asghost.exe uses 50% of CPU / ProtectTools get stuck / on 8710w / Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit

[catscan]

Hi everyone.

I've been struggling with this problem the past two days - googled up everything I could, searched the forum & reinstalled basically everything once or twice including the entire OS...

So here goes the description, I hope someone - including the official HP people(!!) - can help me out..

1. 

As soon as I enter Windows (as mentionted Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit), the process asghost.exe starts using about 50% of the CPU, and doesn't stop.. unless I kill the process (as administrator)

2.

Also when I start up my HP ProtectTools Security Manager (the newest version 4.10.10.3), it get stuck at "Loading security providers".. again I have to kill the process. There is no way of running the Security Manager.

All this started when I installed the 64bit version of Windows 7 (need my extra RAM), before I had the 32bit and nothing of the kind was wrong..

So I presume that it (like in this thread) that it is related with the 64bit version of Windows 7 Ultimate...and it may start happening to a lot of people.. 

This is my work laptop, and I have used up all my spare time to fix this, now I start to really need to work so...

DOES ANYONE HAVE A SOLUTION FOR THIS?

Also I have to admit I am not sure I install the Security Software (from here) in the correct order..

IS THERE MAYBE A "CORRECT ORDER" (not provided by HP)?

ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

Thanks in advance to all

Yours

R

[Daniel_Potyrala · Accepted solution]

Hi,

asghost.exe is a process belonging to Credential Manager which is part of HP ProtectTools Manager.

First we will need to uninstall some programs from your system. To do this you will need to have HP ProtectTools Security Manager Suite 4.10.10.3 installation file from here. Extract it with 7-Zip(free) or WinRar.

Go to paths:

• ....\sp44868\PTAC\AC620X64 - Active Client and run AC620x64.exe file there. Select remove/uninstall.

• ....\sp44868\PTCRM - Credential Manager and run setup.exe file there. Select remove/uninstall.

• ....\sp44868\PTFPDRV\x64 - Fingerprint driver and run AT8Min.exe file there. Select remove/uninstall.

• ....\sp44868\PTFVE\x64 - Drive Encryption and run HpClient64.exe file there. Select remove/uninstall.

• ....\sp44868\PTJSC - Java Card and run PTJSC.exe file there. Select remove/uninstall.

• ....\sp44868\PTHST\Disk1 - HP ProtectTools Manager and run pthst.exe file there. Select remove/uninstall.

Install newer version:

HP ProtectTools Manager here (ver 4.10.17.1)

Note:

If you want you may extract this file and choose what you want to install. Of course first thing which you will need to install is always PTHST.

This is how I solved the same problem on my 8510w model with Windows 7 32 bit. I hope that this will solve your problem too.

[catscan]

Hi Daniel,

Thank you so much for your fast answer!

I had seen the newer version of the ProtectTools, but only on HP Models which weren't 8710w, so I assumed the newer version is "not ment to be" for my 8710w.

So basically HP hasn't updated the 8710w support site with the newest software, and thats whats causing me problem??

Shame on you HP if this is true....

Either way, your uninstall advice was very useful, I managed to remove all but the ...\sp44868\PTHST one..

Finally, for now I have decided to leave the system as is, without the extra security software, when I have some time spare I will maybe get back to it..

..but rightnow i just need to work!! ..and for that I dont need the fringerprint and security stuff.. 

SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!!

Should I try and install the newer ProtectTool software, I will sign back in and report all about it.

Till then, wish me luck! 😉

greets

r

[Daniel_Potyrala]

---

@catscan wrote:

Either way, your uninstall advice was very useful, I managed to remove all but the ...\sp44868\PTHST one..

---

Have you tried to uninstall this last thing by using standard uninstallation process in Windows 7?

Resource:
Uninstalling Software in Windows 7

Uninstall or change a program in Windows 7

[pumi]

Yesterday I reinstall my laptop (HP ElitBook 8530p, dualcore, 4GB RAM, Windows 7 pro 64bit) with the latest HP Credential Manager downloaded from HP support center.

When I start Firefox or Thunderbird the asghost.exe uses one core from the CPU at 100%, the CPU temperature is more than 70C grad. When I closed Firefox, the CPU gone back to normal state.

I try to find out what caused it, maybe Firefox is used one of the identify solutions provided by Credential Manager which is not fully compatible. The fingerprint sensor is hard to used without Credential Manager so this program is neccesary to install on my laptop as I think.

If somebody have any solution for this, please share with me.

Thank you.