Information about wuauclt.exe file

Windows Update AutoUpdate Client. Background process which checks with Microsoft website for updates to the operating system. Shows up on the Task Manager's processes list when it is waiting for a response, e.g. to confirm permission to download an update.

Note: The wuauclt.exe file is located in the c:\windows\System32 folder. In other cases, wuauclt.exe is a virus, spyware, trojan or worm! Check this with Anti-Spy.Info.

Virus with same name:
Backdoor.Clt - Symantec Corporation
Troj/Cult-B - Sophos

User feedback

Rating Opinion From It is as Microsoft file that is a part of the "Background Intelligent Transfer Service". As part of Microsoft's revamped methodology for retrieving "critical security updates" from their website, this file is automatically installed onto your system. If you remove it, you will just have to reinstall it if you want to obtain critical updates from Microsoft's site. E. C. Griffin If any other file with this name is located elsewhere than in system32 or in sevice pack files, it could be an malicious program. The service will start randomly even if autoupdate is stopped. Otherwise, it seems to be another windows "trick" in way that they didn't inform about this service wich surely came with an pre-sp2 hotfix or something like this.  link for more info amg ran a search in windows no such file steven laube the size in my pc is 148kb leki There's a file called -AUMAGIC that has associated itself with WUAUCLT.EXE in the setupapi.log that changes directories often. I found it by reviewing my firewall logs. That is very suspect. No files found by that name, though. Did however find it in registry as an Explorer toolbar. So it's likely adware. Deleting it causes problems with AutoUpdate. Rich Epstein I found two, one is under Service Pack Files eric If you're not running windows 9x, this file shouldn't be in your system! robin ballard Bei Windows ME befindet sich wuauclt.exe in c:\windows und nicht in c:\windows\system32. Siehe auch die Microsoft-Website.  link for more info Uwe Böhnke I keep my computer very clean, and this process was running while I was downloading SP2. I actually looked up this one to make sure it was the right process for updater. It is. Busy This is a windows file. It IS the automatic update process. Common Sense I found three .exe files by running a search... One of them was in System32, one in I386 and one in "c:\Software distribution\download\S-1-5-18\(bunch of numbers)\backup Will I have a file wuauclt.exe-399A8E72.pf in my windows\prefetch folder, is this a problem or is it needed by wuauclt.ext? Athanon it does automatic windows updates, unless you've completely disabled automatic updates, it should be running at all times.  link for more info Shawn There are two in my XP SP1 system32 folder, both for automatically updating windows. You will get this file if you allow any of the new v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com ... digital certificates to install on your PC. Don't use autoupdate, manually update. If you have the misfortune of installing this, delete it and rename the old (wuauclt[1]) file again.  link for more info d3d I had it. I saw it when I started up Win XP. After 10 mins it disappeared and my spyware and adware did not pick it up. Doesn;t look dangerous Jared Mayer File Size: 112KB (c:\windows\system32) and the other 139KB (C:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386) -WINXP- ^DaNi The process can be ensured that by stop the 'Automatic Updates' Service. Doraemon it might be a file for the v5 updater for windows xp waiting for service pack 2 delro I just downloaded some updates, including the new autoupdater..which i have turned off. I noticed this as a new active process. I began to look on the internet and have no concerns that it is a trojan. However, I don't like yet another process running. Mark Have it in my machine under system32. Itz a 112 kb file. I also found the same file inexistence as wuauclt1.exe under system32, filesize - 164kb. Sujith - ssybesma All Current updates. Original file is MS Windows Update service. I've disabled auto updates & it still loads in/out , when it does it interrups sound video & CPU intensive apps then exits returning control to system. The fact that it strobes raises questions in that it behaves much lika a proxy service sending/receiving data approx very 3 minutes or so. I would delete local file & extract/reload originals from XPSP1 CD then do a MS Win update online  link for more info V-Hunter/Extractor/Collector Auto update file. Common sence tells you it can be perceived as adware by most "anti "software Just like many other auto update files, for software. Be careful what you get rid of, to avoid problems. but at the same time, dont be afraid to ask the questions. Knowledge is the key. Also there are many browser helpers you use with software IE. DAP and others can be seen as adware but its simply part of the programs you use everyday. dr92060 The original file from Microsoft gets placed in the Located at C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuauclt.exe . If you find it anywhere else then you should be suspicious for sure. WUAUCLT could be a trojan i am working to see what it can be on my 2 pcs in sophos.com the say it is one and if it keeps running in the taskbar and the meter stays at 0% it is definitly a trojan, try to stop it from the task manager if it stops and then come back its a trojan Peace out Ace after a MS security-update (for sp2) this little application shows a popup dialog which asks me to restart my computer. I press "restart later" but the f***** pop up window shows every 5 minutes. After killing the wuauclt process "s.o." starts it again only seconds later. wiser Cut & Paste the URL into your browser manually since SARC does not allow external website hot-linking to their resources- sorry didn't see that coming until I tested the URL link. Also goto www.sarc.com and do a search on wuauclt.exe you should see at lease 2 results  link for more info V-Hunter/Extractor/Collector For a long time me computer and my internet connection have been giving me problems. Every time this happens, wuauclt is running. Several opinions on the web say it is POSSIBLE if it is malware, especially if you find more than one copy of it. Be careful.... Chrono Inc Administrator Its completely neutral, you can check out in http://www.hattrick.org/Common/default.asp Here you can try a free sacn online to check out if its benign or not. I had one in my windows xp,and with many programs ive checked up its neutral Diego chuj wie co to jest. skurwysynstwo sie wjebalo bodajze po instalacji sp2 ale jak to syf microsoftu trzeba traktowac z rozwaga. chetnie bym to wypierdolil bo to jednak ram ale.. bil pewnie mnie pokara. Maciek This is know as Windows Update Auto Update Client. It should only show on task manager if you have auto update turned on. If it shows up when auto update is off, then you should be concerned. shulkman This Windows Automatic Updater. You can disable if you dont want anymore processes running. It is not only included in system32, but also in prefetch and service pack files. Dont be alarmed. kenboyles72 My System is safe, and wuauclt.exe is downloading the SP2. 115480 Bytes, Version: 5.4.3790.2182 S!Ri It will not harm your system to stop this process. However, if you go to the Windows Update web site, this process needs to be running for Windows Update to work. Dean this process when it runs in my windowsXP (SP2) PC , I cannot browse the internet, if I kill this process, immediatly I am able to browse the internet Tarek El Far Checked in windows task manager I have two running. one is a system 8940k the other user 7788k mem usage. Seems to big not to be malicious db wuauclt seems to be a windows file, wuauLTC looks like a virus. Even Symantec seem to use the Windows file name not the virus file name Nik Yes it's a windows file, but with the amount of virus's going aound you should really disable it until you need. Sofia a couple of them popped up as windows was running automatic updates so i guess it has something to do with that! jaye. Eats up about 6 to 7 mb in tskmngr ... that's a lot to be sending out there then, innit? DiddleDeeDude Process listed as task when I have autoupdate turned on. If turned off, it goes away. Rhonin It is needed for Windows Automatic Updates! It is not adware, people! Jill just a windows automatin update file. nothing to be worried about Rich after remove with HijackThis start this file after reboot again. chicky wuauclt.exe 111 kb / wuauclt1.exe 165 kb inmy win xp directory bong This is a file required by Windows Security Control Center William. A+ N+ MCSE MCSA windws updater nick It's a Windows update process, but as with any process, you should check to make sure it's not a trojan in disguise. Naruto could be very dangerous, if you have auto update turned off, and not at windows update, and you see it running, spell trojen, if you end task on it and it starts agian, spell torjen mindping on aim it makes iexplorer cpu usage 100% kedare windows update, not dangerous at all a windows update file; keeps causing my computer to lockup. will not upload updates any more. Deleted file out of frustration. Jim I know that it is just the update manager, but it does screw things up. If you game alot, it might not let your TS and Game run at the same time. This happened to me, and a couple of friends. justin contracted nasty virii after attempting to crack visual route 8.0 warning - VS8.0 crack = virus. this, and spoolsv.exe insist on running in task - i have cleaned all virii but these two files now insist on running. they arent virii, but their invoction is strange where they neve rran before this issue. idiot on XP : wuauclt.exe size 112Ko AND wuauclt.1exe 166 Ko both in system32 folder and 2 other in svcpckfile i386 (110 & 165 Ko) rudolf12c raise ... ?? ... at every registry modification, write edb.chk which is send back to microsoft during updates tuxlover It can consume all your cpu if it has problems,  link for more info Willow This program has constantly been running at 50% processor time. I really don't trust this file !!  link for more info McBobbins You all are talking that this is windows automatic updates .We know that ,we are not stupid but it can also be trojan or spyware ,like explorer.exe can be .I have allso 2 of these files on my computer ,the first is wuauclt.exe and the secound is wuauclt1.exe like bong say .So does all of you have these 2 files in windows folder or only few of us ? Goran this is not supposed to be in Windows XP at all, it is the WinME Windows update. I have a perfectly fine WinXP SP2 machine here, and Automatic Update is ON, and this process is NOT running on it. WUAUCLT.EXE is _bad_ if you find it in WinXP. microsoft It was running in my windows task mgr, but after I disabled Microsoft autoupdate, the program was no longer in the task mgr. BobC. Just check if you have Autoupdate turned on. Turn it off - if the process disappears it's certainly not malware. noob It runs on machines with SP1 and without other online updates too! Where is the start order? I dont like it and delete it now, it is the only suspect task on my very suspect system! aSiD OK, not a virus. But it stops cold all of my internet processes, including browser, VPN, and email. It also trips my Sygate Personal Firewall, no matter how it is configured -deg This is NOT Windows, on all versions after 9X, It'll mess up your Graphically intensive programs, mostly the ones that require video card access. i don't know what it is but it dissapeared from task manager a few minutes after startup I have wuauclt.exe at 111 KB and wuauclt1.exe at 163 KB in WINDOWS/system32 (this is XP Pro). They both show as modified in August '04. WUAUCLT.EXE399A8E72.pf is in Prefetch (23KB, modified today), and another wuauclt.exe in ServicePackFiles\i386 (137KB, modified in August '02). The lower-case version shows up twice on Task Manager, one using 576K and shown as used by me, the other 1140, used by SYSTEM, and using 1% CPU every few seconds. Eleven Even I have 2 filez: wuauclt1.exe 167kb and wuauclt.exe 113kb. Is this a problem or is it needed by Bin Gays? Megaflops Argentina It is definately for windows update and comes with SP2 but why does it run when you have auto updates disabled? Its annoying when my server dials out when I dont want it to just because this file runs. And yes, it only runs for a few minutes. Had SP2 running for a month or so but this is the first time I have noticed this strange behaviour. Any Ideas? OzBrickie It sure is a windows update file, but how do i disable it from running everytime i boot Sanim Samnani windows update process It is windows auto update file. Could possibly be malicious but you have to use best judgement to decide. If the file is not the original name wuauclt.exe then more than liklely safe. If it is renamed something else (even 1 letter) is likely that it is a virus placed and being disguised as wuauclt.exe. Willard - MCP/MCSE/SECURITY+ Its a Windows Update Muthu Kumar I ussually Have the service running whenever I have automatic Upfate turned on Fikky Das ist die Datei die die Automatischen Updates von Windows verwaltet. Pascal I have this process twice - one is 6716 k the other 40 k - the6716 goes away if i turn off autoupdate, the 40 k not. any knowledge ? Wuauclt.exe is a process managing automatic updates for Windows. This process continuously checks for the latest updates by going online. This process should not be removed if you want to get informed about new updates. Lukos All I know is that whenever it's running, Internet Explorer fails to work, and when I kill the process, it starts to work. There are often multiple copies running at a time. Crystallina More than one at a time will be on my system. When I end process or tree, it pops back up. I don't have internet for some reason now. And for some reason my System Idle Process is running at 97% all the time. I DID try to update windows, and now I don't have internet access. What gives??? Michael the automat. update process Very dangerouss!! Must destroy immediatelly!!! Kyle Garber MCSE/MCSA/MCME++/R54/55 En mi maquina, cada vez que se autoejecutaba colgaba el servicio, la maquina se inhibe. Ademas, cada vez que lo eliminas con Shift+Del el muy hijo de puta se regenera y es autocreado nuevamente por otro archivo. Hasta que encontremos la manera de eliminarlo... creen un usuario en su maquina, con contraseña... encuentren el archivo en la carpeta System32 y denle click derecho y seleccionen EJECUTAR COMO y quiten la opcion de usuario actual, seleccionen que solo se ejecute con el nuevo usuario creado, ingresen la clave del "usuario nuevo" y solo se ejecutara cuando inicien sesion con ese user. Mario Peñaherrera - Ecuador It is preventing me from getting on the internet and making my system run slow when I do get on. Lili When i go into the windows task manager, the wuauclt.exe comes up not under a system username, but my log in name. Could this be a virus, worm, etc.? john It's not dangerous but it can affect your pc performance. Just disable it! Angel Colon If it is not documented, it should not be running. kevin Does seem to be a legitimate update process., I just installed a Logitech Wireless Mouse, and now it pops up when I start. I think windows is searching for a better driver. In the end, it may be relatively unnecessary, but it's quite far from spyware Brian For all you people who think this process could be safe. A virus can name itself to wuaucilt.exe and appear to be the windows updater when infact you are getting screwed. common sense knows nothing Why is this file running when i've turned off automatic updates Evilwindows I turned automatic update off, and it still keeps running. And using my internet connection in the background! (this stops when I stop the service). In the registry the name is wuauRclt for some reason. Took me some time to find the file because of that. Only found in the winnt folder and service pack files folder. From c:\windows\system32\ in Windows XP after Sp2 install. wuauclt.exe is a windows updater called from svchost.exe, while not a virus or spyware quite badly behaved, send info from your pc without asking and can(will) slow your computer down. MS Bloatware Ricky Startet zusammen mit ieexplore.exe wenn man die windows hp betritt als updater  link for more info sM0Ke I have it in system32 wuauclt.exe 113,944 and wuauclt1.exe 167,704. I think is neutral if is the trojan which appear into other dir.  link for more info GodofPain IT was in my prefetch, windows folders in addition to system32  link for more info Linda If detected by AV prog it's created by Backdoor.Clt (Trojan)  link for more info ByteMe i think it would also have to depend on whether it says it is started by SYSTEM or "username", if it is started by SYSTEM, then it is the autoupdate. with win xp and microsoft's "new" autoupdate, if your system detects a windows update, this will start with the system Lord Doskias Is the automated part of windows update, not needed if you do updates manually, if it is running (one instance only) but autoupdate isnt working could be a virus of same name.i uninstall it and manually update. Andykirky seems to also run aupdate and lucom2~.exe claims to be from norton starts after surfing for 40 mins repeatedly caused a write crash im gona delete it its definely not a updater since it was already updated and it hides quicky as if its stealing private info and sending it joseph Running XP. Is still appearing after switching off Automatic Updates. Would people who are saying it's just the Updater get a clue? It's also a malicious trojan which is continually running in the background. I can not get rid of it! Grim It is installed along with XP SP2. Just don't know why it runs for a while on TaskMgr (after system is started/restarted) even if I have automatic updates turned off... Ron It is an annoyance. I've deleted the autoupdates from windows, but it keeps trying to restart my computer. This continues even after I manually closed the program in the task manager. Moreover, the updates never worked and it slows my computer down to a crawl and makes my programs non-functional. i deleted it and it just reproduces itself task is closed down, then autoreopens Ricki It keeps sending emails to all my contacts alex It makes my computer run slowly in general and when i try the start internet explorer it comes up with errors mandai Virus under this name is makes the systme very slow and leasing virus scanners cannot detect or remove the virus. Udaya Gammanpila This is not Malware, just a windows update program running in the background. If you don't want it, then just disable automatic updates. TwiggyZ The process only runs when you have Automatic Updates enabled at a certain time each month. It is not on all the time, the size of the file VARIES depending on if it is downloaded content, it does not download nonstop but in bits and peices to avoid disrupting net connections. Once again, size will change. It goes away after update is completed after a timeout period based on many factors. mark I have WinME and the one-and-only copy of wuauclt.exe on my system is in the C:\Windows directory , not C:\Windows\system32, which so many have insisted is the only place it should be found. Mr. Fix Certainly use for Windows Update. But "Backdoor.Clt" can copy itself as "wuauclt.exe" Jemi Chances are if you searched for it and it didn't show up, its probably because you don't have windows search set to include hidden and system files. JT Whether it's legit or not, it really messes up my MMORPG playing. Up pops the hourglass when I should be popping monsters. Deleting it seems a bit extreme but it just seems to runs as it pleases otherwise. Dogon It is a windows update process..... i had turned off auto-updates.... and had never seen this process in taskman.... but as soon as i started auto-updates, this process appeared in taskman.... but for me, turning off auto-updates did the trick... now it does not show up in taskman... Nirav from Windows Task Manager / Processes ClydeV My comp has slowed to a crawl after SP2 update, on a newly installed OS XPPro. This file is running. If disabled, the computer runs perfectly. If enabled and running, dawg slow. This must be a microsoft SP2 problem. MakeMineMacAgain! Windows process that runs as a service. To disable it, just turn off windows updates from control panel. Then, go to services and disable it. BadThad "Basic Windows" program THE TECH Beware, on winXP it is quite often a virus. Will block traffic from Edonkey2000,computer will hang. Stop the process right after the system starts and you will be fine. Almost impossible to remove.Can be a part of a WIN XP SP2, in that case - MS to blame. Most certainly monitor your system Token this is a windows file... if it bothers you and you want to disable it just go to control panel, open automatic updates and select turn off automatic updates... that's it It's Dangerous and it's Not. Prophet of Philosophy More than 1 copies as mentioned by other users. The org file should be for Windows update but when it has more than 1 ... furthermore, PC keeps receiving data even doing nothing online. Disable Auto-update and wuauclt won't help. Found out a service called "BITS" (Background Intelligent Transfer Service, auto run when start up) which is the one busy downloading. There must be something wrong. Does it have anything to do with that few copies of wuauclt.exe? That I am still working on. No Anti-Virus program pick up anything wrong with these exe files. Also checking WService.exe Gary C the only thing this wuauclt.exe file has ever done is caused me to get diconnected from the internet. when it shows up in task manager all you have to do is end process but this is just a temporary fix. computers suck ass security center auto- updater(SP-2) windows will still auto-update without this process running Corkman I know about the windows update client, but I had to reformat two PCs that were completely registry-modified and locked up just after I saw a persisten wuauclt.exe proccess. chuchuluco I donŽt need it so I deleted it - comp still runs fine wire-geier i had update turn off in winxp and i still got the fil in tskmgr but only for a short wail when i start up +Area51+ Ignore the authors whose systems are virus infected and blame it on this process. This process is NOT a virus or a trojan or spyware. It does consume some system resources, so you can disable it in Windows Services and re-enable manually if you want to run windows update. Dean Seems to screw up any graphically intensive games. Get rid of it! Tux Client für automatische Windows Updates aem If you know more about wuauclt.exe, share your knowledge and help other users. Your opinion:  --- don't know ---  1 (not dangerous)  2  3 (neutral)  4  5 (dangerous) What do you know about this file: Link for more details: Your Name:

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