Windows is the most popular operating system around the world because of its flexibility. A user can easily operate this OS and download APK files to PC. Although a Windows PC can self-diagnose it whenever a user faces problems with it, sometimes you might have to make changes yourself to fix it. There are various errors that happen on a Windows machine and one among them is the 100% disk usage problem. A lot of Windows users around the world face 100% disk usage in Windows 10/11, so we thought to post about it. The problem can be caused by a number of factors and mostly it can be fixed by the user himself.
Here in this post, you can get to know about how to fix 100% disk usage in Windows without using any services. Before moving on to the fixes, you must read about the causes so you can get to know why this problem actually occurs on a Windows device. Remember that you must not download any third-party software or tool to fix this issue as they can change system settings that might affect the disk usage. There are multiple solutions available to fix this problem and we have mentioned them on this page. So, just follow them and fix the 100% disk usage problem in Windows 10/11 yourself without any assistance.
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What Causes 100% Disk Usage In Windows?
As we said above, Windows 10 100% disk usage problem can be caused by various things. Sometimes another app running in the background uses all of the disk and users get this error. Below we have mentioned some common causes of the Windows 100% disk usage problem so you can figure the solution yourself.
- Services running in the background.
- Multiple applications running together.
- Windows Defender scanning the drive.
- Outdated drivers for the disk.
- Very less RAM is available for execution.
- The latest Windows Update is not installed.
How To Fix 100% Disk Usage In Windows 10 & Windows 11 [5 Methods]
Method #1. Disable SysMain Service [SuperFetch]
SuperFetch service works as a booster for Windows and loads apps services before the user opens it. Windows intelligently monitor your activity and know which apps the user uses every day. It keeps a track of the activity and loads services for those apps so they can be loaded as soon as the user clicks on them. You can disable this service to stop Windows from using the disk for the execution.
- Press Windows Key + R to open the RUN box
- Type “services.msc” (without quotes) and press ENTER.
- Scroll down and double-click on the SysMain service.
- In Startup Type, select Disabled and in Service Status, click on Stop.
- Click on Apply, then on OK, and restart your system.
Method #2. Perform A System Scan
Although this error does not belong to a virus or malware but you can scan your system with security software to look for apps and services that might be slowing down your device. Some background apps that get installed without the permission of the user can cause this issue as well. By doing a complete scan of your system, so you can get to know about these apps and services. Below we have listed some of the best security software for Windows that you can use to completely scan your Windows device.
- Also Read about: How To Fix Windows 10 Taskbar Not Hiding
- Malwarebytes – https://www.malwarebytes.com/
- Avast – https://www.avast.com/en-in/free-antivirus-download/
- AVG Antivirus – https://www.avg.com/en-in/windows-10-antivirus/
- Kaspersky – https://www.kaspersky.co.in/antivirus/
- Avira – https://www.avira.com/en/free-antivirus-windows
Method #3. Change Energy Options From Balanced To High Performance
If you will let Windows adjust the settings automatically, then it will utilize all available resources. Instead of that, you can adjust the settings manually to have control over the available resources. Another thing you can do to fix the disk usage problem in Windows is to change your Power Settings to High Performance.
- Click on the Start button and go to Settings.
- Click on System and then on Power & Sleep.
- Now, click on Additional Power Settings.
- In the new window, click on Change Plan Settings.
- A new window will open, click on Change Advanced Power Settings.
- Use the drop-down menu to change your power settings to High Performance.
- Click on OK to save changes and restart your system.
Method #4. Disable Startup Apps & Services
As we said above, some apps and services might be using the disk in the background and that is why you are facing 100% disk usage in Windows 11. You can also fix NVIDIA control panel missing by using the Task Manager. If you have closed all the running programs then you can try disabling the apps that start with the boot. You can do this using the Task Manager and here’s how to do it.
- Right-click on the taskbar and click on Task Manager.
- In the Task Manager window go to the Startup tab.
- Now, right-click on any program that is Enabled.
- Select Disable to stop that program from running on boot.
Method #5. Reset Virtual Memory
Whenever less RAM is available on Windows, the system uses a part of the hard disk as virtual memory. Well, the disk space gets released as soon as enough RAM is available again but sometimes you might have to disable it manually. This solution has worked for a lot of Windows users and you must try it once to fix the disk usage problem in Windows.
- Press Windows Key + R to open the RUN box.
- Type “sysdm.cpl” (without quotes) and press ENTER.
- Go to the Advanced tab and click on Settings.
- In the new window, click on the Advanced tab and then on Change.
- UNCHECK the option that says “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives”.
- In Custom Size you can enter the values manually to let Windows use only that much memory for RAM allocation.
Final Words
So, these were some of the best ways to fix 100% disk usage in Windows and we hope you are able to get rid of the issue by following the methods we have mentioned above. There are many ways to fix this issue but we have mentioned only the working ways that worked for a majority of the Windows users and are tested.
We will keep adding more methods to solve Windows 100% disk usage problem, so keep visiting Inframatics to know about them. If you are able to fix this problem by some other method or you are facing any issues in following any method mentioned in this post, then feel free to contact us via the comments below.
