Full Fix: Windows Host Process Rundll32.exe High CPU Usage

By: Parvat Sarvade - Updated: January 24, 2019 8:38 am

Working on Windows is always productive because there are several Windows Host Processes such as runDLL32 running in the background. However, your Windows PC becomes counterproductive when too many processes start hogging the CPU.

The high CPU usage of runDLL32 process is a growing issue for Windows operating systems, especially in Windows 10.

This essential process runs as a foreground or background service, taking up disk space and processing power along with additional resources.

When Windows Host Process runDLL32 causes high CPU and disk usage, your Windows 10 faces system failures, errors and other issues.

To fix this, let’s learn more about runDLL32.exe (Windows Host Process) and ways to reduce its high CPU usage.

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What is RunDLL32 (Windows Host Process)?

An executable file named runDLL32.exe is used on a Windows PC whenever you need to run one or more applications. It is a Microsoft Windows service that runs DLL (Dynamic Link Library) files to help an application run.

RunDLL32 process stores common data on application logic. These stored DLL files are accessed by multiple Win apps to launch themselves. You need these .dll files to launch apps on Windows PC.

Why Does RunDLL32 Cause High CPU and Disk Usage?

Now, this Windows Host Process is a generic software component of Windows OS. When the runDLL32 process starts to malfunction, it is unable to launch apps properly. As a result, runDLL32 takes up more CPU and disk than required.

Since runDLL32 is running in the background, you can’t easily figure out the cause behind Windows slowing down or freezing. You can try rebooting Windows to temporarily fix the runDLL32 high CPU usage.

But, you still need to apply the fix for high disk usage of runDLL32 before it damages any app and corresponding data.

How to Fix High CPU Usage by Windows Host Process “RunDLL32”?

Disabling runDLL32.exe process is not a solution to fix this high disk usage. You can try these solutions below, and test if your Windows PC is able to stop CPU hogging by runDLL32.

1. Get the Process Explorer tool

To fix the high CPU usage on a Windows computer, you need to know how many DLL files are being opened and loaded by this process. Microsoft’s Process Explorer is a tool that shows this information in details.

When you use the Process Explorer for information on parent process, you get details on what caused the high CPU and disk usage of RunDLL32.exe file. In most cases, it happens when too many DLL files are being launched with the runDLL32 process.

To use Process Explorer,

Download the file from Microsoft and install this tool
Open the Process Explorer to see processes and their details in a window
Now, click on File menu
Go to “ Show Details for All Processes ” and click on it

Get admin permissions if needed
Locate the “ runDLL32 ” process

Right-click on runDLL32
Click on Properties

Under the tab for Image , find details about the process that is extensively using runDLL32.exe

To stop this process from running runDLL32.exe,

Open the Run dialog (press Windows + R key)
Type “ services. msc ”
Press the Enter key
In the Services window, locate this process
Right-click on it
Click on Disable

Follow the onscreen instructions to disable the process
Click on Apply and OK to save the changes
Restart your PC

You can also uninstall an app linked to this process to stop the high CPU usage caused by runDLL32.

2. Renaming aeinv.dll

Make sure you log in as administrator before following these steps.

Open a File Explorer window
Go to C: drive
Open Windows folder and go to System32 folder
Here, type “ aeinv. dll ” in the search box

Locate the Application Experience Inventory DLL (aeinv.dll)
Right-click on the file
Click on Rename

Change it to “ oldaeinv. dll ”
As the admin of your PC, click on Continue to grant permission for renaming the DLL file

If you face problems with the admin permissions for amending this DLL, obtain ownership of aeinv.dll as follows –

Log in as an administrator
Open the File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32 file path
Locate aeinv.dll and right-click on it
Click on Properties

Under the Security tab, click on Advanced

In the Owner section, choose Edit and select the Admin account
After selecting ‘ Administrators ’, click on Apply and OK
Now, go back to Properties window
Under the Security > Advanced tab, click on Permissions
Here, click on Edit and tick the “ Allow ” box for “ Full Control ”

Click on Apply and OK to save changes

Now, you can rename the aeinv.dll file without any trouble.

3. Disable with Task Scheduler

When runDLL32 causes high CPU usage after Windows 10 installation, disabling some installed items can become a possible fix.

For several users who faced this issue after installing or updating Windows 10, follow these steps to disable some selected items with the Task Scheduler tool.

Open Control Panel, press Win + R button on the keyboard and type Control Panel and hit enter

Click on Administrative tools
Now, scroll down and click on Task Scheduler

In the Task Scheduler window, go to the left pane
Here, navigate to
- Task Scheduler Library
  - Microsoft
    - Windows
      - Customer Experience Improvement

Here, the right pane shows three items

Click on Consolidator and open its Properties window

Now, click on Edit to change the trigger properties
In the Edit Trigger window, uncheck the box for Enabled

Return to the list of items, right click of Consolidator , and click on Disabled

Follow this for UsbCeip and KernelCeip Task
Close the Task Scheduler and reboot your Windows

If disabling these items didn’t fix the runDLL32 high CPU usage, then follow the same steps and click on Enable to revert the changes.

4. Changes with “ProgramDataUpdater” Task

Sometimes, an application may use the runDLL32 process to run numerous DLL files after installing updates. Tasks running under “ProgramDataUpdater” category can particularly result into high disk usage in Windows 10.

You can amend the ProgramDataUpdater tasks and fix the high CPU usage.

Type “ task scheduler ” in the Start menu search box

Open the Task Scheduler app
Go to Microsoft
Expand the list for Windows
Click on the Application Experience folder
In this folder, right-click on ProgramDataUpdater entry
Click on Disabled

Reboot your PC

If disabling this task has fixed the issue but is causing more problems, then rest its time limit.

Follow the same steps
Right-click on ProgramDataUpdater
Click on Properties

Under the Settings tab, enable the box for “ Stop the task if it runs longer than ”
Now, edit the value to 1 minute

Click on OK to save the new value
Restart your PC

This surely lowers the disk/CPU usage caused by runDLL32. If it didn’t help, follow the same method to revert the changes.

5. Remove the Google App Engine

If there are several Google-run apps on your Windows PC, then an app called Google App Engine might start hogging your CPU. The Google App Engine may rerun the Windows Host Process runDLL32 and consume more disk space.

To remove the Google App Engine,

Open the Run dialog (press Windows + R )
Type “ control panel ”
Open the Control Panel program
Go to Programs
Click on Uninstall a program link

Locate the Google App Engine
Right-click and select Uninstall
Reboot your PC

Now, check the CPU usage and if you see a noticeable reduction then avoid installing Google App Engine thereafter.

6. Disabling Telemetry Services

Telemetry services run on Windows allow the computer to gather data on user experience. These services can sometimes lower the user experience by causing Windows to slow down.

To remove Telemetry Services,

Open the Run dialog (press Windows + R )
Type “ services. msc ” and click on OK

In the Services window, go to ‘ Connected User Experience ’ service
Double-tap it to open the Settings window
Here, click on Stop below the service status
Select “ Startup type ” and click on Disabled
To save changes, click on OK and exit

After restarting your PC, open Task Manager to check your CPU usage. When telemetry services are disabled, you’d find a significant drop in runDLL32 process high CPU/disk usage.

7. Turn off Inventory Collector tool

There’s another tool on Windows that checks the computer and identifies installed devices, apps and system info. This ‘Inventory Collector’ tool by Microsoft is run by Application Compatibility Manager .

You can disable Inventory Collector only via Local Group Policy editor.

Open the Run dialog and type “ gpedit. msc ”
Click on OK
When Group Policy Editor is opened, navigate as follows -
- Computer Configuration
  - Administrative Templates
    - Windows Components
      - Application Compatibility
Look for ‘ Turn off Inventory Collector ’ entry in the right pane

Double-click on it to open Properties
Click on Enabled toggle

Click on OK and restart

Open the Task Manager to see the CPU usage. Disabling the Inventory Collector can lower around 5-10% of disk and CPU usage caused by runDLL32.

8. Remove the Lenovo Dependency Package

On Lenovo PCs and laptops, Windows may slow down due to the high use of runDLL32 by Lenovo Dependency Package (app). Uninstall this software package to find a fix for your high CPU usage issue.

Open the Run dialog box
Type “ control panel ” and click on OK
Click on Uninstall a program link (under Programs section)
Look for Lenovo Dependency Package
Right-click on it and select Uninstall
Follow the onscreen instructions
Restart your PC later

Since the package uses Windows Host Process runDLL32, uninstalling Lenovo Dependency Package can surely lower the high CPU usage.

9. Boot in Safe Mode

The safest way to reduce runDLL32 high CPU usage on Windows is booting the OS in Safe Mode.

When booted in Safe Mode, Windows closes unwanted apps and background services. It also optimizes the CPU usage of Windows Host Processes and stops external apps to overuse them.

Follow the simple steps to reboot Windows 10 in Safe Mode
Open the Task Manager ( Run dialog >“ taskmgr ”> OK )
Check the CPU usage

You can also try to clean-boot Windows 10 to solve the issue –

Open the Run dialog ( Windows + R )
Type “ msconfig ”

Click on OK
In the System Configuration window, go to General tab
Under Selective startup , un-tick the option for ‘ Load startup items ’
Go to Services tab
Tick the “ Hide all Microsoft services ” option
Click on Disable All
Click on OK and Apply to save changes and exit

Now, restart your PC to finish the Clean Boot.

If booting Windows 10 in Safe Mode didn’t work, then go for the next solution, which is our final shot at fixing high disk/CPU usage by runDLL32.

10. Rebuild Windows from a Restore Point (only when Safe Mode doesn’t fix)

Your last option is restoring Windows 10 to an earlier state. If the runDLL32 high CPU usage has hogged your CPU beyond repair, rebuilding the Windows OS is the only possible fix.

First, create a restore point on Windows 10. Once the restore point is created,

Go to Start menu button
Type “ control panel ”
Search for “ recovery ”

Navigate to Recovery > Open System Restore > Next

Select the restore point (created earlier)
If you’re OK with the deletions, click on Next and Finish

Let us know if the above tips helped you fix the high CPU usage of Windows Host Process runDLL32 on your Windows 10/8/7 PC.

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