read basic about svchost:

A description of Svchost.exe in Windows XP Professional Edition

find svchost services:

a way how to determine what services are running under a SVCHOST.EXE process

One Temporary Solution is to disable the Windows Automatic Update service:

http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_fix_this_high_cpu_usage_svchost_virus_or_whatever_it_is.html

(no it is not a virus)

(works for me)

thank you

Please mark "Solved" the answer that really solve the problem, to help others with a similar problem.

Thanks for the prompt reply. I had seen some of these procedures when searching the svchost problem. I am still trying to decide which way to go. Much of the advice references auto updates as a causitive factor. I am properly updated, but I have never used the automatic feature.

Richard

Thanks again for your info on svchost. I am, however, still interested in some guidance on my unsuccessful attempt to create a file I can carry to another computer. As I explained before, I did a SAVE instead of a RUN, thinking that I could create a file which I could copy onto my target computer and install FireFox from it there. From the start, the file looked too small and downloaded too quickly to contain anything useful. And sure enough, when I tried to do an install from it, I got an unzip error message. So what is this thing that is downloaded and how do I SAVE something different that I can install from?

Thanks, Richard

'unzip error message' probably from corrupt file

Try download firefox from here:

ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/

select version (if you want it for mac with ppc download 3.6.24), select the os, select the language and download, then move it to usb to transfer it to another pc.

if you like try portable version:

http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

thanks

(choose 8.0 or 8.0.1 or 3.6.24 versions that only supported)