Fixing 100% disk usage in Windows 10 with Chrome and Skype running

Anonymous
2015-08-16T12:25:27+00:00

How to fix 100% disk usage in Windows 10

This is caused by a common combination of Skype as well Google Chrome. Similar issue with other programs could also cause 100% disk usage. To fix this do the following:

Google Chrome:

In Google Chrome, go to Settings > Show Advanced Settings ... > Privacy > Prefetch resources to load pages more quickly

and untick it. See Figure-1 below:

Figure-1

Skype:

Make sure you have exited Skype and it is not running in the taskbar (if it is running in the taskbar then quit it).

Open Windows Explorer and open the following folder:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone"

Now right click "Skype.exe" file and then click "Properties" and open the "Security" tab.

Click the "Edit" button and then highlight "ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES" and place a tick in the "Write" box.

Click "Apply" and then "OK" and then "OK" again. See Figures-2 to Figure-6 below:

This is it, now run Skype and check the Disk Usage in Task Manager and it will no longer show you 100% disk usage anymore:-

I hope this helps people. I spent a long time in finding a solution to this problem.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-03-25T23:18:10+00:00

    I had this exact problem and fixed it by using a different disk driver. Have a look at my reply earlier in this thread from a few days ago.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-03-25T23:12:04+00:00

    I dont know how I missed this thread, but am having similar problems.

    My 100% disk use always degenerates into a system hang with "windows not responding", however task manager shows disk and cpu activity on background processes.  I am not convinced that the 100% disk usage is actual disk usage. I/O activity is low and is a only a small percentage of what my SSD is capable of.  I have tried essentially all the solutions indicated.

        - got rid of chrome

        - got rid of skype

        - did a clean install

        - ran in safe mode (no apparent problem here)

        - disabled everything in startup

        - ran a memory test for a few hours (no issues)

        - changed antivirus programs

        - disabled network access 

        - System logs reveal nothing except "unexpected power loss due to the forced reboot"

    I also have suspected something to do with sleeping and screen saver since sometime the system is essentially idle and the screen saver activates successfully, but when I type  a key to reactivate it the system is frozen, except for the cursor. 

    In just about everything I have  tried , I get the feeling that it has solved the problem because it may run okay for a couple of days but then Whamo a hang and I reboot every 10 or 20 minutes for a few hours and then it miraculously resolves itself for another day or so.

    Any more diagnostic suggestions would be appreciated.

    Other than this I like windows 10, it works fine on my desktop but not my laptop

    Same here. I don't know what Win 10 problem is... 

    Right now it's in the reboot every 5 minutes phase... 

    W T F  Microsoft...

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-03-25T16:06:12+00:00

    Hi, 

    You can try with this..

    Go to Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update, Advanced Options, Choose How updates are delivered and set the setting for "Updates from more than one place" to Off.

    Dropped my 100% disk utilization to 5-7%. 

    /Dan

    This worked for me as dropped  both my CPU and DISK I/O to normal.

    Thanks buddy.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-03-24T17:40:40+00:00

    How did you do that? having the same issue here on a PC I've built and it's driving me insane

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-03-24T15:49:26+00:00

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