100 percent disk load. What to do if there is a heavy load on the disk

09.08.2018

One of the common reasons for a slow computer is the full use of hard drive resources, and this problem can occur immediately after the system boots, when you have not yet launched any application.

What to do if the disk is 100% loaded

Actually, this is what this problem looks like in the task manager.

Disable file indexing

This solution is especially relevant if you are using an old hard drive.

  1. Open “This PC” through the “Start” menu, a shortcut on the desktop, or the “Win ​​+ E” key combination.
  2. Click on to the required section and open the "Properties" item. Most often, the cause of a full disk load is system partition(Drive C:), but we recommend disabling indexing for all partitions.
  3. In the window that opens, you need to uncheck the box next to “Allow content indexing...” and click “Apply”.
  4. In the next window, check the box next to “To the disk and all attachments..” and click “Ok”.
  5. Wait for the new settings to apply to all files and folders.
  6. Repeat the procedure for all partitions and restart your computer. Add this article to your bookmarks so you don’t waste time searching for it after a reboot.

This was enough for my patient. Disk utilization dropped to three percent.


If you also get a satisfactory result, we recommend that you do not stop there and follow all the steps from this guide in order to avoid the appearance of a full disk load in the future.

Disable Disk Optimization Service

It would seem that this service should help the hard drive work, but if you have an old HHD with the service active, problems with system performance are guaranteed.

  1. Click “Start” and open “Services”.
  2. In the window that opens, find the “SuperFetch” service.

  3. First you need to stop this service. To do this, right-click on the service and select “Stop”.

  4. Then right-click on the service and open “Properties”.

  5. In the window that opens, set the parameters as in the image below and click “Apply”.

Hard drive defragmentation

Your hard drive may be severely fragmented. In this case, the files of a program are scattered throughout the disk and to launch it we receive additional load on the disk. You can correct the situation using defragmentation.

  1. Open “This PC” and open “properties” by right-clicking on the desired section.
  2. Go to the "Service" tab.
  3. In the “Optimization and Defragmentation” section, click on the “Optimize” button.
  4. In the window that opens, you will see a list of all partitions and the degree of their fragmentation.

  5. First, let's analyze all sections. Select the sections one by one and click “Analyze”.
  6. Wait for the analysis to complete. If the fragmentation of a partition is more than 5%, select this partition and click “optimize”.
  7. We wait for the process to complete and repeat the procedure for all partitions whose fragmentation is more than five percent.

We reboot the computer, wait for the full load and look at the disk load. After the system starts, the disk load should not exceed 10%.

Checking and fixing errors using CHKDSK

You have already seen this utility work more than once during system startup. Before launch windows checks will offer to skip the test by pressing any button for 10 seconds.


Then you need to reboot and wait until the disk errors are checked and corrected. This procedure can take quite a long time.

If you open the Windows 10 task manager and see in the processes that the disk is 100% loaded, something is causing an overload hard drive. Your computer starts to slow down to the point of being almost unusable, and you wonder what you did wrong. The answer is nothing! This problem may occur on its own. But the good news is that this problem can be easily solved.

8 Ways to Fix 100% Disk Usage Problem in Windows 10

Here are some methods that have helped other users solve the disk problem in Windows 10 100%. You may not need to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find one that works for you.

Method 1: Disable Windows Search

Temporarily disable Windows search

Windows Search is a Windows feature that makes searching for files on your computer much faster. If you don't use it at all or have another search app, you can disable it completely. Disabling this service will stop indexing all files. But you will still have access to search, which will take longer.

Here's how to temporarily disable Windows Search and find out if this is the cause of the hard drive being loaded at 100 percent. (Note that Windows Search will turn on after you restart your computer.)

Check if your disk usage and your computer's performance improves. If this method helps, you can permanently disable Windows Search as described below. If it doesn't help, go to method 2.

Permanently disable Windows search

If you find that Windows Search is causing 100% disk usage error in Windows 10, you can disable Windows Search permanently:

Method 2: Update your device drivers

If the above steps do not solve the 100% disk usage issue in Windows 10, it may be caused by a device driver.

You can automatically update all device drivers to the latest correct version using Driver Booster.

Driver Booster will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don't have to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don't have to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don't have to worry about installation errors.

Method 3: Disable SuperFetch

SuperFetch helps reduce loading times and improve program loading efficiency. However, it has been identified as a potential cause of disk performance issues in Windows 8 and later versions of Windows, including Windows 10. Here's how to stop this service:

If the disk usage issue is not 100% resolved, then try the next method below.

Method 4: Perform a disk check

Method 5: Reset virtual memory

Virtual memory can be considered an extension of your computer's physical memory. It's a combination random access memory and parts of your hard drive. If there is not enough RAM to complete a task, Windows temporarily stores files in virtual memory, and then, if necessary, returns them back to RAM.

To reset virtual memory:

  1. On your keyboard, press the + Pause/Break key. Then select " Extra options systems" in the left panel.

  2. Go to the Advanced tab, then click Options under Performance.

  3. Go to the Advanced tab again and select Change... under the Virtual Memory section.
  4. Make sure that the "Automatically select paging file size" checkbox for all drives is NOT checked.

  5. Select the drive (hard drive or partition where Windows is installed, usually the C: drive), and enter the initial size and maximum size of virtual memory:
    • Initial size - This value varies depending on your computer. If you are not sure which value to use, simply enter any number from the Recommended category.
    • Maximum Size - Do not set this value too high. This should be about 1.5 times your physical RAM. For example, a PC with 4 GB (4096 MB) of RAM should have no more than approximately 6.144 MB of virtual memory (4096 MB x 1.5). After entering the virtual memory values, click Install, then click OK to continue.
  6. Clear all temporary files on your computer. On your keyboard, press the +R key, then in the Run window, type temp and press Enter. This will open Windows Explorer with the Temp folder open and show you all the temporary files on your computer.

  7. Select all the files in the Temp folder and delete them.
  8. Check your computer's disk usage: Open Task Manager, then in the Processes tab, look at the % at the top of the Disk column. If it's no longer 100%, you've fixed the problem!
    If the disk usage issue is not 100% resolved, then try the next method below.

Method 6: Temporarily disable your antivirus

If you have installed antivirus or antivirus programs, such as Norton, Kaspersky, AVG, Avast Behavior Shield or Malwarebytes, you should disable or disable them temporarily to see if they are causing problems with your disk usage.

Please note that Microsoft has its own default antivirus program, Windows Defender. It turns on automatically even if you also have other antivirus applications installed. Even if you disable other antivirus programs, Windows Defender will always be there for you for a certain period of time. Therefore, there is no need to worry too much about temporarily disabling your antivirus.

After you've turned off your antivirus, check your computer's disk usage: Open Task Manager, then in the Processes tab, look at the % at the top of the Disk column. If it is no longer 100%, you have fixed the problem!

If the disk usage issue is not 100% resolved, then try the next method below.

Method 7: Change Google Chrome and Skype Settings

For some Windows users 10 a specific combination of Skype browser settings and Google Chrome is causing the 100% disk usage issue in Windows 10. Here's how to fix these settings (note that the wording in different versions Chrome may be slightly different):


If the disk usage issue is not 100% resolved, then try the next method below.

Method 8: Fix your StorAHCI.sys driver

The 100 percent disk utilization issue in Windows 10 can also be caused by some Advanced PCI-Express Host Controller Interface (AHCI PCIe) models running the StorAHCI.sys inbox driver due to a firmware error.

Here's how to determine if this is your problem and fix it:

Please write in the comments which method helped you, and maybe you know other methods, share, we will definitely add to the article mentioning you as the author of a method for solving the problem with 100 percent disk load in the task manager.

Users who have been working with a computer for a long time have often encountered the problem of the hard drive being 100% loaded. This can happen at any time Windows versions. Therefore, in this article I will tell you why the disk can be 100% loaded in Windows 10, and what options there are to fix the problem.

Why is the disk loaded at 100% in Windows 10

Reasons why the disk is 100% loaded in Windows 10:

  1. System update.
  2. Services Windows systems Search and Superfetch.
  3. Processes svchost systems and system.
  4. Disk fragmentation.
  5. Presence of bad sectors.
  6. Process loads of third-party applications.

First of all, pay attention to which processes load the disk at 100%. Based on this, it is easier to identify the malfunction:

What to do if the disk is 100% loaded

If the disk is 100% loaded, one of the following options will help:

  • system update;
  • backup;
  • virus removal;
  • setting up Windows services.

System update

A common cause of the problem may be downloading updates. In the Task Manager, in the “Processes” tab, the Service Node responsible for updating can load the system. If it's Windows Update, just wait until the update finishes. To prevent the OS from downloading updates every time they come out, you can defer updates:


If you configured the function Reserve copy in archiving services, data copying processes can load the disk. To change archiving settings:


Windows services and processes

Sometimes, the OS services themselves can load the hard drive.

Windows Search Engine

The Windows Search service is responsible for searching and indexing files. The processes of this service are called SearchIndexer.exe and Searchfilterhost.exe. There are times when search system loops and the hard disk load is observed at 100%. Rebooting and a new search does not save the situation. In this case, you need to disable the fault manually:


If the load has decreased, then the cause has been eliminated and no further actions need to be taken. Over time, if the disk load appears again, you need to completely disable the service. The appearance of such a malfunction is typical when the computer uses an old hard drive or there are problems with file indexing. To disable:


Advice! With the service disabled, you won't be able to search in File Explorer. However, disabling the service will reduce the load on the system, which will be useful for older PCs.

Superfetch service and svchost process

The Superfetch service is used to maintain and improve system performance. The service runs inside the svchost system process and monitors which applications you use most often to preload them into system memory. In addition, the service is responsible for the process.

With this functionality, frequently used applications load faster. But to preload programs, the service consumes a lot of resources and can put a strain on your hard drive. To disable:


If svchost continues to load the system even after rebooting the PC, read the material:.

Process System

If the System process is under significant load, and disabling the above-mentioned services does not bring any results, the process may simply not have enough permissions.

It is difficult to determine how the permissions of the ntoskrnl.exe file (kernel operating system, which starts the system process) and the disk load is 100%, however, this may help. To add rights:


Important! Check how processes behave in , to find out if the problem is caused by a third-party application/service.

Disk loading 100% due to viruses

It is possible that your computer has been infected. In the Task Manager, in the “Details” tab, define the “Username”. System files"system", "svchost", etc. must be signed: SYSTEM, LOCAL SERVICE, NETWORK SERVICE. If they are signed with your username, I recommend checking Windows 10 for viruses. Both and free scanners, like Dr.Web CureIt! or Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool.

Hardware

The reason for the disk loading at 100% in idle mode may be the hardware of the computer or laptop itself. It could be:


If you have any questions or any points from the article are not clear, write about it in the comments. I and other Windows 10 users will try to help.

Switching to a new OS brings pleasant opportunities, but one of the widespread problems is that in Windows 10 the hard drive can be 100% loaded. Users are sounding the alarm and don’t know what to do. Let's look at the causes and methods to eliminate them.

Looking for reasons

The OS is clean and free of viruses, but for some reason in the task manager the hard drive is loaded at 100%. Let's sort the processes in descending order in the "Disk" column; if this is not a newly installed program, then let's go look for answers in the Windows processes themselves.

As a result of executing the command, the service will be temporarily suspended and, accordingly, the process will go into a loop - this may be a solution when the disk is loaded to 100 percent in Windows 10. But to prevent repetition, you can disable indexing in the services - if this is not critical for you, this will obviously slow down the search for files and folders. You can disable it by going to “Control Panel” → “Administration” → “Services” → find “Windows Search” → first click “Stop” → in the startup type select “Disabled” → OK. text_7/screenshot_4 and 5

  • If the situation has not changed, move on. Perhaps the virus is affecting processes and this may be the answer to the question “Why is the disk loaded at 100% in Windows 10?” Conduct an in-depth analysis of yours and additionally use the Dr.WebCureIT utility - it downloads quickly, does not require installation and is free.
  • The next reason may be the antivirus itself. Observe, a deep scheduled disk scan is probably underway, but if this happens constantly, select other software to protect your PC.
  • A fairly common reason is broken disk, so the operating system instrumentation tries to carry out a check and slows down all other processes. Have you ever had a black screen before loading the OS? If yes, then this check disk (abbreviated as chkdsk) built into Windows 10 checks file system your hard drive for errors, as a result of which it is constantly loaded at 100 percent. Of course, you can disable it, but maybe it’s worth looking into the root cause and only then removing it from the task scheduler.

How else can I remove disk loading to 100% in Windows 10?

  • You need drivers! Many people began to install the OS on their own, but as for the drivers, users consider it sufficient to install for sound, video, webcam, etc., but they do not install the really necessary drivers, apparently they do not like the file names or they do not understand them. This happens with chipset drivers. motherboard with both ACHI and Storage Tool. The answer is simple, install them - go to the manufacturer’s website and download for free.
  • Defragmentation will help if the disk is 99 percent loaded in Windows 10! How long have you not optimized your drives? If you can’t even remember, go ahead! Endless copying, deleting, downloading lead to complete chaos of clusters, and when accessing file hard rushing around in search.
  • Are you using cloud services data storage? If yes, then the “Synchronization” checkbox is probably ticked. Notice how much information is leaked at this moment. If at this moment the disk is 100 percent loaded, then the answer to the question of what to do is obvious! Disable automatic download and use manual mode– put it on at night or when you are not at home.
  • Another tip on how to reduce heavy workload Windows disk 10. Torrents are our everything! Yes? You not only download, you also distribute, use the program when you are not at the computer and leave not 10 downloads running, but 2-3, depending on the configuration of your PC.

What to do if the hard drive is 100 percent loaded?

Perhaps updates give such a load. Again, if the screw is not in the best condition, the processor is weak - you can spend hours on this. Let's see how many hidden and unnecessary updates there are and how to disable them. “Settings” → “Update & Security” → “Center” windows control» → “Advanced settings” → uncheck “When Windows update provide updates for other Microsoft products."


Next, go to the “App Store” → select your account and “Settings” → in application updates, switch to “Off.”



They began to notice that when starting windows 10 loading your disk at 100 percent busy with something? The reason may be unwanted files in startup - go there: ++ → “More details” (may not be, depending on the settings) → “StartUp” carefully study the contents. TO ak? To remove unwanted applications without harming the OS, use software designed for this, for example: “CCleaner”, “AutoRuns”, “Ashampoo WinOptimizer Free”, etc.

On your Windows 10 laptop, the disk is loading at 100% and you don't know why? The reason may be the Superfetch service and the Svchost system process, the task of which is to optimize their operation. The principle is as follows: the most frequently used programs and applications are analyzed and begin loading into system memory in advance in order to. Quite a few resources are required, which is why the load occurs. You can disable it in “Services” → “Superfetch” → in properties select “Stop” → and in startup type “Disable” → OK.

If the disk is 100% loaded in the system process, then perhaps there are not enough rights and they need to be added, the relationship with the rights “ntoskrnl” - the OS kernel, has been proven by its action. So, “Task Manager” → “Processes” → right-click on “System” → “Open file location” → right-click “ntoskrnl.exe” → “Properties” → “Security” tab → “Advanced” → “All application packages” and you need to tick all the boxes.

We have looked at various reasons why your PC is running at 100%. You can read how to find out « » . Perhaps one tool will help, or maybe you need to carry out a set of optimization works. In any case, do not forget that the system must be maintained in proper condition. Modern software provides a choice, given that most are freely available and have a free license.

Operating room users Windows systems 10 increasingly began to notice that after updates the disk is loaded to the maximum. And even after the installation of all applications is completed, the workload does not subside. Loading disk 100 Windows 10 - there is a solution to this problem, and more than one.

Possible reasons

There are several common reasons for a disk being 100% loaded in Windows 10:

  • There is a looping process in the OS.
  • The process of backing up data to third-party media or to the cloud is in progress.
  • Disks are fragmented.
  • There are bad sectors on the disk.
  • Working third party applications and programs that heavily load the system.
  • The load comes from such service systems as Windows Search and Superfetch.
  • Incorrect operation of drivers.
  • System processes svchost and system.

How to check what exactly is loading the disk

To check what exactly is loading the disk so much, you need to do the following:


The column will display actions that heavily load the disk. As a rule, disabling them directly in the dispatcher will help reduce the load.

Solutions to the problem

There are several methods to fix the problem. It happens that the load is asymptomatic, that is, all processes are suspended, not a single application is running, but the load is present. In this case, it is recommended to try all methods, they will help identify the main cause of the problem.

Disable Windows Search

This service helps you search for files on your PC. But it happens that it is she who loads the disk so much. To disable it you need to do this:

  1. Enter and execute the command net.exe stop“Windows search”.

This will help disable the service for a while. It will work again after rebooting the device. If it is this that loads the disk, you can turn it off completely. To do this you need to click VIN+R and enter the command services.msc . Find Windows Search in Services. Double click on it and in the parameter "Startup type" put "Disabled".

Deactivating Message Signaled Interrupt mode

To solve the problem, you need to reproduce the following steps:

  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Expand the list of controllers. Double click on AHCI.
  3. Go to the driver tab and view the information.
  4. Open tab "InformationI» and see the way. Copy it into notepad.
  5. Open utility "Run" using a key combination VIN+R. Enter the regedit command.
  6. In the registry, find HKEYLOCALMACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Enum/PCI/“copied path”.
  7. Expand line DeviceParameters/InterruptManagement/MessageSignaledInterruptProperties.
  8. Double click on « MSISupported» and adjust the value to zero. Save changes.

To disable hints, you need to follow the instructions:


Disable Windows updates

You can disable updates in the following way:


Fixing incorrect operation of AHCI drivers

If the driver does not work correctly, it needs to be updated. You can do it this way:

  1. Go to the official website of the computer motherboard manufacturer. Go to section "DriverA» .
  2. Find the SATA(RAID) type driver and download the file.
  3. In some cases, the downloaded document will be an installer and you just need to run it.
  4. But sometimes these are just drivers and you need to install them in a different way. To do this, you need to open the archive and move all the documents to another folder with a convenient path.
  5. Go to device manager and right-click on "Standard SATA controller". Select item "Update drivers".
  6. Select search for drivers on the device. And in the window that opens, specify the path to the folder with them.
  7. Wait for the update and reboot the system.

Command line

Windows has a service that collects performance data and sends it to Microsoft. To disable it you need to do the following:

  1. Run command prompt as administrator.
  2. Enter the wpr –cancel command and execute it.

It is worth noting that the service will resume operation after a system reboot.

Disk properties

Certain disk properties can also overload systems. To fix the problem you need to do this:


Telemetry

To reduce the telemetry level you will need to do the following:


Deactivating the diagnostic service

To disable this service you must follow the instructions:

  1. Click on menu "Start" by clicking on the right mouse button.
  2. Go to "Computer Management".
  3. Go to "Services and Applications".
  4. Then go to the tab "Services".
  5. Select from the list "Diagnostic Service Node" And "Diagnostic system unit".
  6. Double-click on each line and select "Load Type" How "Disabled".
  7. Save changes.

Disable SuperFetch

This service is designed to improve system performance. But in some cases, its operation only overloads the device. To disable it, you need to do the following:

  1. Open utility Command line on behalf of the administrator.
  2. Enter the command net.exe stop superfetch.
  3. Check in the dispatcher to see if the load has changed.
  4. Then start the process hard checks disk damage using the chkdsk.exe / f / r command.
  5. As soon as the command completes, the device must be rebooted.

If the load does not decrease after shutting down the operating system process, then it is likely that the service is not causing the problem.

High Performance Mode

If the laptop uses a standard power mode, then you need to replace it with another one. To do this you need to click on the keys VIN+X. Choose "Power Management" and change it to "High Performance Mode".

The problem of disk loading at 100 percent on Windows 10 has several solutions. Instructions must be followed carefully. Also, some users overload their hard drive without realizing it. As a rule, it is enough to disable all third-party applications during updates and when they are finished, the load will go down. But in some cases, the disk becomes overloaded for other reasons that cannot be precisely determined. In this case, you need to try all methods.

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