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Cpuz causing BSOD, can't delete file, how to tell what locks it?


Cpuz136_x64.sys is causing a BSOD in the first couple of minutes after start. I found the file in the temp folder but can't delete it as some service is locking it. If I use Unlocker to delete it on next start it is gone for a few seconds then shows up again, still undeleteable. How can I tell what service keeps it there?
In the event log I found that it was installed on 2015-07-29 (Win 10 upgrade?):

Service Name: cpuz136
Service File Name: d:Temp\cpuz136cpuz136_x64.sys
Service Type: kernel mode driver
Service Start Type: demand start
Service Account:

However services.msc does not show any service called "cpuz136".

Do you have speccy installed? That is usually the culprit with that file.

Yeah I saw it mentioned a lot on this forum but no I don't have it. In fact I do not know which of the installed apps or running services would want this. I don't have benchmarks, hardware monitors or anything like it installed.

Press Win + X > choose Command Prompt (Admin) > type in the text below and hit Enter:

Code:
sc query cpuz136
The above command show the details of the target services. To stop the service:

Code:
sc stop cpuz136
To delete the service:

Code:
sc delete cpuz136
If the delete process successfully performed, try to remove the temp files.

Interesting:
STATE : 4 RUNNING (STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN)

STATE : 1 STOPPED

[SC] DeleteService SUCCESS

Yet I was not able to delete the file still. I went back, ran line 2, it said it was stopped, then ran line 1 and it said it was still running...

You could have a look around in autoruns and see if you can find that path - something is restarting it.

You could also try booting in safe mode and deleting the folder (and at the same time run TFC to clear out temp files as well in case there is something lurking there).

I tried googling and there are lots of hits for cpuz 166 service being a virus (but then there are lots of hits for practically anything I ever search for being a virus so that doesn't mean a lot). Nothing to be lost by running a Malwarebytes scan though.

I went through the list of running services and realized that I have CorsairLink controlling the water cooling for the CPU. Sure enough, I was able to delete the file after killing that service. It was a very old version so I updated it, now it uses cpuz v138, we'll see if it produces the BSOD again.

Thanks the help guys!

Good info to about Corsairlink, Thanks for posting back.

Cpuz causing BSOD, can't delete file, how to tell what locks it?