Windows 8 / Windows 8.1/Windows 10 with issue 100% Disk Usage – Possible Fixes

When you’ve used Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 then you’ll know that once you get used to it, it’s quite good. Yes, there are some bad parts, some annoying parts and some parts that seem pointless. But then, doesn’t every operating system? Anyway, to the point.



Windows 8 and Windows 8.1/10 for some people, has a very annoying and disruptive problem that Microsoft don’t seem willing to fix, and no matter how many forums you look on, nothing is conclusive. I’d like to be able to issue a sweeping fix that resolves it on your computer, but I can’t. Instead, here’s a few “fixes” or, “workarounds” if you like, that have solved it on some machines I’ve come across.

None of these are ideal, and in my own machine, I re-installed Windows 8.1/10 and fingers crossed it’s behaved since.

1. Disable Superfetch and Windows Search Services
Press Windows Key + R
Type in “services.msc” without the quotes, press enter
Find Superfetch in the list, double click it
Press “Stop”
Then change the startup type to “Disabled”
Go to the Recovery tab, and choose all three options to be “Take no action”
Repeat steps 3 – 6 for Windows Search
Close and restart
Cross fingers, hope it solves it

2.Disable BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service)
Press Windows Key + R
Type in “services.msc” without the quotes, press enter
Find Background (BITS)… in the list, double click it
Press “Stop”
Then change the startup type to “Disabled”
Go to the Recovery tab, and choose all three options to be “Take no action”
Repeat steps 3 – 6 for Windows Search
Close and restart
Cross fingers, hope it solves it

3.Change Pagefile Settings
Open up Control Panel (I always set Control Panel to View By Small Icons)
Go to System
Click on Advanced System Settings
Under Performance, click Settings
Go to advanced, click on “Change”
Take the tick out of “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives”
Then set it manually
Click set,
Click Ok, then restart
Cross fingers, hope it solves it

4.Turn Off System Restore

Again, not an ideal workaround, but this has worked.
Open up Control Panel
Go to System
Click on “System Protection”
Click on the Local Disk – typically the C Drive
Then click on Configure
Put the spot in the “Disable system protection”
Ok that, close it all, and restart
Cross fingers, hope it solves it

5.Uninstall Google Chrome

Not one of my favourite workarounds, as Google Chrome is my browser of choice, but uninstalling it on one machine after doing all the others listed here did fix it, so it’s worth a go.
Open Control Panel
Go to Programs and Features
Uninstall Google Chrome

6.Re-Install Windows

Obviously not a fix, or a workaround really, but it’s worth noting that if you are having issues, and don’t have too much installed that requires detailed configurations, an operating system reinstall may be your best bet.

In Summary

So those are the methods that have so far worked for me in some combination or another. I have to say, turning off System Restore, and disabling Superfetch and Windows Search are the most effective fixes so far. I’ll be updating this list with more fixes as and when I find them. But who knows, Microsoft may release a fix for it soon …