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If Slmgr32.exe shows up as an active process consuming a disproportionate amount of your PC’s resources, then something is wrong. Most reports point towards Slgmgr.32 being a Trojan that utilizes victims’ computers to mine cryptocurrency (Monero).

What if Slmgr32.exe consumes too much CPU?

Slmgr.32 consumes excessive CPU resources because it is a program with malicious intents. It executes several operations or performs tasks on behalf of its creators or controllers and uses your computer to make money for them.

When this Trojan finds its way into a computer, it typically works to create an auto-start configuration that loads a specific executable (usually mfds.exe), which then initializes components for a miner that connects to a web database to mine currency.

How did the Slmgr32.exe Trojan get on my computer?

There are several events or scenarios in which the malicious miner finds its way into computers. You might have introduced the Trojan to your PC by installing a legitimate application that then installed the harmful software without your knowledge. You might have clicked on a harmful item somewhere (in an email attachment, for example).

You might not see the main malicious application because the Trojan might have made changes to your computer to obscure or cloak its activities. If you experience these symptoms on your system, then you have enough reason to worry (about a Trojan operating on your PC):

  • Windows opens applications slowly (slower than before).
  • Windows struggles to minimize and maximize applications. The operations involving multitasking take longer than before.
  • Your computer acts sluggishly.

In general, if your computer is running slowly, then its performance shortcomings probably have everything to do with the presence of the Slmgr.32 Trojan. You have to get rid of the malicious program. We intend to show you how to delete the Slgmr32.exe CPU miner from a Windows 10 PC. Let’s go.

How to fix high CPU usage caused by Slgmgr32.exe?

Ideally, you should go through the procedures here in the order they have been listed and pay close attention to the steps contained in them.

  1. Terminate proceedings for Slmgr32.exe in the Task Manager application:

Here, we want you to try to identify the active malicious process in the Task Manager app and then take action to put it down.

Follow these steps:

  • First, you have to open the Task Manager app. You can perform the launch task quickly through this keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Escape.

Alternatively, you can open the Task Manager program by right-clicking on the taskbar (at the bottom of your display) to see a list of options and then choosing Task Manager.

  • Assuming you are now on the Task Manager window, you have to click on More details – if this step applies.
  • Go through the items under the Processes tab, locate the malicious application (active executable), right-click on it to see the available context menu, and then choose Open file location.

You will be directed to a specific folder on your disk. A File Explorer window will come up.

  • You must take note of your current location on your disk. Ideally, you should copy the address and save it somewhere safe. You can store it as a sticky note on your desktop, for example.

You will have to come back to that location.

  • Minimize the File Explorer application window. Go back to the Task Manager app.
  • Now again, you must locate the malicious process, click on it to get it highlighted again, and then click on the End task button (in the bottom-right corner of the Task Manager window).

Windows will now act to terminate proceedings for the selected executable.

  • Now, you must leave the Task Manager window and go back to the location on your disk that you were in not long ago.

If you’ve closed the File Explorer app, then you have to open it afresh (using the Windows logo button + letter E keyboard shortcut, perhaps) and then paste the address to the required path there. We asked you to copy and save the address earlier, after all.

  • This time, once you get to the necessary folder on a File Explorer window, you have to delete the malicious file there.

If you find packages or components related to the harmful item, then you have to get rid of them too.

  • To delete a file, you have to click on it to get it highlighted, right-click on it to see the options available, and then choose Delete.
  • Delete as many items as possible. No traces of the Trojan should remain.
  • You must not restart your computer. Proceed to the next procedure.

If you reboot your PC, then the malicious application might initialize its components again and start consuming your computer resources again.

  1. Run a malware removal tool:

Now, it is time you got help from a malware removal tool. Many security applications are equipped with top-level scan functions that allow them to check computers for malicious items and remove them. We recommend you get Auslogics Anti-Malware. You will need this program to perform some important tasks.

These instructions cover almost everything we want you to do here:

  • First, you have to double-click on the security app shortcut on your desktop screen to launch the application.

The anti-malware or antivirus program’s window will come up now.

  • Now, you have to locate the scan menu or the screen containing the scan options. You might have to click on the Protection pane (or tab) or something similar.
  • Here, you must choose the appropriate scan option or type. Full or Complete or Total scan should be the right thing.

Ideally, you must select the scan option that guarantees the most comprehensive or thorough checks. You must use the scan type that ensures the antivirus or anti-malware tool goes through all the files and folders on your computer while taking as much time as it needs.

  • Click on the Scan button to proceed – if this step applies.

The antivirus or anti-malware application is now supposed to initialize its components and start scanning your computer for threats. The selected scan will take a while, so you have to be patient.

Once the security application finishes with the scan, it will display a special screen to show you the results of its work. You will see the viruses, Trojans, and other malicious programs that were found.

  • You can quarantine the detected threats by clicking on the appropriate button.

You can go through the list of malicious items to check if there is anything that should not be there. Yes, security applications sometimes make mistakes when they label a legitimate or harmless app as a threat (for different reasons).

If you are 100% certain that a specific item – which is considered harmful or malicious by the security tool – is fine to be kept, then you have to deselect it. You have to remove it from the list of potential threats that will be quarantined.

We reiterate our warning: you should only keep an application if you are sure of its source and behavior. You do not want to save an application that was flagged up as a threat if that app is harmful or working against your interests.

  • You will probably have to click on the Delete or Remove button – if you want to get rid of the detected threats permanently.

At this point, you might be prompted to restart your computer. Before you initiate any restart operation, you will do well to close all the programs currently running on your computer and save your work (if need be).

  • Click on the Restart button – if a reboot dialog comes up to ask you to do it.

Otherwise, you have to restart your computer on your own this way: Click on the Windows button (on your device’s keyboard), click on the Power icon close to the bottom-left corner of your screen to see the list of the options, and then click on Restart.

  • After your computer restarts, you will do well to open the Task Manager application and check the active processes there to confirm that the malicious program is no longer operating.

Other things you might have to do to resolve the high CPU usage problem

If the Task Manager application continues to report high CPU usage for other applications or if your computer still runs slowly – even after you got rid of the Slmgr32.exe Trojan and other malicious programs – then you have to perform other tasks to make things right. Continue with the procedures below.

  1. Check the Event Viewer app:

The Event Viewer application is a special program that stores logs of operations that get executed in the Windows operating system environment. You can easily find records of most activities or happenings on your system in this app. We want you to go through the information there to identify the app or operation that is responsible for the high CPU usage problem.

Perhaps, you might end up finding a system component that is consuming a disproportionate amount of your computer resources because it is broken or malfunctioning. Or you might even realize that some malicious programs (left behind) have something to do with the high CPU usage problem.

Go through these steps:

  • Press the Windows logo button (on your machine’s keyboard) or click on the Windows icon (in the bottom-left corner of your display).

The Windows Start menu screen will come up.

  • Type Event Viewer into the textbox (that shows up the moment you begin to type) to perform a search task using that keyword as the query.
  • Once Event Viewer (App) emerges as the primary entry on the results list displayed, you have to click on it to continue.

The Event Viewer program will be displayed now.

  • Now, you have to click on Applications and Service Logs (on the left of the window) and then select Microsoft.
  • Now, you must navigate through the folders (in the order they appear) to get to your destination: Windows > WMIActivity > Operational.
  • Here, you must check the box under the Operational pane and go through the list of recent error entries.

You might have to review several operational events.

  • For every error entry you locate, you have to identify its ClientProcessId.

If you suspect that a rogue, malfunctioning, or broken process is responsible for the high CPU usage issue, you will be able to identify it through its ID (obtained from the details in the Event Viewer application). You can then check for the bad process in the Task Manager application and then put it down and also make changes to your computer configuration to ensure that the process never comes up to run (without your express permission).

  1. Reset your browser settings:

Since your computer got infected with a Trojan, there is a good chance changes were made to your internet parameters, especially those that constitute your browser settings. Perhaps, the Trojan got in due to events that played out on your browser. We must also consider this possibility: you installed a bad extension or rogue add-on that went on to fetch the Trojan (and other malicious items).

In any case, we recommend that you reset your browser settings to their defaults to make things right. We will describe the reset procedure for the most popular and widely used browser applications on PCs.

If you use Google Chrome, then these are the instructions you must follow to reset your browser:

  • First, you have to open the Google Chrome app by clicking on its icon (on your taskbar) or double-clicking on the program shortcut (on your desktop).
  • Assuming you are now on the Google Chrome window, you have to look at the top-right corner of the window and click on the menu icon (formed from three dots).
  • From the list of menu options displayed, you have to click on Settings.

You will be directed to the Settings screen in Chrome in another tab.

  • Now, you have to scroll down to get to the bottom and then click on the Show advanced settings
  • On your current screen, you have to locate the Reset settings menu and then click on the Reset settings button.

Chrome is now supposed to bring up the Reset Settings dialog or box to get some form of confirmation for the operation.

  • Click on the Reset button to affirm things.

Chrome will now get on with the task. Your browser will end up with its original configuration.

  • Now, you can open Chrome to check and confirm that everything is now in order.

If you use Mozilla Firefox, then these are the instructions you must go through to force it to revert to its default settings:

  • First, you have to open the Mozilla Firefox app by clicking on its icon (which should be on your taskbar) or double-clicking on the program shortcut (which is probably on your desktop).
  • Assuming you are now on the Firefox window, you must look at the top-right corner of the window and click on the menu icon (formed from three horizontal lines stacked on one another).
  • From the list of menu options that show up, you have to click on Help. From the list that appears, you must then choose Troubleshooting information.

You will be directed to the Troubleshooting Information screen in Firefox in a new tab.

(If you cannot get to the required screen through the steps described above, then you must do this: Fill the URL or address box with about:support and then hit the Enter button on your keyboard to run the inputted code.)

  • Here, you must look at the top-right corner of the window and then click on the Refresh Firefox button there (under the Give Firefox a tune up text).

The Refresh Firefox window or dialog will come up to get some form of confirmation for the operation you want to initiate.

  • Click on the Refresh Firefox button to continue.

Mozilla Firefox will now get on with the requested task. Your settings will be reverted to the original selections or values.

  • Now, you can launch the Firefox app to verify that everything is fine.

If you still use Internet Explorer, then these are the steps you have to go through to revert the browser settings to the state they were in when Internet Explorer was installed originally on your computer:

  • First, you have to open the Run app. You can do this by right-clicking on your taskbar (at the bottom of your display) to see the available context menu and then selecting Run.

Alternatively, you can use the Windows logo button + letter R keyboard shortcut to perform the launch task for Run.

  • Assuming the Run application window is now on your screen, you have to fill the blank text field there with the following code:

inetcpl.cpl

  • Give the Enter button on your keyboard a tap (or click on the OK button).

Windows will now work to run the code. The Internet Properties window will be displayed.

  • Click on the Advanced tab (close to the top of the window) to go there.
  • Click on the Reset button (under the Reset Internet Explorer settings section).

The Reset Internet Explorer Settings window or dialog will come up to get some form of confirmation for the operation and for you to specify the items you want Windows to delete.

  • We advise that you click on the box for the Delete personal settings

Yes, your personal settings must go – if the operation is to be effective.

  • Click on the Reset button to continue.

Internet Explorer will now act to reset its settings (as you requested). You can click on the Close button on the confirmation dialog – if you like.

  • Now, you can open Internet Explorer to see if everything is fine.

  1. Reset your computer’s power plan; choose Balanced (if need be):

If the high CPU usage problem is connected to changes in your PC configuration, then the procedure proposed here might go a long way in getting your system back to a good state. Perhaps, your computer is currently primed to use a plan that saves power, which sometimes results in its components struggling during certain periods and causing the high CPU events. Well, we cannot examine every scenario because there are many possibilities.

Anyway, these are the instructions you have to go through to reset your computer’s power plan:

  • Press (and hold) the Windows logo button and then hit the letter R key to open the Run app.
  • Once the Run window gets brought up, you have to fill the blank text box there with Control.
  • Now, you must tap the Enter button on your machine’s keyboard (or click on the OK button on the Run window).

The Control Panel window will be displayed.

  • You have to look at the top-right corner of the Control Panel window and then click on the drop-down menu for View by to see the options available for this parameter.
  • Choose Large icons.

Once the View by parameter gets set to the Large icons value, the menu list or composition on the Control Panel main screen will change.

  • Check for Power Options. Click on it.

You will be directed to the Choose or customize a power plan screen in Control Panel now.

  • Now, you have to click on the radio button for Balanced to choose this power plan (if you are not using it currently).

Your computer needs to be on the Balanced power plan for the fix here to work.

  • Click on the Change plan settings link (beside the power plan text).

You will be directed to the Change settings for the plan: Balanced screen now.

  • Click on the Restore default settings for this plan link (the last link on the screen).
  • Click on the OK button to affirm things. That should be all.
  • You can now close the Control Panel app, save your work (if necessary), terminate other applications, and then restart your PC.

Other things you can try to decrease the CPU usage on your computer

If you are still struggling with the high CPU usage issue even after you removed the malicious program (that might have caused it in the first place), then you will do well to check out the procedures on our final list of solutions and workarounds to the problem.

  1. Turn off Windows notifications and similar settings:

You will have to open the Settings app, navigate to the appropriate menu or screen, and then make the needed changes to the parameters there.

  1. Do a clean boot:

Here, since a clean boot allows you to force Windows up to run in a state where only critical system services and components are allowed to operate at startup, you get to find out whether third-party applications have anything to do with the problem. With the new information, you will be able to resolve the problem in view quite easily.

  1. Download and install all Windows updates:

If the high CPU usage has anything to do with your computer lacking important stuff embedded in updates, then things are likely to become better after you download and install all the needed updates. Here, you have to go to the Updates screen or menu in the Settings app and trigger a manual check for updates using the button there.

  1. Reset/refresh Windows:

The reset or refresh procedure is quite disruptive in terms of what comes after it gets used, but it is this particular quality that makes the changes resulting from the operation powerful enough to resolve a wide range of problems. If you are still struggling with the high CPU usage issue – if all else fails – then you have to reset/refresh Windows.