Next, we are going to see how to fix the hard drive 100% in Windows in a simple and definitive way. After this tutorial, you won’t have to worry about your hard drive again.
How to fix 100% hard drive in Windows.
Fixing a hard drive that’s at 100% usage in Windows can often be addressed through a series of steps. Here’s a structured approach in a tabular format:
| Step | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check for Malware | Use an antivirus program to scan for malware which might be causing high disk usage. |
| 2 | Update Windows | Ensure your Windows operating system is up-to-date with the latest patches and updates. |
| 3 | Check Disk Health | Use tools like ‘chkdsk’ to check the health of your hard drive. |
| 4 | Disable Windows Search | Temporarily disable Windows Search to see if it reduces disk usage: net.exe stop "Windows Search" |
| 5 | Disable Superfetch | Disable Superfetch service, which can sometimes cause high disk usage: net.exe stop superfetch |
| 6 | Check for High Disk Usage in Task Manager | Open Task Manager and look for any applications or processes consuming high disk usage and address them. |
| 7 | Adjust Virtual Memory | Increase the size of the paging file. This can be done through the Advanced System Settings. |
| 8 | Disable Startup Programs | Disable high-impact startup programs through Task Manager. |
| 9 | Perform Disk Cleanup | Use the built-in Disk Cleanup tool to remove unnecessary files. |
| 10 | Update Drivers | Ensure all device drivers, especially the hard drive controller, are up-to-date. |
| 11 | Reset or Refresh Windows | As a last resort, consider resetting or refreshing Windows, but ensure to backup data first. |
Each step might not be necessary for all situations, so it’s often best to proceed in order and check if the issue is resolved after each step.
The reasons for having the hard disk at 100% can be several so we must carry out an investigation and try different solutions until we find the correct one. Let’s start, we recommend you have a little patience in this regard.
The SuperFetch service
SuperFetch is a service that is integrated into Windows and it helps to reduce the time it takes for the computer to start up. However, not long ago, several people reported that it is one of the main causes why the disc goes to 100%.
Therefore, what you should do is deactivate the service, this is not complicated at all and you can always activate it again in case it is not the cause of the problem.
For this, what we have to do is open Command Prompt as administrator. Just click on Start, then type ” Command Prompt ” right click and run as administrator.
A dark screen opens. In this screen you must write the command ” net stop superfetch “. After doing so, you will have to check that the disk goes down to normal levels. In case this does not happen, then the problem lies elsewhere.
What to do when the hard drive is 100% on Windows
Checking hard drive status
Something that we must bear in mind is that sometimes the file structure can be corrupted. To solve it, what you should do is enter the command prompt again as manage, in the same way that we did previously.
Then we will have to write the command chkdsk.exe / f / r . I get a message saying that it cannot run because the computer is in use. Do not worry, since here we will have to press ” Y ” and then ” Enter ” the next time we restart the computer it will do the verification.
Therefore, we recommend that you perform the restart immediately so that it does the verification in question. You should bear in mind that this process can take a little while so you will have to be quite patient.
Beware of temporary files
Another thing that can take the hard drive to 100% are temporary files, so you will have to delete them, something you must do from time to time.
Press the Win + R keys and then type “temp” and press accept. A new folder opens, just select everything with Ctrl + E and then press “Delete” or right click and delete.
Restarting virtual memory
Virtual memory is created from the hard disk and would be something similar to a way to extend the RAM memory that we have in the computer. The problem is that it is sometimes saturated and we must restart it.
- Luckily doing this is not complicated at all and to do it we must open ” My Team “.
- Then we are going to have to right click on a blank space and search for ” Properties “.
- A new window opens where you must click on ” Advanced system settings “
- In the new window that opens you will have to click on ” Advanced Options ” and then press the ” Settings ” button .
- Now we go to another window where we will have to click on ” Change ” just the button that is below everything.
- Uncheck the box that is above everything where we are allowing Windows to manage virtual memory automatically.
- After this, mark the option ” Without paging file ” and click on ” Set “.
- You will be able to appreciate that a message appears, you must confirm it.
Once you restart the computer, you will have to go back to this same place and leave all the settings as they were in the beginning. In this way, you have managed to restart the virtual memory.
