How to Fix 100% Disk Usage in Windows 11 and windows 10

If your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC feels painfully slow and Task Manager shows 100% disk usage, you’re not alone. This is a common issue—and the good news is, you can fix it. Here’s how to troubleshoot and solve the problem step-by-step.

Why Is Your Disk at 100%?

When your disk is stuck at 100%, your system grinds to a halt. Common culprits include:

• Background services going rogue
• Outdated drivers
• Too much preloading or indexing
• Malware or bloated antivirus software
• Faulty hardware (in rare cases)

Let’s walk through the real fixes that work.

✅ 1. Restart Your PC

It sounds basic, but a reboot clears temporary glitches and resets stuck processes.

How:
Click Start > Power > Restart.

✅ 2. Disable Superfetch (SysMain)

Superfetch can cause high disk usage on older systems.

Steps:

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Find SysMain.
3. Right-click it > Stop.
4. Right-click again > Properties > Set Startup type to Disabled.

✅ 3. Turn Off Windows Search Indexing

Search indexing eats up resources constantly.

Steps:

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc.
2. Find Windows Search.
3. Right-click > Stop.
4. Set Startup type to Disabled.

✅ 4. Reset Virtual Memory

Virtual memory is how Windows uses your hard drive as RAM. A misconfigured setting can spike disk usage.

Steps:

1. Press Win + S, search “Performance” > Click Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.
2. Go to Advanced > Virtual Memory > Change.
3. Uncheck Automatically manage, then select Custom size.
4. Set Initial size and Maximum size to recommended values shown below.
5. Click Set, then OK, and reboot.

✅ 5. Update Drivers

Old SATA drivers or chipset drivers can cause constant disk usage.

How:

• Right-click Start > Device Manager
• Expand IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers
• Right-click Standard SATA AHCI Controller > Update driver

Or better yet, visit your PC or motherboard manufacturer’s website to download the latest drivers.

✅ 6. Scan for Malware

A virus or cryptominer might be hogging your drive.

Do this:

• Run a full scan using Windows Security (or a trusted antivirus).
• If you suspect something deeper, use Malwarebytes Free to double-check.

✅ 7. Disable Background Apps

Some apps run all the time even when you’re not using them.

Steps:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps (or Background apps).
2. Turn off background activity for apps you don’t need running 24/7.

✅ 8. Check Disk Health

Your hard drive might actually be failing.

How:

• Press Win + X > Terminal (Admin)
• Type: chkdsk C: /f /r and press Enter
• You’ll be asked to schedule a scan on reboot—type Y and restart your PC.

✅ 9. Switch to SSD (If You’re Still on HDD)

If you’re using a traditional hard drive, it might not be a software issue at all. HDDs are just slow.

Fix: Upgrade to a Solid State Drive (SSD). It’s the single best speed boost you can give your PC.

Final Thoughts

100% disk usage doesn’t have to be your PC’s death sentence. Follow these fixes from top to bottom and you’ll likely find the one that unlocks your system’s performance.

Still stuck? Drop your setup and issue in the comments—I’ll help troubleshoot.

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!