What to do when disk usage is set to 100% on Windows 10

Seeing that you have this problem is very easy. It usually happens as soon as you open the PC, and start to notice that everything is slow. When you open Task Manager (right-click on the Start bar -> Task Manager), you can see that disk usage is 100% even if you do nothing.

What to do when disk usage is set to 100%

If so, your reasons can be many and there are a few possible solutions, so let's look at all the reasons and what you can do about it if you see yourself in this situation.

Disable SuperFetch service

SuperFetch is a Windows-integrated service that helps reduce the time it takes for a computer to start, while at the same time reducing the download times on applications that you use most often on a PC. However, for a long time it has been identified as a possible cause for disk usage to be increased for no apparent reason, so the first thing to do is to uninstall this service (you can always reboot it following the back-up process).

To do this, the first thing you need to do is open the Command Prompt window as an administrator: right-click the Start -> Command Prompt (Administrator) button. When the corresponding window opens, type the following command and press ENTER:

net stop superfetch

After doing so, check that disk usage has dropped to normal levels in the Task Manager. By the way, to reuse it you have to do the same process but type "net start superfetch" (start instead of stop).

Check hard drive status

It is also possible that the directory tree or disk file structure is damaged, a common feature in Windows. Fortunately if this is the case the solution is very simple: reboot Command Prompt as Administrator and use the following command:

chkdsk.exe / f / r

A message will appear that Chkdsk can't work because the disk is in use (it's normal when the computer is corrupt), and that if you want it to be running the next time the computer is restarted. Press the Y key on the keyboard and enter to accept.

After that, close all open programs and restart your PC. During boot, the disk will be checked and chkdsk will take care to correct any errors found in the file format. It is a process that can take a long time depending on the speed and power of your hard drive, so do not give up just in case.

Restart the virtual computer memory

Virtual memory can be thought of as an extension of your computer's RAM, and is actually a combination of RAM and part of your drive. When RAM is no longer active enough, it starts to use this virtual memory, but because it is a memory on a sturdy hard disk, it sometimes presents problems so it's not a bad idea to restart it.

To do this, press the key combination WIN + Pause / Inter and the program buildings will open. In the window that opens, click on "Advanced system settings".

In the window that opens, go to the "Advanced Options" tab and under the Operations section, click on "Settings …".

Another window will be opened. In it, go to the "Advanced Options" tab and in the Virtual Memory section, click the "Change …" button.

Here do not check the top box that allows Windows to automatically manage Virtual memory. Then select "No wrap file" and click Set. A warning message will appear, where you have to click on "Yes".

After doing this, restart the PC and access the same menu again, leaving everything as it was. With this you will have reset the virtual memory (wrap file) of the machine. Now check that the disk is still 100%.

Delete Windows temporary files

There are times when Windows temporary files make the disk 100% for no apparent reason, and it's a good idea to delete it from time to time. To do this, press the WIN + R key combination, in a window that looks like a "temp" type and click OK.

A warning message will appear that you need the Administrator permissions, in which case you must press Yes. A browser window will contain many files and folders. You can select them all by pressing CTRL + E and then pressing SHIFT + DELETE to delete them all.

Antivirus can cause 100% disk downloads

Antiviruses are a common cause where computer performance is wrong. If you have an antivirus program other than the one included in Windows 10, you can temporarily disable it to see if it is the cause. You can temporarily disable antivirus, and for this you have to click on Start and type "antivirus protection" to access the Windows security section.

In the window that opens, click "Manage settings" under the "Antivirus and Security settings" section.

In the window that opens, uncheck Real-time protection.

Don't worry about leaving this disabled, because the next time you restart the PC will wake up automatically.

StorAHCI.sys also causes the disk to be set to 100%

This driver handles the AHCI configuration of the hard drives connected to the system, which is sometimes the cause of this type of problem. To view it, right-click the Start button -> Device Manager. In the window that opens, search for "ATA / ATAPI IDE Controllers" and drop down the menu, you will see "SATA AHCI Standard Administrators".

Double-click on it and go to the "Controller" tab. Once you have arrived, click on "driving information" and check that you are using StorAHCI.sys.

If so, close that window by clicking Accept, and in the previous window, click on "Update driver" to make sure you have his latest version. In any case, you can go to the "Details" tab, and in the «Property» menu look for «Path to the device example». Now remember the value that appears, or leave the window open to have it.

Now we have to touch the program register, and it's something we don't recommend doing unless your problems are very serious and you know what you're doing. To do this, press WIN + R and type regedit in the start box. Within the registry editor, you must log in to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetEnumPCI <Random number>Device parametersInterrupt ManagementMessageSignaledInterruptProperties

Where the AHCI Controller is the name we saw in the previous step, and a random number is a identifier that, as its name indicates, is random.

There, on the right side double-click "MSISupported" and change the value to 0. Then click OK and start the computer.

If after trying all of these possible solutions you still have the same problem, it is possible that Windows does internal checks and that you should leave it for a few hours until it is complete. It is also possible that the hard disk is damaged, or that you must Format the PC to provide a descriptive solution, or you will usually not have to go to extremes.