Windows 8.1 100% Disk Usage

marymag

New Member
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1
Hi all,

My laptop has been progressively getting worse with its responsiveness after startup. Icons take ages to load on the desktop, programs launched are lagged or sometimes fail to respond. The culprit is 100% disk usage that lasts for almost 5 minutes after a boot. Unfortunately, this disk access seems to be spread randomly among multiple programs and services, meaning I can't isolate what specifically is causing these massive spikes that are crippling my computer after startup.

Things I've tried:
All the latest Windows updates as of December 10th.
Full scan with Malware-Bytes detects no viruses.
Ran CCleaner on the registry and cleaned up unnecessary files.
Disabled Superfetch as a test, saw no improvement.
Checked the SMART readings on the drive, everything showing as "Good."

The lack of responsiveness reminds me of an old Windows 95 install chugging along after a few years. It's really quite bad and I can't isolate it at all since it's spread among a ton of services.

I don't have many extraneous programs installed, nor any real-time anti-viruses besides Windows Defender. Has anyone else experienced this problem lately with Windows 8.1? Eventually the disk access settles down but I feel like load times are still poor... even browsing folders after the disk access goes down, icons don't load instantly, but I see them load over time. Just a sense that everything is not running up to speed. :/

Thanks for any help or suggestions people may have.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64 bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo
i had the same problem with mine it was a combo of services trying to catch up to there tasks all at once, had performance set to programs( the background stuff took 5 times longer to complete their tasks) to many start up items and other services i didn't need running. i set all the auto maintenance tasks to run when i'm not on and changed services to manual if they were not needed at start up( try 1 by one so you notice if it affects anything and check the dependency on other services in it's property menu).

Then there is the paging file i'm not sure if services use it but you would think if say defrag was running and something started that required the page file on the same disk then times that by how many are lined up to do there task, i had 15-20 backed up at a time with 100% disk use for 10-20min after boot.I also had a problem with the services that run the search function not starting to top it all off. But with the performance setting in my opinion the quicker the background tasks finish what they have to do the better and i think i seen a setting that makes them run 1 at a time.

I run a desk top now so there is plenty of resources to go around but my old HP DV6, Which actually run good now after i fed it a copy of boot n nuke and done a fresh Win 7 install is now my test computer for things i dont want on my better one it even has it's own live lunux and Win 7 usb with a lan cable to the desk top to keep it clean.

There is the last resort of a sys image restore if you have one.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 7/8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    DELL X51 R2 & HP DV6
    CPU
    i7-4770 3.4GHz
    Motherboard
    stock
    Memory
    16gb ddr3
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 660
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 small one
    Screen Resolution
    crap
    Hard Drives
    1 x 2TB internal HDD
    1 x 2TB external HDD
    1 x 16Gb share drive via router( just for uploads from fone when not home )
    Case
    stock
    Cooling
    air
    Internet Speed
    adsl 17M/s down ( never seen it though)
    Browser
    google chrome
    Antivirus
    avg
    Other Info
    HP DV6 Networked direct to main computer via LAN
    Netgear D6200/ac1200 modem/router
    42 inch screen(coming soon)
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