Is Windows 10 painfully slow? Does Task Manager show your hard disk at 100% usage? Then the disk is probably working flat out and can’t keep up with the requests it’s receiving.
If your hard drive already shows signs of wear and holds important files, back it up now. If that is no longer possible, see Bot’s hard drive and external drive recovery.
Disk usage is the percentage of time the hard disk spends busy reading and writing data for programs and system tasks – it has to do with the disk’s workload and performance, not with how much storage space is used.
When disk usage sits at 100%, the disk becomes a bottleneck and slows down the whole system, leading to sluggish performance, freezes, crashes and programs that stop responding.
Many of the causes of high disk usage have nothing to do with the way you use your computer, and the problem can even show up on brand-new machines.
If your hard disk is constantly at 100% usage, this article will help you understand what causes it, how to fix it and how to prevent it.
Why is my hard disk at 100% usage?
There are several reasons why your hard disk may be stuck at 100% usage. The most common are:
Pending Windows updates
Windows updates fix a wide range of bugs – and one of them may be the very bug causing 100% disk usage.
That’s why it’s a good idea to keep Windows up to date.
Malware and viruses
Viruses and other malware can cause all sorts of performance problems on your PC, including constant 100% disk usage.
Paging file problems
Windows uses a file on the disk, the paging file, as virtual memory. If this file is misconfigured or damaged, it can keep the disk at 100% usage and may need to be reset.
Hardware problems, such as bad sectors on the hard disk or SSD
Bad sectors on a hard disk or SSD – whether logical or physical – can also keep disk usage at 100% in Windows 10, because the system keeps retrying reads that fail.
Outdated drivers
Drivers are what allow Windows to control the PC’s hardware, including the storage controller and the disk itself.
That’s why outdated drivers can cause 100% disk usage. In that case, find out your motherboard model and download the latest chipset and storage controller drivers from the manufacturer’s website.
Misbehaving programs
A program that isn’t working properly can keep reading from and writing to the disk nonstop, dragging down the whole operating system and pushing disk usage to 100%. Check which programs are open and which ones start automatically every time you turn on the computer.
Corrupted system files
Besides contributing to 100% disk usage, corrupted system files can also be a sign that your hard disk is failing.
If that’s the case, back up your data (or update your existing backup) right away and replace the hard disk with a new one.
If the hard disk stops working before you manage to back it up, contact a specialized data recovery company before replacing it – and don’t keep trying to use it in the meantime.
How do I recover data from a hard disk stuck at 100% usage?
If your hard disk is already showing signs of trouble – 100% usage, slowdowns, freezes or bad sectors – it’s best not to risk any DIY procedures.
They could make the situation worse and turn a minor fault into a much more serious one.
So, instead of trying to fix it yourself, turn to a professional data recovery service like the one we offer at Bot.
We handle your disk safely: when a hard disk needs to be opened, we only do it in a Class 100 (ISO 5) cleanroom (an environment where airborne particles are strictly controlled to protect the inside of the disk).
How do I fix 100% disk usage?
Below are 7 solutions you can try to fix the problem. Only try them if the hard disk holds no important data, or if you have already backed it up. Here they are:
Using the Command Prompt
One way to fix 100% disk usage is to use the Command Prompt to run DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management).
This tool can fix common errors, repair the Windows system image and even prepare Windows images, including the Windows PE (Windows Preinstallation Environment).
- In the search bar, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
- When the Command Prompt window opens, type
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealthand press Enter. - Wait for the scan to finish. Then type
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthand press Enter. - Finally, restart your computer and check whether the problem is gone.
Through the advanced system settings
Another option is to check the paging file (virtual memory) settings, which you’ll find in the advanced system settings. Avoid turning the paging file off completely: without it, Windows can become unstable and programs may crash when RAM runs out.
- In the Control Panel, open System and click Advanced system settings.
- Optionally, on the Remote tab, uncheck Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer if you don’t use it, and click Apply.
- Go to the Advanced tab of the System Properties window and, under Performance, click Settings.
- In Performance Options, open the Advanced tab and click Change…
- The Virtual Memory window will open. If you have changed these settings before, make sure Automatically manage paging file size for all drives is checked (choosing No paging file is not recommended). Then click OK.
- Restart your computer.
Cleaning up startup
Some programs that launch automatically with Windows when you turn on your PC can push disk usage to 100%.
To prevent this, you can clean up your startup items:
- Press Windows + R, type msconfig and click OK.
- In the System Configuration window, open the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services and click Disable all.
- Then go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
- On Task Manager’s Startup tab, select the programs that aren’t from Microsoft and click Disable.
- Restart your PC and check whether the problem is gone.
Deleting temporary files
Your computer creates temporary files whenever it performs tasks such as browsing the internet or opening an image.
These files are usually only needed briefly, but they pile up quickly and can slow down your system, causing performance problems and adding to high disk usage.
They’re an unavoidable part of using a computer, but you can delete them regularly to free up space.
Here’s how:
- Press Windows + R, type temp and click OK. This opens the system’s temporary files folder.
- Select all the files in the folder and delete them (skip any that Windows says are in use).
- Press Windows + R again, type %temp% and click OK. This opens your user account’s temporary files folder; delete its contents in the same way.
- Optionally, press Windows + R, type prefetch and click OK, then delete the files in that folder too. Windows will recreate them as needed.
Limiting restore points
You can also limit or turn off automatic restore points to help with 100% disk usage in Windows 10. Creating restore points involves heavy disk activity and the points themselves take up space on the hard disk.
If you go for this option, keep in mind that without automatic restore points you won’t be able to roll Windows back to an earlier state if something goes wrong. Restore points are not a backup of your files either, so keep a proper backup.
With that in mind, here are the steps:
- In the search bar, type Create a restore point and open it (it’s also available from the Control Panel).
- When the System Properties window appears, select the drive and click Configure.
- Then select Disable system protection, or keep protection on and lower the Max Usage slider. Click OK.
Removing malware
Malware often drives disk usage up to 100%, so finding and removing it can solve the problem.
To do this, you can use a paid antivirus program or Microsoft Defender, the antivirus built into Windows.
If you go with Microsoft Defender, follow these steps:
- In the Windows 10 search bar, type Windows Security and click the first result.
- Next, click Virus & threat protection and then Scan options.
- Select Full scan and click Scan now. Wait for Microsoft Defender to finish the scan.
- Finally, remove any threats it finds.
Resetting virtual memory in Windows 10
Virtual memory is a memory management technique that lets your computer use space on the hard disk when RAM is full.
In other words, virtual memory temporarily moves data from RAM to the hard disk. It’s an essential mechanism, but when RAM is short or the paging file is misconfigured, it can contribute to 100% disk usage in Windows 10.
To fix this, you can reset virtual memory to its default settings in Windows 10.
- First, open System Properties and, on the Advanced tab, click Settings under Performance.
- On the Advanced tab, click Change.
- Make sure Automatically manage paging file size for all drives is checked.
- Finally, click OK and restart the computer. Windows will go back to managing virtual memory automatically, which can improve disk performance if the settings had been changed.
How to prevent 100% disk usage in Windows 10
A few precautions can help you avoid 100% disk usage in Windows 10:
- Keep Windows 10 up to date.
- Use a good antivirus, keep Microsoft Defender turned on and run regular scans to remove any malware.
- Avoid changing the operating system’s paging file settings – the paging file is space on the hard disk that Windows uses as virtual memory, and the wrong settings can make the system slow and unstable.
- Keep your drivers up to date.
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Conclusion
A hard disk constantly at 100% usage doesn’t just slow things down: it can cause a range of other problems on your PC.
The causes vary: pending updates, malware and viruses, a misconfigured paging file, hardware faults, outdated drivers, misbehaving programs and corrupted system files.
There are several ways to fix 100% disk usage: running DISM from the Command Prompt, checking the virtual memory settings, cleaning up startup items, deleting temporary files, limiting restore points, removing malware and resetting virtual memory to its defaults.
And to keep your PC from reaching 100% disk usage, keep Windows and your drivers up to date, use a good antivirus with regular scans and don’t change the operating system’s paging file settings.
In some cases, the only fix is to reinstall Windows – which can lead to data loss. And if the cause is a failing disk, it’s the data that’s at risk.
If that happens to you, turn to Bot’s professional data recovery service.
We protect the integrity of your hard disk, and we collect your device free of charge (islands not included).
Standard diagnosis is free and takes up to 48 hours.
Don’t wait for things to get worse. We have handled more than 200,000 cases: start your data recovery with Bot now!
