Is your computer taking ages to load programs, websites, and files in Windows 10? Get it for AndroidMac. Get it for MacAndroid.
On the main dashboard, click on the Disk column to see all running processes sorted by disk usage. Make sure the arrow in the Disk column is pointing down. Look for items that appear orange and consume more than a few megabytes per second. Any process that takes more than 1 to 2 MB is a concern. If your Task Manager reveals something obvious, find the cure below. If you see any of the following items causing high disk usage in Task Manager, click on the link to jump down directly to the solution:.
Windows system Update Windows Your antivirus software Reinstall or update your antivirus software. A ton of apps running at the same time Close background applications. OneDrive, Dropbox, or another backup tool Reset or reinstall synchronization tools. Windows Search index Rebuild the Windows Search index. If Task Manager doesn't provide a clear answer, try these other solutions to reduce your disk usage:. With Windows 10 50 disk usage free download Manager identifying the processes causing high disk usage, the solution may be straightforward.
Windows 10 50 disk usage free download frequently releases Windows 10 updates that fix bugs and plug security holes. To update Windows 10, open the Start menu and click Settings. From there, select Updates and Security and initiate the update. Once your PC windows 10 50 disk usage free download and restarts, the problem should be fixed. Windows replaces tens of thousands of files when updating, so everything else will slow down during the update process. In some cases, Windows may even become unresponsive.
Windows updates usually download in the background and install automatically. If your disk usage spikes all of a sudden, Windows may have begun the update process. Wait until Windows finishes the installation, and your disk usage should come back down. Superfetch, or Service Host Superfetch, is a Windows feature introduced in Vista that analyzes your usage patterns, such as when you launch certain applications and windows 10 50 disk usage free download often.
Superfetch then preloads data from those programs into your memory. In most cases, this works quite well, especially on older hard disks.
Some users complain that Superfetch causes constant hard disk usage. To disable Superfetchpress the Windows and R keys at the same time. Type in services. Hit OK. Scroll down until you see SysMain. Under Startup typewindows 10 50 disk usage free download Disabled and hit OK. Reboot your system and see if performance improves. If not, turn Superfetch back on by completing the same steps — at the end, just select Automatic instead.
Is Task Manager showing you an unknown program with super-high disk usage? It might be a virus, spywareor other malware. Follow our guide to get rid of viruses and malware immediately. To prevent malware infections, learn about the most dangerous current online threats and read our list of the best security and privacy tips. Get it for AndroidiOSMac. Get it for MaciOSAndroid.
Get it for AndroidMaciOS. Get it for iOSMacAndroid. High disk usage can also be caused by antivirus software — during a background scan, or if the tool malfunctions and gets stuck. If so, do not stop it. Your antivirus windows 10 50 disk usage free download be windows 10 50 disk usage free download with a nasty piece of malware. If the scan seems frozen, reboot your system and let it sit for a while until the antivirus stops. Manually pausing the background apps is only a short-term solution, as many will restart upon bootup or run quietly in the background.
When you need to use an app, AVG will reactivate it immediately. AVG TuneUp will snooze background apps and startup processes to reduce disk usage.
Try Sleep Mode out for yourself. Tools like OneDrive or Dropbox take time to synchronize all files. That happens often with large amounts of data. To fix this, you can reset the programs or reinstall them. For example, you can reset OneDrive by pressing the Windows and R keys at the same time and entering the following command:.
After clicking OKOneDrive will reset and resync your files. This often solves issues with constant disk usage. The index in Windows Search helps you find files, folders, emails, and even windows 10 50 disk usage free download content of some of those files instantly. To do that, it scans your hard disk and turns it into a super-fast index to give you immediate results. Click on the Start button and type indexing. Click on Indexing Options. From there, select Advanced and hit the Rebuild button.
Fire up Disk Doctor and run a check. To prevent data loss, get your files off that disk as quickly as possible. Either copy them to an external hard disk or clone your hard drive and then replace the drive with a new one.
Your PC will use the page file on your disk as expanded memory. Over time, this page file can become defective and cause unexpected slowdowns and high disk usage. To fix it, delete that page file and create a new one — press the Windows and R keys at the same time and type sysdm. Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives and then select No paging file. Hit Set and reboot your system. Repeat all those steps again, select System managed sizeand hit Set.
Then, check Automatically manage paging file size for all drives. Not sure if your PC is using page files? Try checking how much RAM windows 10 50 disk usage free download have and then looking at the size of large files you typically work with to figure it out.
Deleting temporary files helps free up space and prevent issues. Delete the temporary files to fix the issue. And to regularly clean up temporary files without lifting a finger, download AVG TuneUp and give its disk cleaning functionality a spin.
Drivers control all the hardware in your computer, including your hard disk controller and the hard drive itself. See our guides windows 10 50 disk usage free download update your graphics drivers and make sure you have the latest audio drivers. Its easy-to-use interface will find and update your outdated or broken drivers, fix your problems, and return your computer to optimal performance. Download it today and try a free scan. The software inside your hard drive is known as firmware.
Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager. Expand the Disk drives section and look at the exact names of your drives:. Download the firmware, then restart your computer to see if it fixes your problem with high disk usage. From Windows Superfetchto a virus or malware, to outdated drivers or firmware, there are many causes. Often, your problem will be the result of several issues. Opening a folder of photos and videos: The preview thumbnails take a long time to load, and the green bar at the top of Windows Explorer fills up very slowly.
Gaming: Even if you have a powerful gaming PCloading a game or a new level takes noticeably longer, and there are occasional stutters. Streaming: Your audio or video player is constantly buffering or displaying blurry or interrupted playback that disrupts your online stream.
Audible noises: Old-school mechanical hard disks are still quite noisy and make rattling noises when busy. General lagginess: Weird lags when clicking on items, or opening menus or applications. The clearest way to find out that high disk usage is slowing down your PC is to consult Task Manager.
Any pr ocess that consumes more than a few MB per second for a prolonged period of time is worth looking into, regardless of the performance impact. For example, on a seven-year-old HP laptop with an old mechanical drive, the maximum read and write speeds are about 40 to 50 MB per second.
By cleaning out unneeded data, removing unwanted programs, and optimizing your PC with our patented, built-in Sleep Mode, AVG TuneUp reduces the strain on your hard disk and keeps your PC running like new. Constant disk usage increases the temperature and thus the chance that your disk will fail.
But if your disk is constantly at maximum capacity, and if this persists for several days at a time, performance may unravel.
