Fix for PC-cillin/OfficeScan 99% CPU bug

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There is a flaw in the pattern (signature) file issued on Friday afternoon (Pacific time); on certain configurations of Windows XP SP2, the bug causes 99% CPU utilization. The fix is to restart the PC in Safe Mode, delete the pattern file lpt$vpn.594, restart back into normal mode, and update to the fixed release.

Step-by-step:

Windows XP Service Pack 2 machines with critical patches and
>> PC-cillin Internet Security 2005 <<
starts to experience high CPU utilization after updating to Pattern 594

Windows XP Service Pack 2 machines with critical patches and
>> OfficeScan Corporate Edition (OSCE) <<
starts to experience high CPU utilization after updating to Pattern 594

[/list]Hope this helps, but on the other hand, I hope no one else has this problem!

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Whew, I guess I must’ve gotten through that point OK ’cause I never noticed a CPU problem and my 598 pattern is up now. Glad you posted the instructions.

Edited: Curiosity got to me! To their credit, they probably locked down that pattern file as soon as the problem was discovered, as my machine is on all the time. (see attachment)

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594 says 4:02 on my system, so it does appear that if you were only checking, say, every 3 hours (we check every hour), you might have completely avoided the problem!

We’ve run OfficeScan for about 5 years now, and while this bug affected 6 to 8 people in our office, causing substantial concern for those users and my IT manager and me, a track record of over 1500 successful automatic updates before this little disaster is reassuring enough for us to keep pushing them out as soon as they are available.

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Ah, now there’s an interesting twist. As a personal (home) user, I NEVER check for pattern updates because the program itself is so excellent in checking on its own. I don’t know and never checked on what the built-in frequency is. I “automatically” get the little popup window from PC-cillin telling me that there are updates available, often more than once per day, and I always OK it to get the updates. Anyway, they’re a good bunch there at Trend Micro.

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Oops, I should have said “we set the software to check every hour.” I don’t have enough help to have someone manually check every hour.

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…I should have said “we set the software to check every hour.”…

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[/indent] What a tutor you are! I have just never bothered to check it out. Taking your lead, I did check and it IS set to check every 3 hours which is more than enough for a home user. I did, just now, change the checkbox for it to make the updates without waiting for confirmation. That has occasionally been a problem when the update popup happens after I go to bed. My system scan which is set for 2330 hours might not run because an “update is pending.” This should take care of that problem. Once again, I’m sure glad you made the original post! Thanx!

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Hey there my good man, please see this thread for the first timely success from your notice here! Way Ta Go!

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The Register catches up with the problem…

John

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