A timeout was reached while waiting for the Windows Management Instrumentation service to connect

Question

Windows 7 SP1 with 4 GB RAM.

This laptop is freezing about three times per week. The user regularly maxes out on RAM. Additionally, every day, the system generates about 500 of the following errors:

A timeout was reached (30000 milliseconds) while waiting for the Windows Management Instrumentation service to connect.

Event ID: 7009

Apparently the laptop froze when only Microsoft Word was open; no other apps were open.

How do I stop this PC from freezing?

Solution

I adjusted the timeout setting to 60000 ms.

I will wait 24 hours to see if the timeout threshold has been exceeded.

From https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc756342(v=ws.10).aspx:

Increase the service timeout period

The Service Control Manager will generate an event if a service does not respond within the defined timeout period (the default timeout period is 30000 milliseconds).

To resolve this problem, use the Registry Editor to change the default timeout value for all services.

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in Administrators, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

Caution: Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data.

To change the service timeout period:

1. Click the Start button, then click Run, type regedit, and click OK.
2. In the Registry Editor, click the registry subkey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control.
3. In the details pane, locate the ServicesPipeTimeout entry, right-click that entry and then select Modify.
4. Note: If the ServicesPipeTimeout entry does not exist, you must create it by selecting New on the Edit menu, followed by the DWORD Value, then typing ServicesPipeTimeout, and clicking Enter.
5. Click Decimal, enter the new timeout value in milliseconds, and then click OK.
6. Restart the computer.

Comments

[Keltari]

I have seen this... trying to remember when and how I fixed it...

[Jet]

Do you see wmiprvse.exe process in Task Manager? Is user maxing out RAM himself or there is some process which eats RAM? Can you check if C:\Windows\System32\wbem\WMIsvc.dll is original and there is no malware?

[Steve]

The threshold of 60000 milliseconds keeps being reached (about 350 times per day).

[Steve]

C:\Windows\System32\wbem\WMIsvc.dll is original and there is no malware.

[Steve]

The threshold of 60000 milliseconds keeps being reached (about 350 times per day).

[ssnobody]

msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa826686(v=vs.85).aspx

[harrymc]

To the masked downvoter: If you have a better idea, please give your answer. If you are sure the answer is wrong, please state why. Otherwise, please refrain from downvoting.