Disk reads 100% = nothing can open or run

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  1. Posts : 54
    Windows 10/64
       #1

    Disk reads 100% = nothing can open or run


    4 days ago, I ran all of the security software
    that was recommended to me and my computer
    was clean - or so I thought.

    Nothing would run - nothing would open.

    I checked task manager and it showed my
    disk at 100%. -

    CPU also shoots up to 100% and
    bounces up and down.

    I ran https://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/ on all
    of my computers and it found more malware/viruses, etc.

    But, eset crashed before completion on each computer

    I recently installed Kaspersky Internet Security on all
    of my computers (NOT at all happy that it didn't catch
    these malware,etc.)

    Here's the list of tools that were recommended to me

    msert
    rkill
    mbar
    TFC
    JRT

    Somewhere in there is also MSSSTools
    and end with ADW Cleaner

    I ran ADW Cleaner on all computers last night - several
    times and ADW reported no malware.

    however, Disk keeps jumping up to 100% and CPU is
    frequently high, as well (with nothing really running)

    OS- Windows 10/64

    Does any of this give any clues to what might be
    going on on my PC?

    Any recommendations on what to do next?

    Thank you many bunches in advance

    Karen
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 39,789
    Win 7 32, Win 7 64 Pro, Win 8.1 64 Pro, Win 10 64 Education Edition, Win 11 Pro
       #2

    There is a good tool called Process Explorer, it's free & it will show you all the processes running, as well as other useful information. You can d/l it here & hopefully helps you see what the offending program/process is.

    Process Explorer

    The Process Explorer display consists of two sub-windows. The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'll see the handles that the process selected in the top window has opened; if Process Explorer is in DLL mode you'll see the DLLs and memory-mapped files that the process has loaded. Process Explorer also has a powerful search capability that will quickly show you which processes have particular handles opened or DLLs loaded.


    The unique capabilities of Process Explorer make it useful for tracking down DLL-version problems or handle leaks, and provide insight into the way Windows and applications work.
    Another scanner that it wouldn't hurt to run would be TDSSKiller to check for the possibility of rootkits.

    TDSSKiller Download

    Note   Note
    When running TDSSKiller, launch the program, click on the blue text "Change Parameters" & check the box marked "Detect TDLFS File system." Click OK & then run the scan.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 39,789
    Win 7 32, Win 7 64 Pro, Win 8.1 64 Pro, Win 10 64 Education Edition, Win 11 Pro
       #3

    @kstavert, there is an option on Process Explorer you can use to check your running processes through VirusTotal to see if any are malware.

    To do this, launch Process explorer, click on options, then VirusTotal.com & click Check VirusTotal.com. Accept the agreement, a new column will appear on the L side and if any suspicions processes are found, they will be in red. Click on the red numbers, which will take you to the Virus Total page & show what malware may be running.

    Hope this helps.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 54
    Windows 10/64
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thank you many bunches...

    I downloaded/ran process explorer and
    it didn't find anything untoward.

    Also ran Kaspersky TDSSKiller and it
    also found nothing.

    Still have no idea why Disk jumps to
    100% and nothing will move or run...

    Any other ideas? Kitty fur in the PC?
    The chipmunks are running too fast?

    Thank you for your help and suggestions

    Karen
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 39,789
    Win 7 32, Win 7 64 Pro, Win 8.1 64 Pro, Win 10 64 Education Edition, Win 11 Pro
       #5

    kstavert said:
    Thank you many bunches...

    I downloaded/ran process explorer and
    it didn't find anything untoward.

    Also ran Kaspersky TDSSKiller and it
    also found nothing.

    Still have no idea why Disk jumps to
    100% and nothing will move or run...

    Any other ideas? Kitty fur in the PC?
    The chipmunks are running too fast?

    Thank you for your help and suggestions

    Karen
    Well, if it's been a while since you cleaned it out there could be a problem there. Not unusual to find cat hair on the PC occasionally for me.

    When running Process explorer, it should be showing idle time as well as how much percentage of resources are being used by processes under the CPU column. If you watch that, have a look & see if any of the processes are using resources during the jump in disk usage. That might help you track down what is doing it.

    Other causes could be malware, your Anti Virus or MS programs accessing the disk to write a save file or scanning it. It's hard to say but with the explorer you have the best chance of finding what process is having high usage. Anything with a high usage during the spike in disk activity should show up there.

    You've run the recommended software to scan for malware & found nothing. That doesn't mean malware isn't there, but if this is not caused by malware, then perhaps Kaspersky is the cause. Not sure if it's 100% compatible with 10, it should be by now, but I've seen some posts in the past suggesting it has/had problems.

    Disk reads 100% = nothing can open or run-capture.png
    Last edited by Borg 386; 03 Dec 2016 at 15:02.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 1,026
    Win10 Version 21H2 19044.1645
       #6

    4 Tips to Fix 100% Disk Usage Improve Windows Performance


    Win10 is noted for causing high disk usage. The above link worked for me, though my issues were not as severe as yours seem. You can google "high disk usage Win10" for more info.

    You may want to remove (at least temporarily) Kaspersky to see if it makes a difference. Doing a Reset and saving your files may be a final option.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 824
    Win10/64 Pro 1511 (and 2 Win 7/64 Ult & Pro systems)
       #7

    Hi:

    1) What product and version of Kaspersky are you running -- KAV/KIS/KTS and 2016 or 2017?

    2) Also, did you fully and cleanly remove any/all prior AV and Security Suite software (using the vendor's removal tool) before you installed Kaspersky?
    (KL products are quite finicky about leftovers and remnants -- especially drivers -- of other AVs and incompatible security programs.)

    3) What other real-time security applications do you have (anti-malware, anti-exploit, etc.)?

    Thanks,
    MM
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 54
    Windows 10/64
    Thread Starter
       #8

    torre said:
    4 Tips to Fix 100% Disk Usage Improve Windows Performance


    Win10 is noted for causing high disk usage. The above link worked for me, though my issues were not as severe as yours seem. You can google "high disk usage Win10" for more info.

    You may want to remove (at least temporarily) Kaspersky to see if it makes a difference. Doing a Reset and saving your files may be a final option.

    Thank you many bunches for this info...

    Learning lots of wonderful things to fix the strangled
    computer and now, just learned some things about why
    my amazing, (used to be) superfast SSD is also limping
    along :)

    On the machine that has 100% disc usage, there
    are a whole lot of this sort of thing at the top of
    task scheduler:
    {85497B30-C5C0-4714-A4BE-4F052EAA024B

    Two are for adobe acrobat and adobe flash (I
    thought that flash was going to be gone by
    Windows 10???) I do not use Acrobat at all.
    Should I disable Flash?

    there are no disc defrags set.

    a bunch of Google Update taks.....

    I was told that, when I installed Kaspersky, Windows
    Security (mssessentials) would just cease..

    it was the only AntiVirus I was using at the time...
    kept getting virus infections so, Windows Security
    was not doing its job. Not any more impressed with
    Kaspersky, either ;(

    anyone have any anti virus software recommendations?

    Kaspersky is rather a PITB (or, PITA)

    On to more investigating... thank you so very much

    Karen
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 54
    Windows 10/64
    Thread Starter
       #9

    MoxieMomma said:
    Hi:

    1) What product and version of Kaspersky are you running -- KAV/KIS/KTS and 2016 or 2017?

    2) Also, did you fully and cleanly remove any/all prior AV and Security Suite software (using the vendor's removal tool) before you installed Kaspersky?
    (KL products are quite finicky about leftovers and remnants -- especially drivers -- of other AVs and incompatible security programs.)

    3) What other real-time security applications do you have (anti-malware, anti-exploit, etc.)?

    Thanks,
    MM
    Kaspersky is Total Security 17.0.0.611

    Just purchased at the end of October 2016

    Didn't uninstall msssessentials ... was told that
    it's part of the OS of Windows 10???

    Kaspersky is now the only real time "protection"
    my computers have...

    I'm definitely open to suggestions... having to
    stop using any of my computers because they are
    infected takes way too much time out of my days...

    thank you
    Karen
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 824
    Win10/64 Pro 1511 (and 2 Win 7/64 Ult & Pro systems)
       #10

    kstavert said:
    Kaspersky is Total Security 17.0.0.611

    Just purchased at the end of October 2016

    Didn't uninstall msssessentials ... was told that
    it's part of the OS of Windows 10???
    As you are on Windows 10, I think you refer to Windows Defender, the built-in anti-virus that comes with Win10?
    (Microsoft Security Essentials is a similar, "standalone" MS AV, but it's not for Win10.)


    Kaspersky is now the only real time "protection"
    my computers have...
    When you installed KTS, it ought to have disabled WD during the installation process.
    However, there was an update to WD (perhaps with Win10 Anniversary Update) that configures WD to run "background" scans even when there's another installed AV. This is not supposed to conflict with 3rd-party AVs.

    You still might want to check that WD is fully disabled.
    Here's how:
    Windows Defender - Turn On or Off in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

    I'm definitely open to suggestions... having to
    stop using any of my computers because they are
    infected
    takes way too much time out of my days...
    If you are having problems with multiple computers in the same household, then that suggests that there is something they all have in common, such as a netoworking problem (including hardware, such as a shared router or modem), or perhaps a 3rd-party application installed on all of them, or even malware.

    For the record, KAV/KIS/KTS run just fine under Win10.
    However, for troubleshooting purposes, it's not unreasonable to fully uninstall KTS temporarily.
    You may want to make it a full, clean uninstall, including even activation data.
    Make sure you have your license info handy and available before you uninstall, because the clean removal will wipe that info from the computer. You will need to re-enter it later when/if you reinstall KTS.

    When you uninstall KTS, you might have to turn WD back on, in order to have real-time AV protection.
    Sometimes, WD doesn't turn itself back on, especially if the 3rd-party AV is not fully removed.
    Here's help with that:
    Windows Defender - Turn On or Off in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
    Windows Defender Real-time Protection - Turn On or Off in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

    If the problem resolves with KTS uninstalled, then you have your explanation (although I think it's unlikely).
    If the problem remains with KTS uninstalled, then deeper work will be needed -- this will likely entail collecting some basic diagnostic logs from the system. As we are not in front of your computer, the logs help us to have a "peek" at what might be going on. That often facilitates guidance as to how to proceed (malware cleanup, system configuration changes, hardware fixes, conflicting software removal, etc.).
    I suspect that this might be malware-related, but we don't have enough data at this point to say for sure.

    Those are just my inexpert recommendations.

    Thanks,
    MM
      My Computer


 

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