SMS: WUSER32 Startup Slows the Computer Down for a Short Time

• Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.2

SYMPTOMS

After starting the Remote Control Agent service (Wuser32.exe) on a computer running Windows NT Workstation, performance at the client computer is reduced and all other applications are slowed down for a few minutes. Attempting to start any other applications takes a long time. The CPU usage and Memory usage counters in Performance Monitor do not show a spike at this time. Everything returns back to normal after a few minutes.

CAUSE

When the Remote Control Agent (Wuser32.exe) starts, it sends a broadcast (if configured for IP) that announces the IP address it is listening on. Then it attempts to get the security identifiers (SIDs) of all the Windows NT accounts specified in the registry under the PermittedViewers key in the following registry location:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\SMS\Client
   Services\Remote Control\Parameters

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, you can modify this PermittedViewers key to contain the word "Administrators" in English only or in your local language only.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

After making this modification to the registry, restart the Remote Control Agent service. It should not slow down the system. All other applications started after the Remote Control Agent service should start up as normal.

To make this registry change on all clients at once, you must use the Systems Management Server Administrator program to make a change to the site properties. You can do this by clicking the Options button (located in the Clients window in the Site Properties). From the Remote Troubleshooting Options window, remove and unneeded user groups from the list shown.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on updating this registry key on existing Systems Management Server clients, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q155680
   TITLE     : SMS: Windows NT Remote Control Registry Parameters Not
               Updated