How To Fix Csrss.exe Issues

What Is Csrss.exe?

Csrss.exe stands for Client/Server Runtime Subsystem and was first introduced by Microsoft in the Windows NT operating system.

Csrss.exe is a critical process and is used to manage graphical instruction sets. Csrss.exe does all the jobs of a process controller. This includes creating, scheduling, and deleting threads as required.

Csrss.exe – File Information

The file csrss.exe is located in C:\Windows\System32 folder. The process starts automatically during the Windows boot process.

Csrss.exe 100% CPU Usage Issue

Issue – When you right-click in Windows Explorer or your desktop, your computer freezes, and when you open the Task Manager window you find csrss.exe is consuming 100% CPU resources.

Cause – The problem occurs when your current profile is corrupt.

Resolution – To rectify the issue, delete your current profile. Before you do this, remember to back up the data present in the My Documents folder. You must also back up other important data stored in your current profile, like favorites, emails, folders and files on your desktop, and application settings.

After you have backed up your data, log on to your computer as an administrator, and perform the following steps to delete your corrupt profile.

  1. Click Start, and then right-click My Computer.
  2. Select Properties.
  3. Click the Advanced tab.
  4. Click Settings under User Profiles.
  5. Select your current profile.
  6. Click the Delete button.
  7. Click OK.
  8. Restart Windows.

Log on to your computer using your profile details. Windows will automatically create a new profile when you login.

Csrss.exe Is Also Registered As A Trojan

Often times malware programs use the same name as genuine Windows processes. The same is true for csrss.exe. A registered Trojan is known to start a process by name csrss.exe on infected computers.

The malware-related csrss.exe is used by hackers to access computers remotely for stealing private and confidential information, such as online banking details, birth dates, and passwords.

How To Identify If Your PC Is Infected With The Csrss.exe Virus

A thorough virus scan of your PC is the best way to find out if your computer is infected or not. Other ways, through which you can find out if the malware-related csrss.exe is running on your computer include:

  • Use the Windows built-in Search utility to find where the csrss.exe file is located. If you see that csrss.exe is located in another folder instead of C:\Windows\System32, your PC is likely infected.
  • Open the Task Manager window (Ctrl+Alt+Del), click the Processes tab, and see how many instances of csrss.exe are listed. You should see only one csrss.exe. The presence of more than one csrss.exe process indicates that your computer is infected.
  • If you use a Windows version prior to Windows NT then you should not see csrss.exe running when you open the Task Manager. If you do, then your computer is infected.

If you find that your PC is infected with the csrss.exe virus, then we recommend you download an efficient anti-virus tool and run a complete virus scan on your computer to get rid of the malware.

Csrss.exe Computer Crash Issues

Issue – After a virus scan, you receive recurring C:\Windows\Config\csrrs.exe error. Also, the error causes your computer to crash.

Cause – In most cases, the issue is caused by remnants of the csrss.exe virus.

Resolution – Correct the csrss.exe registry value. To do this, perform the following steps:

Note: Always back up the Windows registry before editing it. You may make a back up manually or use a registry tool for making registry backups and performing other registry maintenance tasks.

  1. Open the Registry Editor window using the regedit command.
  2. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
  3. In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, locate and double-click a value named Shell.
  4. In the Edit String dialog box, check the information under Value data.
  5. If the value is listed as Explorer.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\csrss.exe, then change it to explorer.exe.
  6. Click OK to save your changes.
  7. Exit Registry Editor and reboot Windows.