How do I fix a slow PC with 50% disk usage but 100% on the main HDD?

Unionfan · 09 Oct 2018

Hi. i've seen multiple posts on the 100% disk issue and tried all of the previously suggested actions (disabling search, superfetch etc and all that). I had no 'slow' disk issues at all as MS updates seem to have rectified the situation in the Spring of 2018 for us. However, since a September Windows 10 update, we are slow to boot up and slow-running again. When I access the task manager, processes tab, I see disk usage at 50% rather than the previous 100% give-away...

But when I look at the Performance tab, Disk 0 C: (the main hard drive of my machine) is operating at 100% nearly all of the time...

Does anyone have any thoughts on how to fix this issue please a the general running speed and in particular the boot up speed has deteriorated significantly. And in advance, I'm grateful for all suggestions but please don't suggest buying an SSD as I'm looking for a way of undoing whatever problems MS has caused again rather than having to pay several hundred Euros to fix faults they caused.

Cheers
UF

dalchina · 09 Oct 2018

Hi, welcome to tenforums.

1. First check your disk(s):
Download and run Hard Disk Sentinel (trial) (includes SSDs)
This gives exceptionally good text comments
Post a screenshot of its GUI using the Insert Image icon above your post.
If all disks are reported as good, continue.

2. Now check your file system:

From an admin command or powershell prompt
[Windows key + X, click command prompt (admin)]
chkdsk C: /F
Your PC will need to restart.
Post back the result, which you can get after a restart as follows:
Read Chkdsk Log in Event Viewer in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials
or
How to read Event Viewer log for Chkdsk in Windows 10 [Tip] | dotTech

We need screenshots of your task manager & resource monitor clearly showing which processes are responsible please.

Complete your specs including disk details (see mine for comparison - click My Computer below my post).

Which version of Windows are you running?
Windows key + R, winver

Please try a clean boot, and compare performance. Post screenshots as appropriate.

How much free space do you have on C: ?
Have you made any amendments to the Page File settings?

Unionfan · 09 Oct 2018

Thanks Dalchina I will try and get all this information to you...

Can you point me in the right direction to find all the 'My Computer' info you have listed please? And 'clean boot' is a foreign language to me... can't help there I'm afraid without more assistance.

Speak soon
UF

dalchina · 09 Oct 2018

Thanks. Google is very good at foreign languages.

How do I fix a slow PC with 50% disk usage but 100% on the main HDD?-1.jpg

Or see the Tutorial section
Windows 10 Tutorial Index | Windows 10 Tutorials
and search for 'clean boot'
Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts | Windows 10 Tutorials

You can get a lot of info from your Device Manager, and by Windows key + R, msinfo for example.
Or you can use a free prog like this:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums | Windows 10 Tutorials

Unionfan · 09 Oct 2018

OK... here is everything except for the clean boot which I will do later and report back:

My Computer updated and saved on my profile so all the info should be there

Screenshots below:

Task Manager Performance and Processes...

How do I fix a slow PC with 50% disk usage but 100% on the main HDD?-performance.jpg

How do I fix a slow PC with 50% disk usage but 100% on the main HDD?-processes.jpg

HD Sentinel report...

Chkdsk results...

How do I fix a slow PC with 50% disk usage but 100% on the main HDD?-chkdsk-results-3.jpg

How do I fix a slow PC with 50% disk usage but 100% on the main HDD?-chkdsk-results-4.jpg

The page files are set to be auto-managed by Windows and there is 211GB of space on the 500GB hard drive.

If you need anything else, please shout as the speed of this machine is now a problem.

Thanks of course in advance
UF

dalchina · 09 Oct 2018

Thanks, great your disks are fine.

Defender is the issue from your task manager, plus your disk transfer rate isn't fantastic, which is what the 100% usage refers to.

My personal approach has been to install a 3rd party AV. You can try researching high disk usage due to Defender, but on two PCs I simply installed Avast (free).

You should be able to get temporary control by disabling Defender - if you do so purely from its GUI, after a few hours it enables itself again.

I believe there were issues with Defender scanning parts of itself, needing exclusions to be configured. E.g.
High CPU usage from Windows Defender - Windows 10 Forums

How to Fix High Windows Defender Disk Activity When Using Mozilla Firefox

Unionfan · 09 Oct 2018

OK I will look at that Dalchina, thanks. The only reason I went back to using Defender, having been a happy Kaspersky user for years, was because various other forums stated that Windows 10 was deliberately built to not work well with non-MS products. I switched back to Defender and everything was quicker... for a while... :-(

The clean boot didn't make that much of a difference as far as I could see but One Drive does keep popping back into my startup programmes every time there is a W10 update ;-)
Have a great rest of the week
UF

dalchina · 09 Oct 2018

Given that it's apparently Defender related a clean boot probably wouldn't. Good luck with resolving it.