windows xp - svchost.exe Hogging CPU on Fresh XP Install

I got an ISO of Windows XP Professional with SP3 integrated from dreamspark. I burned it onto a DVD, and installed onto an old computer of mine.

The first thing I did after installation was install the graphics drivers as I can't stand the extreme lag when I drag windows around. Then I scanned for updates in IE, but it hung for a while. I checked Task Manager, and found out that one of the svchost's was hogging the CPU.

Later, I used SysInternals Process Explorer to check the services associated with that instance of svchost. There was a list, but Automatic Updates was one of them. I stopped that service, and CPU went down instantly. I tried reinstalling as well (twice...), but the same results are produced every time. This hasn't happened before, ever...

I tried installing Windows Update Agent using the /wuforce parameter, rebooted, and nothing...

I also tried installing this hotfix, but apparently SP3 already took care of that...

I also read somewhere that this is caused by SP3 not installing properly. So I tried downloading the ISO for XP that doesn't have any SPs integrated, but I wasn't allowed because I already have a copy of XP in DreamSpark, and it does not let me add the one without SPs to the cart. This is as far as I went

Hardware:

• AMD Sempron 3200+ 1.8GHz


• ASUS M2N-MX


• 3GB DDR2 RAM (2 Sticks of 1GB, and 2 sticks of 512MB)


• Nvidia GeForce 6100


• Seagate 500GB SATA

What do I have to to fix the svchost problem?

UPDATE 1:

I checked WindowsUpdate.txt log, and these are some of the entries:

DownloadFileInternal failed for http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v5/redir/wuredir.cab: error 0x80190194
Failed to download the Redirector cab on try 1: 0x80190194

WU client failed Searching for update with error 0x8024001b
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\cdm.dll is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\cdm.dll: Target version: 5.5.3790.5512 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuapi.dll is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuapi.dll: Target version: 5.4.3790.5512 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe: Target version: 5.4.3790.5512 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaucpl.cpl is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaucpl.cpl: Target version: 5.4.3790.5512 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll: Target version: 5.4.3790.5512 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wucltui.dll is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wucltui.dll: Target version: 5.4.3790.5512 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wups.dll is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wups.dll: Target version: 5.4.3790.5512 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wups2.dll is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wups2.dll: Target version: 0.0.0.0 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuweb.dll is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuweb.dll: Target version: 5.4.3790.5512 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuapi.dll.mui_en is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuapi.dll.mui_en: Target version: 0.0.0.0 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaucpl.cpl.mui_en is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaucpl.cpl.mui_en: Target version: 0.0.0.0 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll.mui_en is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll.mui_en: Target version: 0.0.0.0 Required: 7.6.7600.256
Required Version for binary C:\WINDOWS\system32\wucltui.dll.mui_en,SusClient_wuauhelp,SusClient_wuauadm is: 7,6,7600,256
Binary: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wucltui.dll.mui_en,SusClient_wuauhelp,SusClient_wuauadm: Target version: 0.0.0.0 Required: 7.6.7600.256

WU client failed Searching for update with error 0x8024001b

Failed to obtain cached cookie with hr = 8024400a.
PT: Using serverID {9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77}
PT: Using server URL https://www.update.microsoft.com/ClientWebService/client.asmx
URL for server  is http://stats.update.microsoft.com/ReportingWebService/ReportingWebService.asmx

WUAUENG ServiceMain exits. Exit code is 0x240002

// this is when I installed the 1 mandatory update automatically detected...
# 127 updates detected
# Found 1 mandatory updates

UPDATE 2:

I gave up and installed Windows 7 Professional without Service Packs. svchost ate up CPU again, but only for a minute, and then Windows Update showed about 150 updates I'm missing. Something's wrong with Windows XP and I don't know what... Windows 7 works better so I guess I'll just stick with this then...