System slowdowns

This Win8 desktop will slow down for a few minutes, then go back to normal. When it is slow, I am seeing 100% disk usage. Resource Monitor indicates that the excessive disk activity is related to 3 or 4 files, sometimes as many as 6 files simultaneously, all of them look like C:\System Volume Information\(long number). also Device\HardDiskVolumeShadowCopy. When this happens, I am also seeing about 30% cpu activity for Service Host: Local System. Any ideas what is going on? Thanks

Did you do security checks and standard windows system repairs ?

System restore points are stored under a hidden folder C:\System Volume Information
It sounds like the restore point is being created as scheduled

CountMike said:

Did you do security checks and standard windows system repairs ?

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I am running MBAM right now, nothing detected yet. I've not done any system repairs. Do you mean sfc/DISM? I can give that a shot. topgundcp, this has been going on for at least an hour and a half, probably more according to my friend, so seems like it is more than a scheduled restore point.

Yes try that.

this has been going on for at least an hour and a half, probably more according to my friend, so seems like it is more than a scheduled restore point.

Click to expand...

True and the possible causes might be:

1. The System Volume Information folder is corrupted.
2. The disk space allocated for restore points is full, Open Admin Command Prompt and type:
   vssadmin list shadowstorage
3. Temporarily disable system restore might stop high disk usage:
   Win+X->System->System Protection->Configure and disable system protection

MBAM Threat Scan came up clean.

I ran sfc, it found corrupt files that it could not fix.

I ran Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
The component store corruption was repaired.
It seemed ok for a while after that, so I rebooted.

Then it started showing the same 100% disk activity. It is inconsistent though in what it shows as causing that activity. Sometimes it is the same as in my original post, then it jumps around to other things, like AppData, McAfee (I dislike McAfee and suspect it whenever I come across it), HP services, etc. But mainly it is still as in the original post.

I checked the shadow storage, it shows Used and Allocated as both 6%, Maximum is 10%.

I am hesitant to turn off System Restore since I think that will delete all the old restore points, will it not? I am thinking I may need to utilize one of those restore points.

Cpu activity is staying around 12%, showing Desktop Window Manager as the main culprit.

Thanks

I think maybe the Desktop Window Manager activity may be due to GoToMyPc which I am using.

When I log out it goes away.

I've never seen so many System Volume Information files having Disk Activity at the same time. I am seeing up to 7 or 8 at the same time. Is this an indication of a problem?

Thanks

I've never seen so many System Volume Information files having Disk Activity at the same time. I am seeing up to 7 or 8 at the same time. Is this an indication of a problem?

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From your initial post. Everything is pointing to the System restore point activity, maybe you want to read up on this post:
http://www.eightforums.com/performa...mation-folder-occupied-100-gb.html#post400322

OK thanks, good reading there.
I noticed that the computer had done a Windows Update just before the problem started, so I ran system restore. Seems a bit better now, though still has some unexpected activity. If problem continues I will disable System Restore.

I ran the command vssadmin list shadowstorage
on another computer to try to learn more about how it works. On this computer Used and Allocated are not the same amount of space. Why would these numbers be different? How is Allocated different than Maximum?

Thanks

You might want to download Treesize and take a look at the size of Volume System Information folder to see how much space it's taken:TreeSize Free Portable , This version is portable and does not require installation.

FYI, Often the Restore Points become corrupted and cause all kind of problems. You might consider to create a backup image of your Windows C: drive using: Macrium Reflect Free then turn off system restore completely. By creating the backup image, you'll be glad in case of Virus attack, System become unbootable etc... which you can restore in no time and in addition, free up some system resource. BTW, Thanks for the rep.

I ran the command vssadmin list shadowstorage
on another computer to try to learn more about how it works. On this computer Used and Allocated are not the same amount of space. Why would these numbers be different? How is Allocated different than Maximum?

Click to expand...

Used : amount currently used on the hard disk.
Allocated: amount that it has reserved from the hard disk now, so if you turn off System restore, the current allocated would be = 0
Maximum: maximum amount it will allocate and use from the hard disk. Set by Windows (~ 8%) and you can adjust this amount:

I have an image I made using Windows Image a few months back as a fallback solution.

I'll try TreeSize or Windirstat if the problem continues. Thanks