Fix 100% Disk Usage by System in Windows 10

Are you experiencing 100% disk usage on your Windows 10 system?

Identify and remove unnecessary files or programs: Regularly review your system and uninstall any unused applications or delete unnecessary files to free up disk space. This can be done through the Control Panel on Windows or the Applications folder on macOS.

Restart Your System

Here’s how to restart your system:

1. Click on the “Start” button in the bottom left corner of your screen.
2. Select the “Power” option from the menu that appears.
3. Click on “Restart” from the drop-down menu.

Alternatively, you can use a keyboard shortcut to restart your system:

1. Press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys simultaneously.
2. Select the “Restart” option from the menu that appears.

Once your system restarts, check if the 100% disk usage problem persists. If it does, you may need to try other solutions such as adjusting your virtual memory settings, updating your drivers, or disabling certain services or programs that may be causing the issue.

Remember to regularly update your Windows operating system and run antivirus scans to ensure that your system is protected from malware and other security threats.

By restarting your system, you give it a fresh start and can potentially resolve the 100% disk usage problem.

A full system disk is like a crowded room, it leaves no space for new possibilities.

Update Windows

1. Open the Windows Start menu and search for “Windows Update”.
2. Click on “Windows Update settings” to open the settings page.
3. Click on “Check for updates” to search for the latest updates for your system.
4. If any updates are available, click on “Download and install” to start the update process.
5. Wait for the updates to be downloaded and installed. This may take some time depending on your internet speed and the size of the updates.
6. Once the updates are installed, restart your computer to apply the changes.

If updating Windows doesn’t resolve the 100% disk usage issue, you can try these additional steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Go to the “Processes” tab and look for any processes that are using a high amount of disk resources.
3. Right-click on the process and select “End task” to stop it. Be cautious and only end tasks that you are familiar with and know are safe to stop.
4. If you suspect malware or viruses, run a full scan with your antivirus software or use Microsoft Defender Antivirus if you don’t have any third-party antivirus software installed.
5. You can also try disabling Windows Search temporarily to see if it improves disk usage. Open the Services app by pressing Win + R and typing “services.msc”. Locate “Windows Search” in the list, right-click on it, and select “Properties”. Change the startup type to “Disabled” and click “Apply”.
6. Check for any software or driver updates that may be causing the issue. Visit the manufacturer’s website for your hardware or software and download the latest updates.
7. If the issue persists, you may need to perform a clean boot or seek further assistance from Microsoft support or a professional technician.

Disable Windows Search

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc or by right-clicking on the Taskbar and selecting “Task Manager.”

2. In Task Manager, click on the “Processes” tab and look for the “SearchUI.exe” or “SearchIndexer.exe” process. Right-click on it and select “End Task” to stop the process temporarily.

3. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type in “services.msc” and press Enter to open the Services window.

4. In the Services window, scroll down and find “Windows Search” in the list. Right-click on it and select “Properties.”

5. In the Properties window, click on the “General” tab. Under the “Startup type” section, select “Disabled.” Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

6. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

By disabling Windows Search, you can alleviate the 100% disk usage issue caused by the System process in Windows 10. Remember that this will disable the search functionality in Windows, but it can significantly improve system performance.

Note: If you ever want to re-enable Windows Search, follow the same steps and set the “Startup type” to “Automatic” in the Properties window of the Windows Search service.

python
import os

def get_directory_size(directory):
total_size = 0
for path, _, files in os.walk(directory):
for file in files:
file_path = os.path.join(path, file)
try:
total_size += os.path.getsize(file_path)
except OSError:
pass
return total_size

def format_size(size):
# Helper function to format size in a human-readable format
power = 2**10
n = 0
size_labels = ['B', 'KB', 'MB', 'GB', 'TB']
while size > power:
size /= power
n += 1
return f"{size:.2f} {size_labels[n]}"

def estimate_disk_usage(directory):
if not os.path.isdir(directory):
print(f"Error: {directory} is not a valid directory.")
return

total_size = get_directory_size(directory)
print(f"Estimated disk usage for '{directory}': {format_size(total_size)}")

# Usage example:
directory_path = '/path/to/directory'
estimate_disk_usage(directory_path)

Please replace `’/path/to/directory’` with the actual directory path you want to estimate the disk usage for. Keep in mind that this code only provides an approximation and may not reflect the exact system disk usage.

Check For Malware

Malware scan interface

If you are experiencing 100% disk usage by the system in Windows 10, it’s important to check for malware as it can significantly impact your computer’s performance. Malware refers to any malicious software that can harm your system, steal your personal data, or cause other issues.

To check for malware, follow these steps:

1. Open your preferred web browser (such as Microsoft Edge) and navigate to a trusted antivirus software website or use the built-in antivirus program, Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

2. Download and install the antivirus software if you don’t already have one. Make sure to choose a reputable and up-to-date program.

3. Once installed, launch the antivirus software and perform a full system scan. This will scan all files and processes on your computer for any potential malware infections.

4. During the scan, the antivirus software will detect and remove any malware it finds. Follow the prompts and instructions provided by the software to complete the removal process.

5. After the scan and removal process is complete, restart your computer to ensure any remaining traces of malware are fully eliminated.

By regularly checking for malware and keeping your antivirus software up to date, you can protect your computer from potential threats and maintain optimal performance.

Stop the Superfetch Service

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. In the Task Manager window, go to the “Services” tab.
3. Scroll down and find the “Superfetch” service.
4. Right-click on it and select “Stop” from the context menu.

Stopping the Superfetch service can help reduce disk usage and improve system performance. This service is responsible for preloading frequently used data into memory, but in some cases, it can cause high disk activity.

Please note that disabling Superfetch may have an impact on overall system performance, especially if you have a low amount of RAM. If you notice any negative effects, you can always re-enable the service by following the same steps and selecting “Start” instead of “Stop”.

Remember to restart your computer to apply the changes.

By stopping the Superfetch service, you can potentially resolve the issue of 100% disk usage by the system in Windows 10.

Change Energy Options from Balanced to High Performance

To fix 100% disk usage by system in Windows 10, you can change the energy options from balanced to high performance. This can help optimize your system’s performance and reduce disk usage. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open the Control Panel by pressing the Windows key and typing “Control Panel” then pressing Enter.
2. In the Control Panel, click on “Power Options.”
3. You will see a list of power plans. Click on the one that is currently selected (usually “Balanced”).
4. In the next window, click on “Change plan settings” next to the selected power plan.
5. On the following screen, click on “Change advanced power settings.”
6. A new window will open with advanced power settings. Scroll down until you find the “Hard disk” category and expand it.
7. Within the “Hard disk” category, you will see options for “Turn off hard disk after” and “Minimum processor state.” Change both of these options to “Never” or set them to higher values.
8. Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.
9. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

By changing the energy options to high performance, you are allowing your system to utilize more resources and prevent excessive disk usage. Remember that high performance mode may consume more energy, so it’s important to consider the impact on battery life if you’re using a laptop.

If you continue to experience 100% disk usage after making these changes, it may be due to other factors such as software conflicts or malware infections. Consider running a full system scan with a reliable antivirus program, updating your device drivers, or checking for any software bugs that could be causing the issue.

Temporarily Turn Off Your Antivirus Software

To fix 100% disk usage by system in Windows 10, temporarily turning off your antivirus software can help. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. In the Task Manager, go to the “Processes” tab.
3. Look for your antivirus software in the list of running processes.
4. Right-click on your antivirus process and select End Task. This will temporarily disable your antivirus.
5. Now, check if the disk usage has decreased. If it has, then your antivirus software may be causing the issue.
6. If the disk usage is still high, try disabling other unnecessary background processes or applications to identify the culprit.
7. Remember to re-enable your antivirus software once you have identified and resolved the issue.
8. It’s important to note that temporarily disabling your antivirus software leaves your system vulnerable to potential threats, so make sure to only do this for troubleshooting purposes and re-enable it as soon as possible.

By temporarily turning off your antivirus software, you can determine if it is causing the 100% disk usage problem. If you find that your antivirus software is indeed the cause, you may need to update it, change its settings, or consider switching to a different antivirus program to resolve the issue.

Reset Virtual Memory

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard.

2. Click on the “Performance” tab in the Task Manager.

3. In the “Performance” tab, click on “Open Resource Monitor” at the bottom.

4. In the Resource Monitor window, go to the “Memory” tab.

5. Under the “Physical Memory” section, click on “Commit (MB)” to sort the processes by their memory usage.

6. Identify the processes with high memory usage and note down their names.

7. Close the Resource Monitor and Task Manager.

8. Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard and select “System” from the menu.

9. In the System window, click on “Advanced system settings” on the left side.

10. In the System Properties window, go to the “Advanced” tab and click on the “Settings” button under the “Performance” section.

11. In the Performance Options window, go to the “Advanced” tab.

12. Under the “Virtual memory” section, click on the “Change” button.

13. Uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option.

14. Select your Windows drive (usually C:), and then select the “Custom size” option.

15. Set the initial size (MB) and maximum size (MB) to the recommended values, which can be found in the same window.

16. Click on “Set” and then “OK” to save the changes.

17. Restart your computer to apply the new virtual memory settings.

By resetting the virtual memory, you are allowing Windows to manage the memory usage more efficiently, which can help resolve the 100% disk usage issue.

Run Check Disk

Windows Check Disk interface

To fix 100% disk usage by the system in Windows 10, you can run the Check Disk utility. This tool scans and repairs file system errors on your hard disk drive, which can help resolve high disk usage issues.

To run Check Disk, follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator. You can do this by pressing the Windows key, typing “cmd,” right-clicking on Command Prompt, and selecting “Run as administrator.”

2. In the Command Prompt window, type “chkdsk /f /r” and press Enter. The “/f” parameter will fix any errors it finds, and the “/r” parameter will locate bad sectors and recover readable information.

3. You will be prompted to schedule a disk check for the next time you restart your computer. Type “Y” (for Yes) and press Enter.

4. Restart your computer. Check Disk will automatically run before Windows starts.

5. Wait for the scan to complete. This process may take some time, depending on the size and condition of your hard disk.

6. Once the scan is finished, your computer will boot into Windows. Check if the disk usage has decreased.

Running Check Disk can help resolve disk usage issues caused by file system errors or bad sectors on your hard disk drive. If the problem persists, you may need to further investigate other possible causes, such as software conflicts or malware infections. Consider using reliable antivirus software and performing a full system scan to ensure your computer’s security.

Change Settings in Google Chrome and Skype

To fix the issue of 100% disk usage by the system in Windows 10, you can make some changes to the settings in Google Chrome and Skype. Here’s how:

1. Open Google Chrome and click on the three dots in the top-right corner to access the menu.
2. From the menu, select “Settings”.
3. Scroll down and click on “Advanced” to expand the options.
4. Under the “Privacy and security” section, click on “Content settings”.
5. In the Content settings, click on “Cookies”.
6. Toggle the switch to block third-party cookies and site data.
7. Next, go back to the main settings page and click on “System” in the left sidebar.
8. Disable the option for “Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed”.

Moving on to Skype:

1. Open Skype and sign in to your account.
2. Click on your profile picture in the top-left corner.
3. From the menu, select “Settings”.
4. In the Settings window, go to the “Calling” tab.
5. Under the “Advanced” section, make sure the option for “Show call controls when Skype is in the background” is disabled.

By changing these settings in both Google Chrome and Skype, you can reduce the disk usage by the system and potentially alleviate the 100% disk usage issue in Windows 10. Remember to restart your computer after making these changes for them to take effect.

If you’re still experiencing high disk usage after following these steps, you may need to consider other troubleshooting methods, such as checking for software bugs, running a virus scan, or updating your drivers.

Uninstall Flash Player

1. Open the Control Panel by pressing the Windows key + X and selecting “Control Panel” from the menu.
2. In the Control Panel, click on “Programs” and then “Programs and Features”.
3. Scroll down and find “Adobe Flash Player” in the list of installed programs.
4. Right-click on “Adobe Flash Player” and select “Uninstall”.
5. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation process.
6. Once Flash Player is uninstalled, restart your computer.
7. After the restart, open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
8. In the Task Manager, click on the “Processes” tab.
9. Look for any processes related to Flash Player or high disk usage and end them by selecting them and clicking on “End Task” at the bottom right.
10. Check if the disk usage has decreased. If it hasn’t, continue troubleshooting with other methods.

By uninstalling Flash Player, you can eliminate any potential software bugs or conflicts that may be causing high disk usage. Additionally, removing Flash Player can enhance the security of your system as Flash has been phased out and is no longer supported by major web browsers like Microsoft Edge.

Remember, if you need to use Flash Player for specific websites or applications, consider using alternative solutions or updating to Windows 11, which natively supports HTML5 content and eliminates the need for Flash Player.

Uninstalling Flash Player can be a simple and effective solution to resolve 100% disk usage by System in Windows 10.

Wipe Hard Drive

A computer screen with a wiping or erasing symbol.

To fix 100% disk usage by the system in Windows 10, wiping the hard drive can be a solution. Wiping the hard drive will remove all data and settings, giving your system a fresh start.

Before proceeding with this process, it is important to back up any important data you have on your computer. Once you have done that, follow these steps:

1. First, open the Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key + X and selecting “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu.

2. In the Command Prompt window, type “diskpart” and press Enter.

3. Next, type “list disk” and press Enter. This will display a list of all the disks connected to your computer.

4. Identify the disk you want to wipe by looking at its size. Make sure you select the correct disk, as this process will permanently delete all data on it.

5. Once you have identified the correct disk, type “select disk [disk number]” and press Enter. Replace [disk number] with the number of the disk you want to wipe.

6. After selecting the disk, type “clean all” and press Enter. This command will start the wiping process. Be aware that this process may take a while, depending on the size of your disk.

7. Once the wiping process is complete, you can exit the Command Prompt by typing “exit” and pressing Enter.

Was this article helpful?
YesNo