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

This sounds like it should work, but even though when I check Task Manager & it shows Skype is causing the 100% disk activity, I don't have Skype; it doesn't show in Program Files ((x86) or in Programs & Features. I have a Plextor M.2 SSD & was using PlexTurbo software; when I uninstalled that it helped some. I was going to disable or uninstall Skype, but cannot find it to do so even though it shows in Task Manager. I searched the whole drive with Search in File Explorer, but it couldn't  find it. I also changed backup File History from the default Every Hour to Once Daily & that helped too.

UPDATE: I found Skype Video in a Live Tile in the Start Menu & right clicked it & clicked Uninstall. So far I haven't had the 100% disk activity. I also did the Google Chrome thing.

My original post:

The Skype and Chrome changes had a minimal impact.

I followed one of the suggestions in the following makeuseof article, and it dropped my disk usage from 100% to 3 or 4% immediately - I stopped the windows search service and I disabled it.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-tips-fix-100-disk-usage-improve-windows-performance/

To stop this, and prevent it from happening during your current session (until Windows is rebooted) open the Command Prompt (the quickest way is by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Command Prompt (Admin)) and enter the following:

net.exe stop “Windows search”

To permanently disable Windows Search or Indexing, press Windows + R, enterservices.exe, and hit Enter. In the Services window that opens find the Windows Search entry and double-click it to open the Windows Search Propertieswindow. Under Startup type, select Disabled. Here you can click Stop to abort the service. Click OK to save your changes.

How do I find your instructions? I've been trying all "solutions" I find on the net to no avail. The usage goes down then after couple of minutes it shoots back up again to 99%

I agree that tge Chrome & Skype solution doesnt work fir everyone, including me.

However, I don't think there is a single cause for 100% disk utilization, it varies.  I have 5 PC's at home, a mix of laptops and workstations, and they all run windows 10.  Only one of five had the disk utilization problem, for me it was the search/index service.  I disabled it, and now that machine runs at about 5%, so my problem was solved.  I replied previously with instructions on how I fixed it.  Good luck.

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.

I don't have skype installed and I have the same problem of 100% disk usage for a long time after start.  Any other suggestions?