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
    2017-05-28T23:45:59+00:00

    What if I dont have skype on my pc. I just recently reset my hole pc, and it still shows 100% disk usage. Can somebody help me?

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-05-28T19:38:42+00:00

    Hi Friend! LMAO! That Ad Muncher Cow is a freeware I use to stop adds. Here's link.

    https://www.admuncher.com/

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-05-28T17:53:59+00:00

    Hi, 

    McAfee Live Safe also takes a lot of CPU and Hard Drive resources on start-up. 

    A main startup impact that is rated as a Medium is Microsoft One Drive.  Gary has that Disabled.  It could help also. 

    Gary, what is that Ad Muncher Cow software?

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-05-28T17:42:49+00:00

    Thank you Gary, 

    Common sense helps in matters like these.

    I did not mention in my post that I also run two Toshiba Satellites, A-215, with AMD X64 processors, one running at 1.8, the other running at 2.0.  They are over 10 years old and originally both came with Vista.  On one I have Windows 7, and the other I have Vista, and Lubuntu dual boot.  They both have 2 GB, one has a 120 GB HD, the other I bought an old Toshiba 500 GB, regular 5400 RPM Hard Drive.  Both run slightly hot, however, I am able to watch my DVD movies on both of the laptops.  I even connected them to a 23" Dell 1080 monitor that a store was selling the display model for $49.00. I did try to update these to Windows 10, however, due to the Duo Core, rather than Quad Core of your AMD-A6, and the laptop ran a little too hot for me to keep going with it. 

    Still, I don't mind Vista, and Windows 7 was a great operating system, (as is Windows 10), and Lubuntu is free, and goes fine with all.  I have had computers with Microsoft Operating Systems from DOS 3.3 to Windows 10/ DOS 3.3, 4.0, 5.0, (with the Dosshell lol), 6.22, Windows 3.1, 3.11, NT 3.51, 4.0, 2000, Fat 32 95, 98, ME, NT's XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, and now 10.  In my opinion, even ME, and Vista were good operating systems! 

    Just to mention it, I am not too keen on these SSD drives, December I threw out a 1994 Thinkpad 760-EL.  I threw out the Thinkpad not because the hard drive didn't work, rather I could not longer connect to the Internet, and had enough laptops.  Now, I know that these SSD drives have a limited read/write on them, and they are not going to last 22 years!  A person that practices defragging their hard drive, scanning their hard drive, practices maintenance on a regular hard drive, will probably have a good experience.  I have not had a hard drive fail on me since before the Windows 95 days!

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  5. Anonymous
    2017-05-27T20:03:44+00:00

    Hi You could disable Windows Defender in start ups and see if that helps

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