Had 100% Disc for five years even with nothing running, where can I start?

Shmeeple Beeple 0 Reputation points
2026-09-13T01:10:46.7866667+00:00

Hello, I apologize for my ignorance around this subject—I am a complete layperson when it comes to computers and tech support and I don't know what information is relevant. I have a Dell Inspiron 3593 (originally Windows 10, recently upgraded to Windows 11) that I got five years ago, and the whole time I've had it, Task Manager has displayed 100% Disc or similarly high, as well as Memory usually >60%, no matter what I had or didn't have running. I have run Avast Antivirus and Malwarebytes to scan for viruses, and gotten all clear results. The performance seems to depend on the day—some days it will freeze frequently and take half a minute to open File Explorer, and other days it works just fine.

If it helps, this is what my Task Manager looks like with just Firefox open. This is the usual way for it to look.

Screenshot (3)

Screenshot (4)

Screenshot (6)

Screenshot (5)

I can't seem to find a forum post anywhere with a similar issue and/or provided usable advice for my literacy level. Where can I start to investigate this issue? If it's above my skill level to fix, would a computer repair shop be able to help?

Thank you for your time and attention.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures
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  1. CrazyKats 19,420 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-13T23:22:20.09+00:00

    Yes, with that amount of Memory

    it would be normal as there would

    always be other things besides Firefox

    running.

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  2. CrazyKats 19,420 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-13T22:51:03.48+00:00

    Hi,

    As to the Memory, 12GB of RAM is not a lot, so

    anything you open that is resource intensive is

    going to gobble up the Memory. For instance

    with Edge open this is what mine uses:

    User's image

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  3. CrazyKats 19,420 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-13T02:18:27.95+00:00

    Hi,

    On that image you shared please click

    the Performance option so we can see

    how much Memory you have and the

    Disk. Post a screen shot.

    Also while in that Process window, click

    on the Disk section and it should show

    what is using the most %.

    Clicking on the Memory section will

    also show what is using the most.

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  4. AI answer

    2026-09-13T01:11:06.2266667+00:00

    A good place to start is with simple checks that match the symptoms shown: high disk usage, occasional freezing, and a system that is sometimes slow even when little is open.

    1. Check whether the drive is low on free space.
      • Open File Explorer.
      • Select This PC.
      • Look under Devices and drives and check the free space on the Windows drive.
      • If space is low, free up space first. Low free space can contribute to poor performance.
    2. Check Windows Security health recommendations.
      • Open Windows Security.
      • Go to Device performance and health.
      • If there is a yellow warning, select it and review the recommendation.
      • This can point to performance, storage, or update problems.
    3. Make sure Windows is fully updated.
      • Open Settings > Windows Update.
      • Install the latest updates.
      • Restart after updates finish.
    4. Reduce startup load.
      • Open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
      • Open the Startup tab.
      • Disable unnecessary startup apps.
      • Leave security software enabled unless replacing it.
    5. Check whether background services are causing the disk spikes.
      • Some accepted troubleshooting guidance for similar cases suggests disabling SysMain temporarily and then restarting to see whether disk usage improves.
      • Press Start, type services, and open Services.
      • Find SysMain.
      • Double-click it, select Stop, set Startup type to Disabled, then restart the PC.
      • This is reversible and is a reasonable test when disk usage stays near 100%.
    6. Review third-party software load.
      • The screenshot shows Avast components running.
      • Similar troubleshooting guidance for persistent disk usage recommends checking whether security or other background software is contributing.
      • If more than one security product is installed and actively running, that can add overhead.
    7. If the PC uses a hard disk drive rather than an SSD, repair-shop help may be worthwhile.
      • A shop can confirm whether the storage device is the bottleneck or failing intermittently.
      • This is especially relevant when the system freezes, File Explorer opens very slowly, and the problem has existed for years.

    A repair shop can help, especially if the device has a traditional HDD. The most useful things to ask for are:

    • check storage health
    • check free space
    • check startup programs and background services
    • check whether the system drive should be replaced with an SSD

    If the machine is still using its original hard drive, replacing it with an SSD is often the most meaningful hardware improvement for long-term slowness, but that specific upgrade decision is outside the provided troubleshooting guidance.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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