Suddenly Intelligent Charging Scheduler (ICS.exe) constantly using 10-12% CPU and fan always on

[SF66]

Hello all, 
weird issue started happening today.

Essentially at some point the fan started and while that's not unusual, it was never turning off so I looked at task manager and found Intelligent_Charging_Scheduler  (ICS.exe) consuming 10-12% all the time.

I waited a while to see if it was a temporary thing but nothing.

- Rebooted and still the same
- Installed all recent updates and still the same
- Changed settings in HP Power manager (tried all of them) and still the same

The only way to stop it is to kill the process.

NOTE: while installing updates, there was one that apparently failed: BIOS sp140214 version 01.09.02. However, while after the first attempt it was still proposed in the HP Support assistance updates, the second time around it's gone, so I can't say if it was installed or not.

Running Windows 11 21H2 build 22000.675 

If you any additional information will be happy to provide it.

Thanks for any help.

[ZBookClieSuitG7]

Can't help much.  But HP can take note that I have the same issue, with same timeline than yours, on my HP Fury 15.6" G8.  It is a fully HP support updated machine.  Yet that HP program ICS.exe is running at 6% and up.

Intelligent Charging Scheduler seems interfering with HP products.

I do hope it won't damage our machines, since the little I read this process is not meant for HP machines.

For support team here is the support spec of my machine.

General specifications
Operating system : Windows 10 Pro 64-bit Version: 19044.1706
Microprocessor : 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11800H @ 2.30GHz
System memory : 32 GB
Memory slot 1 : 16GB Samsung 3200MHz
Memory slot 2 : 16GB Samsung 3200MHz
System board : 8870 KBC Version 52.27.00
System BIOS : T95 Ver. 01.08.20
Video : Graphic device 1 - Intel(R) UHD Graphics
Current resolution : 1920 x 1080
Refresh rate : 60 Hz
Version : 30.0.101.1404 (2/18/2022)
Graphic device 2 : NVIDIA RTX A2000 Laptop GPU
Current resolution : 2560 x 1440
Refresh rate : 59 Hz
Version : 30.0.14.7298 (1/5/2022)
Audio : Device 1 - PP Thunderbolt Dock Audio Headset
Status : Enabled
Driver : RtUsbA64_03F00269.sys
Version : 6.3.9600.250
Device 2 : Intel® Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth® Audio
Status : Enabled
Driver : IntcBTAu.sys
Version : 10.29.0.6815
Device 3 : Intel® Smart Sound Technology for USB Audio
Status : Enabled
Driver : IntcUSB.sys
Version : 10.29.0.6815
Device 4 : Intel® Smart Sound Technology for Digital Microphones
Status : Enabled
Driver : IntcDMic.sys
Version : 10.29.0.6815
Device 5 : NVIDIA High Definition Audio
Status : Enabled
Driver : nvhda64v.sys
Version : 1.3.39.3
Device 6 : Realtek High Definition Audio
Status : Enabled
Driver : RTKVHD64.sys
Version : 6.0.9305.1

[manawajaws]

Same issue here, same date, on Windows 11 though.

[SF66]

Good to know I'm not the only one.

You mentioned this is not supposed to be for HP machines but, for me at least, this IS an HP application, as it's located here

C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP ICS\ICS.exe

In that same folder there's an xml file called "ICS Task Scheduler.xml" and if you look inside, there's this:

<RegistrationInfo>
<Date>2021-08-13T01:42:49.7962819</Date>
<Author>System</Author>
<Version>1.3.36.102</Version>
<Description>Analyze device idle pattern and set device battary level to 80% to extend battery life</Description>
<URI>\HP\HP ICS\ICS Task Scheduler</URI>
</RegistrationInfo>

So seems this process is the one managing the battery health optimization, which should block charging beyond 80%.

[FHriba]

No you are not alone. I have the same problem.

[Recogniform]

Identical problem.

I also found same topic in chinese:

https://h30471.www3.hp.com/t5/bi-ji-ben-dian-nao/ICS-exe-si-xun-huan-dao-zhi-zhan66wu-dai-dai-ji-gon...

It looks that ICS has a bug and goes in infinite loop.

[TomasPolak]

Same problem here with HP HP ZBook Fury 15 G7 Mobile Workstation, Windows 10.

[Recogniform]

I report here the temporary solution proposed from HP support, waiting for the bug fix:

Press Win+X  to open computer management, then select -> task scheduler -> task scheduler library->HP,  open HP ICS and disable this activity in the right windows. Finally restart the computer.

[SF66]

Ok, so this means the battery health optimization won't work until this is fixed, although I guess it's already broken if ICS.exe goes into an endless loop.

I assume the fix will come through HP Support Assistant app but did HP support provide any info about when this might get fixed? I use my machine plugged in most of the time so blocking the battery from charging past 80% is quite important.

[Recogniform]

Unfortunately no timing was provided from HP Support: please monitor this link where will be posted the solution when available:

https://h30471.www3.hp.com/t5/bi-ji-ben-dian-nao/ICS-exe-si-xun-huan-dao-zhi-zhan66wu-dai-dai-ji-gon...