Backgroundtaskhost.exe and Backgroundtransferhost.exe Open/Close Issue

y0himba · 30 Jul 2016

Hello. For two days now, Backgroundtaskhost.exe and Backgroundtransferhost.exe have been opening and closing instantly and constantly in the background. Command lines are:

"C:\WINDOWS\system32\backgroundTaskHost.exe" -ServerName:App.AppXmtcan0h2tfbfy7k9kn8hbxb6dmzz1zh0.mca" (Doesn't change)
"BackgroundTransferHost.exe" -ServerName:BackgroundTransferHost.1" (Doesn't change)

I have run updates, scanned for viruses using MBAM and Windows Defender, used the DISM image tool to repair and clean, and tried sfc /scannow. Nothing stops them from this behavior. I am at the end of my troubleshooting ability.

Since I have a sound for program open and close program, I need the sound cues to alert me to background activity, it has begun to drive me crazy trying to figure out why this is happening. I was asleep and the computer was idle when it started, and I have made no changes to the computer for weeks. I use it to play games for the most part.

ANY and all help is welcome.

Backgroundtaskhost.exe and Backgroundtransferhost.exe Open/Close Issue-animation-1.gif

ARC1020 · 30 Jul 2016

I do not know the answer to the problem as I haven't experienced this before, however looking at the Command Line you posted from Process Explorer for backgroundTaskHost, the ServerName string ends in .mca. This is purely a guess, but could it be something to do with Minecraft that is causing this problem?

y0himba · 30 Jul 2016

App.AppXmtcan0h2tfbfy7k9kn8hbxb6dmzz1zh0.mca
.mca is a Minecraft extension? I cannot find any files with the extension .mca on my system.....

ARC1020 · 30 Jul 2016

y0himba said:

App.AppXmtcan0h2tfbfy7k9kn8hbxb6dmzz1zh0.mca
.mca is a Minecraft extension? I cannot find any files with the extension .mca on my system.....

MCA is a world format file used by Minecraft, and as you use the PC mainly to play games it made me wonder whether the problem could be something to do with Minecraft. However, as said, this was purely a guess. A quick search for the same server name string brings up entries to do with 'Windows Spotlight', so I now think it's unlikely to do with Minecraft and is actually due to something else instead, therefore please ignore my previous post.

Another idea, do you have any third-party firewall, anti-telemetry, etc. software that could be blocking backgroundTaskHost.exe/BackgroundTransferHost.exe from doing what it's trying to do, and that's why it keeps trying over and over?

y0himba · 30 Jul 2016

Just using Windows Firewall, that's all.

TairikuOkami · 30 Jul 2016

Backgroundtransferhost you say? Have you disabled windows updates sharing?

How to stop Windows 10 from using your PC's bandwidth to update strangers' systems | PCWorld

You might also check Event Viewer to see in detail, what is causing the issue. Right click on Start - Computer Management.

y0himba · 30 Jul 2016

I cleared event viewer this morning since there were literally months of entries there. There are no entries there related to Backgroundtransferhost or Backgroundtaskhost after 9 hours. I wish I knew more about what it is doing, the only info I have seen is about Windows Spotlight, where Windows downloads backgrounds for the lockscreen, which I don't even use.

Edit: I have had the sharing of updates off for quite awhile....

Edit2: Is there a way to verify installed apps? Not applications, but Windows Native Apps from the store.

ARC1020 · 30 Jul 2016

I have a feeling this is one of those issues that will be tricky to get to the root cause of and the problem with this type of issue is you could spend days and days trying to figure out what's causing it and still be no wiser by the end of it. And you're pretty much on your own as I doubt Dell would be able of much help as it will be seen as a Windows problem.

Unless someone else comes along with an idea, I'd be inclined to wait for the Anniversary Update in 2 days time and see if the problem still occurs after the Anniversary Update has installed. As it's a big update, it's possible it will reset/overwrite whatever is causing the problem.

If it's still the same after the Anniversary Update, I'd be inclined to consider backing up all your files and resetting the PC from the Settings App (Option Two here). Although it's a sledge hammer approach and daunting for those who don't do it very often, sometimes it's better to spend a day resetting and reinstalling your computer than to spend days and days trying to fix a problem and find yourself still no better off (especially if the PC was due a spring clean anyway).