have multiple svchost processes running, but there could be a problem behind any one of them. Malicious software can sometimes hide as a process behind a svchost.exe process so you will not be able to see it in Task Manager. All you will see in Task Manager is a svchost.exe process gone wild.You would like the most CPU to be associated with System Idle Process If you see spikes (or not) double click the graph in the top left corner to display the usage graph. Hover the mouse over any spikes to seewhat causes them.This will help once you get PE running, read this article and you will be smarter than the average bear:http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial129.htmlThen with some Googling, you can look at each thing running in PE and behind your svchost processes and see what it is and decide if your configuration needs it or not. In PE, you can right click that offensive svchost, Properties and on the Services and Threads tab you can see what is running under it. There is a CPU column that will need expanding so you can see CPU. Perhaps you can spot who is consuming so much CPU under there. Look around under the svchost and you will find it. You can see what is running under every svchost by hovering your mouse over it. Some will have a couple things (hopefully legitimate XP services) and some will have a lot of things. What is running under your afflicted one?No running process should defy reasonable explanation.Don't guess what the problem might be - figure it out and fix it. I need YOUR votes and points for helpful replies and Propose as Answers. I am saving up for a pony!

It is not necessarily abnormal to have multiple svchost processes running. A little further down is a link to an article that will explain everything, but start with some basics first.The svchost processes you see in your Task Manager will have one or more XP services running behind it that you can't see in Task Manager. You will sometimes observe 6 or 8 or more svchost processes running in Task Manager and that is not necessarily a problem. Sometimes malicious software will hide behind one of your svchost processes while it is doing whatever it is doing.What is your system make and model?What is your XP Version and Service Pack?Describe your current antivirus and anti malware situation: McAfee, Norton, Spybot, AVG, Avira!, MSE, Defender, ZoneAlarm, PC Tools, Comodo, etc.No matter what you are using for malware detection and removal:Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware detection programs:Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/They can be uninstalled later if desired.After a reboot, if you think you still see an issue with one of your svchost processes, do this:Download Process Explorer so you can see what is "really" running, especially behind those multiple svchosts you see running in Task Manager. You'll like PE when you get the hang of it. PE is the Windows Task manager on steroids. PE installs nothing, and only runs on demand. It looks a little intimidating at first, but you will start to like the way it works.http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspxExpand the columns, make the screen bigger, etc. so you can see the most information as in the window.The CPU column is usually the most interesting to get started with performance issues - who is using the most? It is okay and normal to have multiple svchost processes running, but there could be a problem behind any one of them. Malicious software can sometimes hide as a process behind a svchost.exe process so you will not be able to see it in Task Manager. All you will see in Task Manager is a svchost.exe process gone wild.You would like the most CPU to be associated with System Idle Process If you see spikes (or not) double click the graph in the top left corner to display the usage graph. Hover the mouse over any spikes to seewhat causes them.This will help once you get PE running, read this article and you will be smarter than the average bear:http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial129.htmlThen with some Googling, you can look at each thing running in PE and behind your svchost processes and see what it is and decide if your configuration needs it or not. In PE, you can right click that offensive svchost, Properties and on the Services and Threads tab you can see what is running under it. There is a CPU column that will need expanding so you can see CPU. Perhaps you can spot who is consuming so much CPU under there. Look around under the svchost and you will find it. You can see what is running under every svchost by hovering your mouse over it. Some will have a couple things (hopefully legitimate XP services) and some will have a lot of things. What is running under your afflicted one?No running process should defy reasonable explanation.Don't guess what the problem might be - figure it out and fix it. I need YOUR votes and points for helpful replies and Propose as Answers. I am saving up for a pony!