A slow-running computer often bogs because Windows commits significant system resources into disk read and write operations. However, some commands and system settings may vary. There are several potential causes for high disk usage in Windows 10, but most come down to the same basic idea: Too many things are running for the computer to handle.
One common cause is swapping or paging. Swapping occurs when a computer runs out of physical memory RAM and needs more space to store information about the running processes and applications.
It uses a file on the hard drive called swapfile. As Windows works with that information, it constantly reads and writes to swapfile. You also might find that applications that search through or use many files at once access the hard drive at an alarming rate behind the scenes.
Many applications can behave this way, including antivirus software and some utilities that are installed with Windows. Most of the time, the fixes for high disk usage come down to finding the process that uses the hard drive frequently and stopping it. Below are a few of the most common solutions.
Disable Windows telemetry. Windows 10 collects data about the way you use it in the background. It's been the topic of controversy for privacy reasons, and it's a common cause of high disk usage. Disabling the service responsible can help give the hard drive a rest. Disable Windows search indexing. Windows keeps track of your files and where files are located on the drive, so you can easily search for the file you need.
Sometimes, the process Windows uses to create an index of where those files are can slow down the drive. Disable search indexing to decrease stress on the drive. Disable SuperFetch. SuperFetch can use a lot of system resources, including writing to the drive frequently. Disable it to stop the process from running behind the scenes and writing to the drive.
Disable Windows Tips. As you use Windows, an integrated app running in the background offers notifications with advice about the operating system. While this is the least likely problem causing the disk usage utilization error, it is one more app running in the background that can cause problems. Turn off Windows Tips and see if it improves your system performance.
Give Skype write permissions. If you run Skype for Desktop on any Windows version before Windows 10, Skype could be causing the disk usage problem.
If Skype doesn't have permission to write data to one of its subfolders in Program Files x86 , it continues to write and ramps up hard drive usage. To change permissions, right-click Skype. Finally, to close, select OK. Disable prefetch in Chrome. A few features in Chrome speed up your browsing experience. One of those services is a prediction service in Chrome that analyzes what site you're likely to visit and preloads those pages in the background.
However, this service puts an extra load on your computer and the hard drive. In Firefox, disable prefetching by visiting about:config in the address bar and setting the network.
Fix the AHCI driver. To fix it, do the following as described below. Under the Driver tab, choose Driver Details.
Here, look for the driver storahci. If you see it, then your PC could be susceptible to this known bug. If you discovered that the storahci. Go to Details in Device Manager and choose the Device instance path from the drop-down menu.
From here, copy the value listed and paste it into a text editor like Notepad. Expand the folder of the value you saved in a text editor. Editing inside the registry opens the door to inadvertent, significant configuration errors. Changing the wrong values may destabilize your computer. Add more RAM. If disk usage is high because your computer doesn't have enough physical memory RAM , the best solution is to add more.
RAM is one of the easiest upgrades on any PC, and it's relatively inexpensive. Plus, your computer will be able to multitask more efficiently as a result. Disable automatic Windows Updates. Another common cause of high disk utilization sources from Windows Updates taking place at random times, automatically. Stop Windows from updating at random, and you'll stop the drive from maxing out. If you disable automatic Windows Updates, run manual updates frequently.
This process ensures you receive important security updates that keep your computer safe from viruses and malware. Scan for malware. If all else fails, there's a chance your computer could have a virus or malware. The best thing to do at this point is to make sure you have good antivirus software and run a full system scan.
A full scan can take a long time, but it finds and removes any malicious software running on the system and spiking the disk usage. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests.
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If it does not download automatically, please click here. We only recommend products we believe in. Products that work. But, just so you know, we may earn commission in doing so. Sophie Luo. You may not need to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that works for you. SuperFetch helps to decrease boot time and make must-load programs more efficiently. However, it has been identified as a potential cause of disk performance issues in Windows 8 and later versions of Windows, including Windows You can automatically update all your device drivers to the latest correct version with Driver Easy.
Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. But with the Pro version it takes just 2 clicks and you get full support and a day money back guarantee :. Driver Easy will then window your computer and detect any problem drivers. To see if this is the cause for you, run a system scan to detect broken system files with Reimage.
Read Reimage Trustpilot reviews. Click Start Repair to start the repair process. This requires the full version — which comes with a day Money-Back Guarantee. If you do, please try the next fix below. Please make sure you have closed all of your applications first. Then choose Advanced System Settings on the left panel.
On your keyboard, press Windows key and R at the same time, then in the Run form, type temp and hit Enter. This will dixk Windows Explorer with your Temp folder open, showing you all the temp files on your computer. You might also find these links useful:.
Note that Microsoft has its own default anti-malware, Windows Defender. Even if you disable your other antivirus programs, Windows Defender is always there for you during that certain time range. So, no need to worry too much about temporarily stadtup antivirus windwos. Note : A million thanks to our warm-hearted reader Javier for the following solution.
If you can see storahci. From the drop-down menu, select Device Instance Path. Then windwos to:. Windows is a very old technology. Now that we have the internet, fast connection speeds, free cloud storage, and endless windows 10 disk usage 100 after startup free apps like Gmail, Google Docs, Slack, Facebook, Dropbox and Spotifythe entire Windows way of doing things — with locally installed programs and local file storage — is totally outdated.
Why is that a problem? Plus the way Windows manages installed software and hardware has always been a problem. For most people, the simplest way to solve Windows problems is to ditch Windows altogether, and switch to a faster, more reliable, more secure, easier to use and cheaper operating system….
Google Windows 10 disk usage 100 after startup free. ChromeOS feels much like Windows, but instead of installing heaps of programs to email, chat, browse the internet, write documents, do school presentations, create spreadsheets, and whatever else you normally do on a computer, you use web windows 10 disk usage 100 after startup free. I'm a technical writer for Driver Easy. Before finding my love for writing tech posts, I had passion for technology goes back much further.
I love tinkering with computers, smartphones, and other tech toys. I write articles to help people solve their problems, whether it's a hardware issue or system error. I'm inspired when my articles are of help, and that's what I have been aiming for. All I diskk every windows 10 disk usage 100 after startup free is to write articles that are easy to read, and I do hope you find instructions in my posts easy to follow.
To stratup Driver Easy Click. Sophie Luo Last Updated: 4 months ago. Type in the following command: net. But with the Pro version it takes just windows 10 disk usage 100 after startup free clicks and you get full support and a day money back guarantee : 1 Download and install Driver Easy. If you need any assistance, please contact Reimage support: Phone: Email: support reimageplus.
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