Task Manager


Ok...want to switch to Webroot from Trend Micro but unless I get this issue resolved it won't happen. The computer seems to freeze up to the point where the mouse runs at a crawl for about 5 mins. Now 1 cause at least seems to happen when I open Task Manager. Prior to install it would open in about 2 seconds. Now it takes 20-30 seconds and Task Manager process itself is running at about 23% CPU for that time. I then can barely move the mouse most of the time or do anything else on the PC.  notice the Task Manager icon is blue rather than green so does that mean that Webroot has taken control of Task Manager? I added Task Manager itself as an exception to Allow but it seems to make little difference. Absolutely ruined a presentation I was running the other day.
 
Turn off Realtime and Web Shield and it opens fine. What can I do to resolve?

174 replies

@ wrote:
In reading the last few posts from this Microsoft Forum: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-performance/opening-task-manager-slows-pc-to-crawl-windows-10/1364be65-bc5c-48e3-9d89-12f78f88efaf, I can confirm that the problem is definately to do with the way Webroot's Identity Protection 'Protects' Chrome (and possibly firefox as well).
 
A work-a-round is to temporarily change the 'chrome.exe' entry in Webroot's 'Identity Protection' > 'Application Protection', from 'Protect' to 'Allow', then right click Webroot and choose 'Shut Down Protection'. After re-launching Webroot, I'm able to use Chrome with the Task Manager open and it's working fine without freezing up. I have tried to just set it to 'Allow' without restarting Webroot, but that doesn't work. Webroot has to be Shutdown, and then re-launched.
 
This off course is not an ideal solution as Chrome.exe is then no longer protected by Webroot.

That's funny. After reading all the posts in that thread, I'm thinking this is more a Windows/Browser problem than a Webroot one.
How do you explain the many users this is affecting who aren't running Webroot?
Userlevel 7
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Just a test that a couple of us just tried and can others test my theory?
 
When Task Manager is in less details I don't see the issue! Now if I click on more details then the issue shows up so it must be something with the More Details Tab in Task Manager!
 

Userlevel 7
Badge +19
@ wrote:
Just a test that a couple of us just tried and can others test my theory?
 
When Task Manager is in less details I don't see the issue! Now if I click on more details then the issue shows up so it must be something with the More Details Tab in Task Manager!
 


@  Yes, that's what I'm seeing too, as soon as I click on more details it freezes, I've also had it happen at times when Webroot is shut down!
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Yes @ that is what I get as well.
Userlevel 4
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@ wrote:
That's funny. After reading all the posts in that thread, I'm thinking this is more a Windows/Browser problem than a Webroot one.
How do you explain the many users this is affecting who aren't running Webroot?

@, I understand your reasoning. I do however have unmistakable evidence on my side that after having set both Chrome and Firefox to 'Allow' under Application Protection, that I am now able to use both browsers without any problem. As I'm typing this, I am running Task Manager in 'Full Mode' which is where it normally would complete lock up. Before this when I was testing Chrome, I had accidentally forgotten to close Firefox and it took me about half an hour to get out of it without having to force a restart. I then set Firefox to 'Allow' as well, restarted Webroot, and am now having both Chrome and Firefox open with Task Manager running in Full Mode while typing this.
 
Having said all that, and in regards to your question: "How do you explain the many users this is affecting who aren't running Webroot?" The only thing I can think off is that those users have another Antivirus or security Software that is doing a same thing as Webroot. To me the problem would seem a combination of Windows Creators Update version 1709, (possibly even with 1703), Chrome, Firefox and Antivirus Software together with the Spectre and Meltdown patches. Would be good if anyone else could confirm this?
 
Hopefully this gets sorted soon for everyone!
Userlevel 6
Badge +20
@ wrote:
Just a test that a couple of us just tried and can others test my theory?
 
When Task Manager is in less details I don't see the issue! Now if I click on more details then the issue shows up so it must be something with the More Details Tab in Task Manager!
 


Hey @,
 
When I open my Task Manager, it goes to the details by default, which is what I want it to do. So, initially it stops responding, however if I click on 'Fewer details' as soon as it comes up, the Task Manager responds just fine; and, what's even better is that when I go back to 'More details' it seems to work just fine! I also opened Chrome while I had the Task Manager up and it turned a little sluggish, I went from More details back to Fewer details and back again, and it seems to still be working ok for this session. I will update if I get more information, but perhaps this might be a workaround?
 
Update: So I tried again, another couple times and got the Task Manager to where I thought it would lock up my machine again, but I waited until I could click on the 'Fewer details' again, I checked it to make sure it was stable (I moved the window around), then I switched back to 'More details' and it worked just fine for me!
 
I'm cool with using this as a workaround until a fix is finally issued. Good find @!
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
@ wrote:
@,
 
I am not having a kudos issue in Firefox. I'd check your extensions? Because Ghostery or/and Privacy Badger can cause an issue.
@ Right @ was having the same issues and he found that Ghostery was the cause and personally I don't use the above two extensions and use uBlock Origin in both Firefox and Chrome.
 
Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/?src=ss
 
Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm?hl=en
 
HTH,
 
Daniel ;)
I'm back!   All is OK.  :)
 
BTW,  I just had the giving kudos problem again, and found that disabling Privacy Badger, and still having Ghostery enabled, allowed me to just give kudos to your (original post) post, Daniel. 🙂
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
Speaking of @ we haven't seen him around lately and i know he's from Australia and they have been having some severe weather in the past month or more so I hope he's okay down under? Hi @ I hope you are well?? Please let us know!!
 
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/australia-weather
 
Daniel :(
That severe weather was further north of where I live, so no problems.   I'm alive! ;)  Just taking a break. 🙂
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
@ @ I see no way to run both Windows Defender and WSA in realtime on Windows 10 as when you install WSA it disables Windows Defender by default so I would like to know how to run both? As far as I know this doesn't work anymore: https://community.webroot.com/t5/Webroot-SecureAnywhere-Antivirus/How-to-Run-WSA-alongside-Windows-Defender-on-Windows-8-Windows-8/ta-p/23058 so it sounds very confusing to me.
 
Daniel :)
@
 
Daniel,
I have always run them both together in realtime.   So, I wonder what it is that I am doing different. 
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
@I don't whether it is definitely Webroot causing it yet because in my case it only happens when I use Chrome or Firefox as my browser, there's no problem when using Edge or Internet Explorer. The problem for me has certainly appeared since the update to Win 10 build 1709 it wasn't there before. :@
I am glad I stayed with Win 10 build 1703..... 🙂
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
Hi @,
 
The kudos issue is most likely caused by an ad blocker/privacy extension like Ublock or the like. Whitelist the Community in those type of addons and you should be able to kudo again. Same thing happened to me using Ublock Origin and, possibly, Privacy Badger. (Can't remember and not at my PC right now) ;)
 
BD
 
@
 
In an earlier post which I can't find, and at least a month ago, I thought it could possibly have been Ghostery. 
But, I found out it was Privacy Badger, which I discovered after logging into the Community for the first time tonight, in more than  2 weeks. :)  I will have to remember to disable Privacy Badger every time I log in to the Webroot Community. 😉
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
@ wrote:
Just a test that a couple of us just tried and can others test my theory?
 
When Task Manager is in less details I don't see the issue! Now if I click on more details then the issue shows up so it must be something with the More Details Tab in Task Manager!
 


@  Yes, that's what I'm seeing too, as soon as I click on more details it freezes, I've also had it happen at times when Webroot is shut down!
Daniel,
 
I have it showing as "Fewer Details" when I open Task Manager, as default.  So, I am in the situation that seem to be problematic for many. ....Not me, it seems. 🙂
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Hello there @
 
Thats great that you are not having this Task Manager issue and that you're comfortable with 1703. I was too but I did take the plunge and I'm not sure if this TM issue is a Windows OS problem. Maybe it's a combination of the two. It's hard to figure that one out. 
 
It's great to have you back. We all were wondering/worrying about you. But I did get a glimpse of you on Wilders but still was thinking you had abandoned us. LOL Its good to hear the storm wasn't near you. We all need a break once in awhile. 
 
I see you can Kudo now. I woke up to quite a few from you. LOLs At least we all know you're good and well in good spirits. 😉
Userlevel 7
Badge +63
@ wrote:
@ wrote:
@ @ I see no way to run both Windows Defender and WSA in realtime on Windows 10 as when you install WSA it disables Windows Defender by default so I would like to know how to run both? As far as I know this doesn't work anymore: https://community.webroot.com/t5/Webroot-SecureAnywhere-Antivirus/How-to-Run-WSA-alongside-Windows-Defender-on-Windows-8-Windows-8/ta-p/23058 so it sounds very confusing to me.
 
Daniel :)
@
 
Daniel,
I have always run them both together in realtime.   So, I wonder what it is that I am doing different. 
Really! Can you post a snapshot of both of them running? When WSA is installed it shows in the Action center and then disables WD by default so I would like to see.
Hi remote-it,
 
The reason I'm not sure is that, while I am having the issue on some PCs, I also have multiple PCs running Webroot that are not experiencing the issue at all. Other Webroot users have stated the same. The issue is also happening only sporadically for some, myself included.
 
This is a.gif made from a 10 second video of one of my PCs running Webroot and having Task Manager, Firefox and Chrome ALL open at the same time with no lag.


 
I do agree with you that there is most-likely a combination of issues that have caused this, most notably, the Fall Creators Update. (Don't know if you use Firefox, but despite being a longtime Firefox user, I am, so far, unimpressed with Quantum. I mention FF because IT is what's driving up the CPU usage on my PC when TM is open, and could be contributing to the problem [for FF users, anyway], imho.) Possibly the Spectre/Meltdown patches, too.
 
I also agree that we need a fix as the workaround you mentioned, is less than ideal. But I'm guessing that because this issue doesn't affect all Webroot users, and other users only sporadically, that this is making finding the fix all the more difficult. (That, and Microsoft's 'Shoot first, ask questions later' mentality)
 
One thing that seems clear to me as I have been reading around in the forums that are discussing this Task Manager/Browser freezing issue is that it's been around long before it was a Webroot issue and will most-likely be around long after Webroot addresses it. ;)
 
ps. I started a thread in the Beta group regarding this issue to make sure Webroot and their Devs are aware of the issue. They are, so hopefully we'll have some news soon (fingers crossed).
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
Hello there @
 
Thats great that you are not having this Task Manager issue and that you're comfortable with 1703. I was too but I did take the plunge and I'm not sure if this TM issue is a Windows OS problem. Maybe it's a combination of the two. It's hard to figure that one out. 
 
It's great to have you back. We all were wondering/worrying about you. But I did get a glimpse of you on Wilders but still was thinking you had abandoned us. LOL Its good to hear the storm wasn't near you. We all need a break once in awhile. 
 
I see you can Kudo now. I woke up to quite a few from you. LOLs At least we all know you're good and well in good spirits. ;)
Hi Sherry,
Thank you, for those kind words. :)  I would never abandon you and the Webroot Community. It has so many wonderful and helpful vounteers. About the TM issue it must be perplexing! Hopefully, from our posts the clues to it will eventually resolve it.  ;)  
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
@ wrote:
@ wrote:
@ @ I see no way to run both Windows Defender and WSA in realtime on Windows 10 as when you install WSA it disables Windows Defender by default so I would like to know how to run both? As far as I know this doesn't work anymore: https://community.webroot.com/t5/Webroot-SecureAnywhere-Antivirus/How-to-Run-WSA-alongside-Windows-Defender-on-Windows-8-Windows-8/ta-p/23058 so it sounds very confusing to me.
 
Daniel :)
@
 
Daniel,
I have always run them both together in realtime.   So, I wonder what it is that I am doing different. 
Really! Can you post a snapshot of both of them running? When WSA is installed it shows in the Action center and then disables WD by default so I would like to see.
Hi Daniel,
 
 

As requested.  🙂
Userlevel 7
Badge +63
@ what build of Windows 10 do you have installed?
 


 
 
Userlevel 7
Badge +63
@ wrote:
@ what build of Windows 10 do you have installed?
 


 
 
I see that your on 1703 and support for that version will stop in October 2018 so that may stop working for you when you upgrade as you can't do that on 1709 or the new spring release 1803: https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet
Userlevel 7
Badge +63
Just to let everyone know that we Beta Testers are testing a new version and the Task Manager issues are fixed! ;)
 
Cheers,
Big thanks to you Daniel. I know you had a hand in getting this fixed, so we are all very grateful for giving this issue the kick in the @ it needed. 😉
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@ We appreciated the fact that you worked hours getting this issue resolved. 
 
Thank you again Daniel! Because this issue has gone months and months with no reprieve.
 
@ You said it best! A kick in the arse was needed. ;) 
Userlevel 7
Badge +54
Round of applause for @ please folks, he deserves it.
 
Userlevel 7
Excellent Job Daniel. Thank you for helping getting this bug fixed, although I don't run Win 10 it sure helped many people on the Forum. ;)
 

 


 

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