How to Disable TrustedInstaller.exe

TrustedInstaller.exe is the Windows Module Installer program used in the Windows Vista operating system. The process works in conjunction with Windows Integrated Update in Windows Vista. The program is known to run randomly and consume up to 100% of CPU causing dramatic slowdown in the performance of a Windows Vista computer. Trustedinstaller.exe holds the rights to some essential Windows Vista programs and applications, which means that trustedinstaller.exe gets blanket authority to do whatever is necessary and use as much of the system resources, CPU and RAM as needed.

After a program or application is trustedinstaller.exe approved, Windows Vista considers it as  an essential system resource and  Windows gives it as much CPU as required.

How to Fix High CPU Usage Problem Caused by TrustedInstaller.exe

Let’s have a look at some of the methods that you can use to resolve the issue:

Method 1: Clear Problem History

The following fix is intended for situations where trustedinstaller.exe causes problems due to the Problem Reports and Solutions history maintained in Windows Vista.

1. Go to Start and then select Control Panel.
2. Turn on Classic View.
3. Select Problem Reports and Solutions.
4. Click Clear Solution and Problem History in the left panel.
5. Confirm your decision.
6. Exit the Problems Reports and Solutions Window and Control Panel.

A variation to this fix is to click Change in the Problems Reports and Solutions Window. And then modify the configuration from Check for solutions automatically setting to Ask me to check if a problem occurs.

Method 2: Change Microsoft Update Startup Settings to Manual

1. Go to Start and then select Control Panel.
2. Select Administrative Tools and then select Services.
3. Scroll down to Microsoft Update, right-click on it and then select Stop.
4. Right-click on Microsoft Update again and select Properties.
5. On the General tab, set Startup type as Manual.
6. Next, display the Recovery tab.
7. Choose Take No Action and click OK for First Failure.
8. Exit the properties dialog box.
9. Bring up your Task Manager by pressing on Ctrl + Alt + Del or Ctrl + Shift + Esc simultaneously.
10. On the Processes tab, look for and select trustedinstaller.exe.
11. Click End process to kill trustedinstaller.exe.

Method 3: Disable Automatic Update

1. Go to Start and then select Control Panel.
2. Go to System and Maintenance.
3. Click Turn automatic update on or off option.
4. Next, depending on your preference choose one of the following options:
   • Never check for updates (not recommended)
   • Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them
   • Download updates but let me choose whether to install them
5. Click OK to save your changes and exit the dialog box.

Method 4: Stop the Windows Module Installer That Runs Trustedinstaller.exe

1. Click on Start, in the Start Search box, type msconfig and then press Enter.
2. Click Continue when User Account Control prompt is displayed.
3. In the System Configuration window that is displayed, open the Services tab.
4. Locate and clear the Windows Module Installer check box.
5. Click OK save your changes and exit the dialog box.
6. Next, open Services window again and change the Startup type of Windows Module Installer to Manual.

Method 5: Install Windows Vista Service Pack 1

Upgrade to Windows Vista Service Pack 1. This seems to be a bug that has been fixed in the Windows Vista SP1 release.

To ensure that the trustedinstaller.exe process running on your computer is not a malware disguised as a legitimate file, it is recommended that you use efficient antivirus and antispyware tools to perform a thorough scan of your PC. It is also a good idea to scan and repair your registry using a good registry tool, such as RegGenie. This will help you eliminate any issues that may generate due to registry problems.