HIGH disk usage Windows 8 Pro

Unfortunately I tried CCleaner before without luck...

After many times, I realized that problem of high disc usage happens when I'm using Outlook 2013 (background or reading/writing mails). So, when It happens I do end the task of Outlook and few seconds after that, the disc usage became normal.

One more thing is interesting. Looking in Task Manager, others applications like Firefox, Trillian (internet in general) is showed as "not responding". But, just after end Outlook, all others are normalized.

I would like the share HAPPILY THAT I HAVE CHANCED UPON A POTENTIAL SOLUTION to this problem. That is optimizing the registry !. While installing a Bluetooth device driver I got a 183 error and while searching the solution suggested was to clean up registry. When I analysed the registry, I was amazed to notice that it was rather like a junk yard (3000 bad entries) than a vital storage necessary to run a complex OS & its apps. It means that many of the applications that we install and uninstall, including those from Microsoft (like Silverlight) leave some debris that affect the performance of the registry, it seems.

I used the CCleaner discussed in the link http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/free-registry-cleaner-programs.htm. Take a back up of the registry using the Export menu in the 'RegEdit' program before running the cleaner. 

After this, the random spikes in disk usage is almost not there since the last 6 days. Others may please try this and share your experience.

1. The spike in the disk usage and consequent lock up of the PC for 4-5 minutes has been happening as randomly as just clicking on a tab of the IE or opening a small PDF  or even moving the mouse. Simply there was no pattern at all. I have tried disabling the Antimalware executable, disabling search indexing, increasing the virtual memory, upgrading to Win 8.1, removing all unwanted software, disconnecting network, etc. None of these have helped.
2. In two instances the disk usage definitely spikes even now. (a) If the auto update is on (I have kept it off now), (b) if the Windows has been idle for quite some time. In the later instance it appears that the MSMPENG.exe takes over and starts scanning the machine for virus / malware. To test this, start the Task manager (TM) window and switch of the monitor while the machine is on. Immediately you can seen that the red light glows indicating the spike in HDD use. When you switch the monitor on you can see the result in the TM.
3. Many times under the Processes in the TM, the System (ntoskrnl.exe) or one of the Service Host (Svhost.exe) processes show high Disk Usage while in Details tab one can see that the I/O read of the MSMPENG or IE or some other process goes up. It makes me think that the issue is inherent in the internals of the OS and it is time Microsoft looks deeper into this.
4. I am not quite sure why cleaning the registry would resolve this issue but that is breakthrough I have seen after struggling with this for over 10 months.

There are literally over a 100 threads in different forums, including 10+, in this forum about the high disk usage in Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 on PCs or laptops of different brands, configurations, types of HDD, etc. I suggest that Microsoft engineers take this serious and work towards a solution.

UPDATE:

After a several tests, a friend and I have narrowed this down to these 2 services and 1 executable:

1. Windows Update
2. WIndows Modules Installer (%WinDir%\servicing\TrustedInstaller.exe) and
3. TIWorker.exe (%WinDir%\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-servicingstack_31bf3856ad364e35_6.2.9200.16613_none_6273bd8950d6cae2\TiWorker.exe)

Not saying (yet) that these are the ONLY cause, but whenever any of these are running, ntoskrnl.exe keeps the disk usage at 100%.

Any ideas?

Hello there,

after try a lot of tricks, I reach the same conclusion above. But, I have no idea how to solve the problem, just my impression is that it started after update to Windows 8.1 (from 8.0).

Now, I disabled the service "Windows Search", as the tip from other user here. Let's pray...

I tried a wide range of things with no success. Ultimately, I disabled Windows Search (services.msc -> Windows Search -> Disable) and the problem was no longer seen.

Before Ken jumps in to scold me I'd like to point out that the experience is my own and I'm not professing to be a computing know-it-all, <sarcasm>although I am obviously</sarcasm> or that the above is an actual solution - I'm just providing some detail that may help others.

I have been having the same problem as other posters, and the above suggestion led me in what appears to have been the right direction. I wanted to add my "two cents" just in case it could possibly help someone else having this problem.

As DCGeoff suggested, I disabled Windows Search first and restarted my computer. Unfortunately, System was still eating up disk usage like hotcakes on a Sunday morning. But then I noticed something interesting in Task Manager. I expanded one of the "Service Host: " groupings and saw "SuperFetch." Having never heard of this, I immediately ran an internet search [insert pause for a short chuckle here] to see how important it was. In my very inexperienced opinion, it seems unimportant enough to disable, so I disabled it. (Helpfully enough, it's name in Services is SuperFetch.)

While I had Service Host expanded, I also noticed two "Remote Desktop Services" running. I don't remote into any machines, so I also chose to disable both of those services. You can find them in Services as "Remote Desktop Services" and "Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector."

I feel like I need to add the disclaimer here that I disable services like crazy and have for years. I'm used to opening Services to enable and disable. If you don't feel comfortable doing so, you may want to re-consider this post.

Long story short, disabling these four services (Windows Search, SuperFetch, Remote Desktop Services, and Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector) appears to have solved my problem. I have now restarted my PC twice, and the System disk issue is gone, hopefully never to return.

I had the same problem - 100% I/O usage, slow typing or even hang, AND have SEP installed.  The machine was originally Win7 and then upgraded to Win8.  I tried a wide range of things with no success. Ultimately, I disabled Windows Search (services.msc -> Windows Search -> Disable) and the problem was no longer seen. After a few days of not seeing the issue I enabled Windows Search again and blammo 100% disk, slow typing, etc. .. Windows Search is now disabled.

Somewhere in my troubleshooting I also uninstalled and reinstalled SEP. Not sure if that affected any real change but it felt good to have a clean install. 

Before Ken jumps in to scold me I'd like to point out that the experience is my own and I'm not professing to be a computing know-it-all, <sarcasm>although I am obviously</sarcasm> or that the above is an actual solution - I'm just providing some detail that may help others.