flow.exe HUGE CPU USAGE

[sduddupudi]

I TRIED uninstalling  Conexant HD Audio drives, and it works fine, but its keep reinstalling itself and this FLOW.EXE gets reappeared and Having HUGE CPU USAGE.

At times it goes up to 20-30%.

[IT_WinSec]

Hello @sduddupudi

Thank you for posting in the HP Support forum.

Personally, I wouldn't consider 4.3% CPU usage as "HUGE CPU" usage. 20-30% is also not huge. This is normal behaviour, don't you worry. Firefox and McAfee are slowing your PC way more than this driver process.

If you want to use McAfee, make sure you exclude Flow.exe from scanning. By doing this, McAfee should not scan what is already a trusted/safe proces and things may be running better. Here is how to do it >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvjKNQCeMzM

[RickLight]

The numbers may not be HUGE but there are very real and bothersome effects My system pauses radomly while FLOW is running so high. It's most noticeable that my browser won't scroll on a page that is fully loaded. Not up, not down!

Add to that the suggestion to bypass security? We buy these programs for a purpose and every day there is more reason to maintain tight security as you should know. There is some noise that FLOW can be subverted to a key logger. I will not be putting holes in my firewall without good reason. I will bypass the 'helpful' audio software first!

Now on a calmer note: There are multiple signs that FLOW is causing problems, some continued from early last year and some new.

Can ANYONE provide any word on updates or replacements that might fix this out of control software?

[Ziben]

This application is BIG pain of ass and even I can't uninstall this software.
(different CPU load for different daytime even 90%, Kaspersky have exclusion but still)

Ofc I can disable drivers, uninstall drivers and uninstall CONEXANT and Flow but Win10 automatically will download this software and install it for me.

And even don't try to tell me that I can block updates using this weird application fro M$ - wushowhide.diagcab
Because this software doesn't recognize your drivers updates from HP...

Nothing help and I need to live with software?
Even if I don't want this software and "google" says it's related to your keylogger(CONEXANT case)?

Maybe 5% of CPU is not a big amount but this is my decision, not HP!
I think even 1% for software like this, is big mistake...

SO HOW, FOR GOD SAKE, I CAN UNINSTALL AND PREVENT INSTALLATION OF THIS SOFTWARE? AND CONEXANT? Registry?

[sduddupudi]

I uninstalled it and turned on Metered connection and it helps me .. but every time I download updates manually this Junk also gets installed.

[RickLight]

I renamed Flow.exe to "flow.exe.bad"

When I reboot it comlains the driver need help but that's all. No more delays, and my audio seems to work just fine.

[Andrew72]

The absolute number may be not huge, but it is still a problem. On my system HP ProBook 470 G5 it is constantly using between 15 and 20 percent of CPU and because of that the CPU fan is constantly spinning creating irritating noise. Also, I I believe it is causing regular PC hang-ups as the Service Host: Remote Procedure Call kicks in with 25 - 35% of CPU usage and hangs up the whole computer for a minute or so.

This process is started by the CxAudioSvc (Conexant Audio Service) service, which is somehow linked to audio. I have stopped it and restarted the system. The Flow.exe is no longer running and I am not experiencing any issues with audio, so it makes me believe that that service is not important. The overall CPU usage has significantly dropped and even the processes such as Firefox, which initially ate up to 40% of CPU, became low on CPU usage (4-7% of CPU). Also, the Service Host: Remote Procedure Call no longer stalls the system.

Based on that "analyzis" I consider Flow as junkware. 🙂

[sduddupudi]

The only way is to uninstall this junk and use Microsoft Standard sound drivers. it will fix your issue

[JRabnott]

I agree that uninstalling Conexant drivers and using the microsoft driver seems to resolve issues with the B&O control panel software. 

Unfortunately, multiple times, Windows updates has seemed to have been able to reinstall the software. Hopefully this time through group policy I have turned off "automatica driver installation".

It's hard to beleive that this isn't a known HP issue. My browsers are all-but useless when this software is installed even with NO antivirus, defender or other third party webfilter installed.

HP, are you willing to help your customers with this issue? 

[sduddupudi]

HP support is not helpful, I contacted Microsoft through their online chat they helped me and disabled that using a tool 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/3073930/how-to-temporarily-prevent-a-driver-update-from-rei...

I turned on updates, Conexant smartaudio hd drivers stopped getting auto install, I'm happy with that lol.. That flow.exe sometimes gives huge CPU spikes..