XADM: Troubleshooting High CPU Utilization By Store.exe

This article describes the steps for troubleshooting high CPU utilization by the Store.exe process. High CPU utilization means that the Store.exe CPU utilization is constantly in the 90 to 100 percent range. It should be noted, however, that it is normal for CPU utilization by the Store.exe process to randomly rise, depending on the activity of the system.

The versions of Windows NT and Exchange Server that you are running will determine if the issue can be resolved by any service packs or hotfixes.

Windows NT has an RPC hot fix. For more information, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 159176� , "XADM: Store Stops Responding with High CPU Usage."

Additionally, if the computer is running Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0 with Service Pack 4, apply the post-SP4 hotfix, located at: Any service packs newer than the Post-SP4-Store fix should include the hotfix.

For Exchange Server versions 5.0 and 5.5, please refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article If neither of the two hot fixes resolve the problem, or if they are already applied, proceed as follows:

1. Stop the information store and restart it. Does this resolve the problem? How long does it take to stop?
2. If possible, try rebooting the server. Does this help?
   
   If it does help, it is likely that the information store is fine, and an "outside" entity caused the store to hang; this could be a corrupted message, a connector, or an application.
3. Are the MTA queues backing up? Are the messages incoming or outgoing?
   
   If so, try deleting the oldest message, to see if this resolves the problem.
4. Try stopping the MTA and any other connectors. If the CPU utilization drops, then it may be one of the stopped services that is actually the cause of the problem.
5. Check to see if there is a looping message that may be causing this problem. Message tracking can help with this.
   
   
   1. Also check if the Priv.edb or Pub.edb are rapidly growing.
   2. Check the Mailbox Resources and Public Folder Resources in the Exchange Server Administrator Program to see if there are any mailbox or public folders growing Rapidly.
6. Are users able to send and receive mail? Are the clients responsive or slow?
   
   This information will indicate if the information store is hung or just busy.
7. Check if this is a problem with the information store files. To do this, stop the information store, rename all MDBDATA directories, create new MDBDATA directories, and start the information store.
   
   Does the problem occur again?
   
   If it does occur again, the problem is not with the information store database files. If it does not occur again, restore the original database files and run ISINTEG -patch.
8. Are there any third-party Exchange Server applications running against the private or public information store on this server?
   
   Check the current logons in the properties of the private information store and public information store, to determine if there are any such program running against this information Store.
   
   Third-party products can cause high CPU utilization as well as high memory usage by the Store.exe. If there are any third-party programs running against this information store, try stopping them.
9. Are there any third-party virus checking programs running on this server?
   
   If so, try stopping them.
   
   What's the size of the Priv.edb and Pub.edb files? Do you have sufficient free disk space on all drives? It may be beneficial to schedule an Off-line Defrag of the two .edb files.
10. If none of the above steps fixes the problem, back up the existing databases files. Then run ISINTEG -fix -pri and ISINTEG -fix -pub.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: