Microsoft Security Essentials is quite a good antivirus for your system however in some cases it has been observed that the ‘msmpeng.exe’ causes quite a trouble with high CPU usage. The Msmpeng.Exe is the Antimalware software for the Microsoft Security Essentials in the system.
If you want to lessen the msmpeng.exe high CPU usage on your system, then you could try out the following solutions for the same.
Solution 1: Check your system for Malware
Step 1: Run your system in Safe Mode with Networking. In order to do this, perform the steps mentioned below:
For Windows 7 and Vista users:
- Close all program running in your system and restart your computer
- Keep pressing F8 on your keyboard until the Windows Advanced Options Menu pops up
- With this screen on, select the ‘Safe Mode with Networking and click on Enter
For Windows 8 users:
- Click on Windows + R to open the Run dialog box
- Type in “MSConfig” and click Enter
- On the boot tab, click on Safe Boot and Network Option
- Click on Ok and restart your system
Step 2: Check and delete all of the malicious Processes using the RogueKiller application
Step 3: Remove all sorts of Adware program from your system using the AdwCleaner
Step 4: Remove all sorts of Malware from your Program using the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software on your system
After performing all of the above steps, check if you still have the high CPU usage problem.
Solution 2: Re-install Microsoft Security Essentials
Step 1: Uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials
- Open Control Panel on your system
- Navigate to Add or Remove Programs Option
- In the list of the provided programs, find the program “Microsoft Security Essentials” and click on Uninstall
Step 2: Re-install Microsoft Security Essentials
Solution 3: Remove the High CPU usage problem by scanning your system
Step 1: Open the Microsoft Security Essentials from the main application and click on Settings
Step 2: Select the option “exclude files and locations” situated on the left panel
Step 3: Click on Browse
Step 4: Navigate over on to the following location and select the file named as “MsMPEng.exe” and click on OK
Step 5: Click on Add
Step 6: Click on the option “Save Settings”
Step 7: Reboot your system
Solution 4: Install some other antivirus on your system
Step 1: Uninstall the Microsoft Security Essentials program from your system
Step 2: Install some other antivirus on your system from the Internet or purchasing from any IT store