Top 10 Solutions to Fix 100% Disk Usage in Windows 10

In the realm of Windows 10, an issue that can cause frustration and hinder performance is the dreaded 100% disk usage problem. Fear not, as we present to you the ultimate compilation of the top 10 solutions to put an end to this predicament. From simple tweaks to advanced methods, this article unveils the secrets to resolve the 100% disk usage in Windows 10, ensuring smoother operations and restoring your sanity.

Restart Your System

Restarting your system can be an effective solution to fix the 100% disk usage problem in Windows 10.

To restart your computer, follow these steps:

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard.
2. In the Task Manager window, click on the “Processes” tab.
3. Look for any processes that are using a high amount of disk resources.
4. Right-click on these processes and select “End Task” to stop them.
5. Close the Task Manager.
6. Click on the Windows logo key on your keyboard or click on the Start button in the taskbar.
7. Select the “Power” option.
8. Choose the “Shut Down” or “Restart” option to restart your computer.

By restarting your system, you can clear any temporary issues or conflicts that may be causing the 100% disk usage problem. Give it a try and see if it helps improve your system’s performance.

Update Windows

1. Open the Windows Task Manager by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting “Task Manager.”

2. In the Task Manager window, click on the “Performance” tab.

3. Look for the “Disk” column and check if any processes are utilizing a high amount of disk capacity.

4. If you find any processes causing high disk usage, open the Start menu and type “Command Prompt.” Right-click on the Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator.”

5. In the Command Prompt, type “net.exe stop superfetch” and press Enter. This will disable the SuperFetch service that may be causing high disk usage.

6. After disabling SuperFetch, restart your computer and check if the disk usage has improved.

Disable Windows Search

To disable Windows Search and resolve 100% disk usage in Windows 10, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows logo key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “services.msc” and press Enter to open the Services window.
3. Scroll down and locate “Windows Search” in the list.
4. Right-click on “Windows Search” and select “Properties“.
5. In the Properties window, change the “Startup type” to “Disabled“.
6. Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.
7. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Disabling Windows Search can help alleviate the 100% disk usage issue caused by excessive indexing. However, keep in mind that this will disable the search functionality in Windows. If you rely heavily on search, consider alternative methods such as using third-party search tools or optimizing your indexed locations.

python
import psutil

def get_disk_usage_percentage():
total, used, free = psutil.disk_usage('/')
return (used / total) * 100

disk_usage_percentage = get_disk_usage_percentage()
print(f"Disk Usage Percentage: {disk_usage_percentage}%")


The above code utilizes the `psutil` library in Python to retrieve disk usage information. It calculates the disk usage percentage by dividing the used space by the total space and then multiplying by 100. However, please note that this code is just a sample and may need to be modified according to your specific requirements and the operating system you are using.

Check For Malware

Malware can often be the cause of high disk usage on Windows 10. To check for malware, follow these steps:

1. Open the Windows Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Go to the “Processes” or “Details” tab, depending on your Windows version.
3. Look for any suspicious or unfamiliar processes running in the “Disk” column.
4. If you find any, right-click on the process and select “End task” or “End process tree”.
5. Additionally, you can run a full system scan using an antivirus utility to detect and remove any malware present on your device.

Checking for malware regularly is important to ensure the security and optimal performance of your Windows 10 device.

Stop the Superfetch Service

If you’re experiencing 100% disk usage in Windows 10, stopping the Superfetch service can be an effective solution. Superfetch is a Windows service that helps improve system performance by preloading frequently used data into memory. However, in some cases, it can cause high disk usage and slow down your machine.

To stop the Superfetch service, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter to open the Services window.
3. Scroll down and find SysMain, which is the Superfetch service.
4. Right-click on SysMain and select Properties.
5. In the General tab, change the Startup type to Disabled.
6. Click Apply and then OK to save the changes.

Disabling the Superfetch service can help reduce disk usage and improve your system’s response time. Give it a try and see if it resolves your high disk usage issue.

Change Energy Options from Balanced to High Performance

To change your energy options from Balanced to High Performance in Windows 10, follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu and search for “Power Options”.
2. Click on the “Power Options” app to open it.
3. In the Power Options window, you will see a list of power plans. Select “High Performance” from the list.
4. Once you have selected the High Performance plan, it will be applied immediately.

Changing your energy options to High Performance can help improve the performance of your computer, especially if you are experiencing high disk usage. This power plan prioritizes performance over energy efficiency, which can result in faster response times and better overall system performance.

Remember to keep in mind that using the High Performance power plan may consume more energy and reduce battery life on laptops and portable devices.

Temporarily Turn Off Your Antivirus Software

Temporarily turning off your antivirus software can help resolve high disk usage issues in Windows 10. Follow these steps to do so:

1. Open the Windows Security dashboard by clicking on the Start menu and searching for “Windows Security.”
2. Click on “Virus & threat protection” in the left-hand menu.
3. Under the “Virus & threat protection settings” section, click on “Manage settings.”
4. Toggle the switch under “Real-time protection” to the off position.
5. A warning message will appear, click on “Yes” to confirm turning off the antivirus.
6. Keep in mind that disabling your antivirus temporarily leaves your device vulnerable, so only do this if you’re confident about the source and safety of the files you’re working with.
7. Once you’ve resolved the high disk usage issue, remember to turn your antivirus back on by toggling the switch to the on position in the Windows Security dashboard.

Reset Virtual Memory in Windows 10

Resetting virtual memory can help resolve high disk usage issues in Windows 10. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key and type “Advanced system settings“.
2. Click on “View advanced system settings“.
3. Under the “Performance” section, click on “Settings“.
4. Go to the “Advanced” tab and click on “Change“.
5. Uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option.
6. Select your “Windows drive” (usually C:) and choose “No paging file“.
7. Click “Set” and then “OK” to confirm the changes.
8. Restart your computer.

By resetting the virtual memory, you can potentially resolve issues related to high disk usage.

Run Check Disk

To run Check Disk on Windows 10 and fix 100% disk usage issues, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” from the menu.
2. In the command prompt window, type chkdsk /f /r and press Enter.
3. You will see a message asking if you want to schedule a disk check on the next restart. Type Y and press Enter.
4. Restart your computer. Check Disk will run before Windows starts.
5. Let Check Disk scan your hard drive for errors and fix any issues it finds.
6. Once the process is complete, your computer will restart again.

Note: Check Disk may take some time to complete, depending on the size and condition of your hard drive. It is normal for the progress to appear stuck at a certain percentage for a while.

Running Check Disk can help resolve disk usage problems caused by file system errors or bad sectors on your hard drive. It is an effective way to troubleshoot and fix disk-related issues in Windows 10.

Change Settings in Google Chrome and Skype

To change settings in Google Chrome and Skype, follow these steps:

1. In Google Chrome, click on the three-dot menu in the top right corner and select “Settings”. Here, you can customize various aspects of the browser, such as privacy settings, search engine preferences, and notification permissions.

2. In Skype, click on your profile picture in the top left corner and select “Settings”. From here, you can adjust audio and video settings, change your status, and manage notifications.

3. To fix 100% disk usage in Windows 10, there are several solutions you can try. First, check for any outdated or incompatible device drivers and update them accordingly. You can do this by opening the Device Manager, right-clicking on the device, and selecting “Update driver”.

4. Another way to fix high disk usage is by disabling unnecessary startup programs. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager, go to the “Startup” tab, and disable any programs that you don’t need running at startup.

5. Additionally, running a disk cleanup utility can help free up disk space and improve performance. Type “Disk Cleanup” in the search bar and select the utility to run it.

Remember to regularly check for Windows updates and install them, as they often include bug fixes and performance improvements.

Check for corrupted system files

To check for corrupted system files that may be causing 100% disk usage in Windows 10, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)”.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type “sfc /scannow” and press Enter.
3. The System File Checker will scan your system for corrupted files and automatically repair them if needed.
4. Once the scan is complete, restart your computer and check if the 100% disk usage issue is resolved.

If the problem persists, you can also try running the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool:

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Enter the command “dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth” and press Enter.
3. Let the tool scan your system and repair any issues it finds.
4. Restart your computer and check if the disk usage has improved.

By checking for corrupted system files using the System File Checker and running the DISM tool, you can address potential software-related issues that may be causing high disk usage in Windows 10.

Fix your StorAHCI.sys driver

If you’re experiencing 100% disk usage on Windows 10, it could be due to issues with the StorAHCI.sys driver. Here are some solutions to fix this problem:

1. Update the StorAHCI.sys driver: Open Device Manager, expand “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers,” right-click on “Standard SATA AHCI Controller,” and select “Update driver.” Choose “Search automatically for updated driver software” and follow the prompts.

2. Disable Windows Search service: Press Windows + R, type “services.msc,” and hit Enter. Locate “Windows Search,” right-click on it, and select “Properties.” Change the startup type to “Disabled” and click “Apply” and then “OK.”

3. Reset virtual memory: Press Windows + R, type “sysdm.cpl,” and hit Enter. Go to the “Advanced” tab, click on “Settings” under the “Performance” section. In the “Performance Options” window, go to the “Advanced” tab and click on “Change” under the “Virtual memory” section. Select “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” and click “OK.”

4. Check for malware: Run a full system scan using your preferred antivirus software to detect and remove any malware that may be causing the high disk usage.