Windows Driver Foundation is the former name for Windows Driver Framework. It is a set of libraries and tools by Microsoft which helps reduce the complexity while writing Windows drivers. It pushes drivers to user mode. This service is necessary for the overall stability of the system.
At times, users may face issues with the system, where the Windows Driver Foundation occupies a major chunk of the CPU usage. While it does not exactly restrict the functionalities of the CPU for most users, it certainly drains the battery and might cause freezing of the system at times, especially if the usage shoots up to 100%. Attempting to kill the process in the Task Manager doesn’t help because it is a system process.
Windows Driver Foundation using high CPU or Memory
C: Windows system32 svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted. Account: Local System Account. What service Windows Driver Foundation – User-mode Driver Framework needs to function properly: Plug and Play (HB, HP, B, U) What other service require Windows Driver Foundation – User-mode Driver Framework to function. I did a little more research on this in the meantime, and according to the linked website, the 'Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework' service does not exist in Windows 10 version. It seems to happen even when Windows Media Player is not doing anything, when it's not even scanning for new media. When I close Windows Media Player, the 'Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework Host Process' CPU usage drops immediately to 0%. I have looked for a solution to this, but could not find anything that worked.
To find if the strain on the CPU usage is because of Windows Driver Foundation or wudfsvc.dll, open the Task Manager by right-clicking on the Taskbar and selecting Task Manager.
Here, check for the process occupying high CPU usage. Is it Windows Driver Foundation? It might be present with the alternative name User-mode Driver Framework (UMDF) or wudfhost.exe.
If it indeed consumes high resources, try some of these troubleshooting suggestions.
1] Run Windows Update
Make sure that your Windows operating system is up to date with the latest patches and fixes.
2] Run Troubleshooters
If you are using Windows 7, then Run System Maintenance Troubleshooter. To run the System Maintenance Troubleshooter. Open Run, type the following and hit Enter:
Does it help?
Next, run the System Performance Troubleshooter. To do so, open an elevated Command Prompt, type the following and hit Enter to run the Performance Troubleshooter.
This troubleshooter helps the user adjust settings to improve operating system speed and performance.
3] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot State
A Clean Boot will help you troubleshoot the issue. Log on to the system as an administrator. Press Windows + R to open the Run window. Enter the command ‘msconfig’ and press Enter.
Click the General tab, and then click Selective Startup. Clear the Load Startup Items check box, and ensure that Load System Services and Use Original boot configuration are checked.
Now under Services tab, select the option which says ‘Hide all Microsoft services‘ and then click on Disable all.
Click Apply and restart the system.
The reason for performing a Clean Boot is to isolate any software was causing the issue. If a Clean Boot resolves the high CPU usage issue, then try to find out the exact software which was interfering. You will have to do this manually by enabling/disabling each process or startup.
4] Try removing peripherals from the system
Remove peripherals from the system one by one and check if it resolves the issue. If it does, that particular peripheral might need to be replaced or maybe its Driver updated.
5] Update and re-install WiFi drivers
Many users have reported that re-installing the WiFi drivers helped them resolve the issue. The process to update Device Drivers is as follows:
Press Win+X and click on Device Manager to open it. In the list, which is in alphabetical order, find ‘Network Adapters’ and click the forward pointing arrow in front of it.
Find the wireless drivers in the list, right-click on them one by one and update them.
Restart the system and check if the issue is resolved. If not, proceed to re-install the drivers.
Open the Device Manager once again and right-click on the wireless drivers. Then click on ‘Properties’. Open the Drivers tab and click on Uninstall to uninstall the drivers. Keeping the system connected to the Wifi, reboot the system. It should detect the drivers automatically.
6] Suggestions for the Pro’s
The Performance Monitor is a good built-in tool that lets you monitor and study how applications you run affect your computer’s performance, both in real-time and by collecting log data for later analysis. It is quite useful in identifying and troubleshooting high resources utilization by processes and in generating a System Health Report of your Windows. But at times, you may feel the need to use a third-party freeware tool for controlling such processes which may use a high CPU. Process Tamer is a freeware tool that will help you manage high or 100% CPU utilization in Windows.
All the best!
Posts about processes using high resources:
- Wuauserv high CPU usage.
Device Installation Settings Windows 10
Related Posts:
Stop Windows Driver Foundation Service
Dell Inspiron 580
Intel Core i3 CPU 550 @ 3.20GHz, 8.0GB RAM
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
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SOLUTION: Let it run its course. It might take several hours or even a day, but eventually it will stop. The reason it's using CPU is that the RealTek driver had just been updated, so the Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework Host Process 'optimizes and compresses drivers after installation', as someone noted in this thread on another board that I found while researching this issue - http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/mobile-devices/f/4586/t/19615499.
(Since I can't select one of my own answers as the 'solution', I decided I should edit my original post and put the solution there, so that people could see it immediately. Because I always get e-mail reminders to select a solution if I don't do so after a month or two - and because this thread should appear to be an 'answered question' and not an 'unanswered question' - I'll go ahead and select one of Ralston18's replies as the 'solution', since he was so detailed and considerate in his responses, and what he wrote would be helpful to others in this general type of situation where you need to figure out why a process is using up so much CPU. Thanks again, Ralston18.)