My computer has high disk usage for no reason! Please help!

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Actually, it's Timmy Turntwig Nov 24, 2016 @ 8:41am

This is an update from my past discussion: http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/11/215439774867833015/ Things have gotten worse. My computer is acting like a really bad laptop, it is super slow and whenever I play games it freezes, even hearthstone. (It's a 2D game!!) I just logged into my computer, opened discord and google chrome and my disk space in my task manager is at 100% while my memory is at 92%, and my cpu is at 4%. Why is this?! This problem has been happening before I got my GTX 1060, but it wasn't as bad as this? Do I need more RAM, or do I need a new fan? what do you guys suggest?

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Showing 1-15 of 25 comments

tillah Nov 24, 2016 @ 8:45am

Get a new hard drive

Dr.Shadowds 🐉 Nov 24, 2016 @ 8:57am

What HDD do you have? How many thing you have running in the background? Is anything trying to update in the background, or doing a system scan?

Actually, it's Timmy Turntwig Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:03am

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds:
What HDD do you have? How many thing you have running in the background? Is anything trying to update in the background, or doing a system scan?

1 TB, not much, my comptuer should be able to handle it.

Actually, it's Timmy Turntwig Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:03am

Originally posted by Killah Tillah:
Get a new hard drive

You sure that's what I need? I think 1TB is enough.

Bad 💀 Motha Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:04am

Pretty much anytime you open/launch anything when using a mechanical HDD; it's going to peak really high until the app is fully opened and loaded; that's just how it is. This is why using an SSD for the OS really helps a lot; I can click 10 different things and don't have to wait around for nothing; everything just loads, done...

Web browsers can eat up more CPU/RAM too if you have a lot of Extensions/Addons, so keep that in-mind. For example; Chrome + AdBlock... the more you enable in AdBlock, the more CPU/RAM that will need; especially the built-in Malware Protection AdBlock offers; instead of using that I use MalwareBytes Anti-Malware Premium and Anti-Exploit; much much better overall for that sort of thing.

This is all reason why OS on any mechanical HDD is just rubbish; you could have a $5K PC; but OS on HDD means the entire system is still just average and overall, slowed. While things may load a little faster due to overall specs; HDDs can't handle a ton of IOPS at the same time (its ability to multi-task Inputs and Outputs); basically it bottlenecks how fast you can do things.

Last edited by Bad 💀 Motha; Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:06am

Actually, it's Timmy Turntwig Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:06am

Originally posted by Bad-Motha:
Pretty much anytime you open/launch anything when using a mechanical HDD; it's going to peak really high until the app is fully opened and loaded; that's just how it is. This is why using an SSD for the OS really helps a lot; I can click 10 different things and don't have to wait around for nothing; everything just loads, done...

Web browsers can eat up more CPU/RAM too if you have a lot of Extensions/Addons, so keep that in-mind. For example; Chrome + AdBlock... the more to toggle to enable for AdBlock, the more CPU/RAM that will need; especially the built-in Malware Protection AdBlock offers; instead of using that I use MalwareBytes Anti-Malware Premium and Anti-Exploit; much much better overall for that sort of thing.

This is all reason why OS on any mechanical HDD is just rubbish; you could have a $5K PC; but OS on HDD means the entire system is still just average and overall, slowed. While things may load a little faster due to overall specs; HDDs can't handle a tone of IOPS at the same time (its ability to multi-task Inputs and Outputs); basically it bottlenecks how fast you can do things.

The thing is, it wasn't as bad when I had my old GPU (GTX 760). My CPU was at 5%, I think that's fine. So you're telling me I should get an SSD?

Bad 💀 Motha Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:08am

Usages for CPU, RAM, and Disk are completely different.
What are you using to monitor/see these peaks?
If it's Task Manager, that is just showing CPU.
If you want to see Disk usage in the form of % of active Reads/Writes, you need to open Resources Monitor instead; then click on Disk tab.

How much RAM do you have? If you have a 6-8GB GPU then you should have 12-16GB of RAM.

What model(s) of Drives do you have?

Could u please download and run http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
Once installed and launched, click Validate > Submit
Once your browser launches, click the address bar and copy & paste that web-URL into here to share your PC Specs.

Last edited by Bad 💀 Motha; Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:10am

Dr.Shadowds 🐉 Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:08am

May I ask what the model of this HDD, also is this a 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM HDD?

Actually, it's Timmy Turntwig Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:12am

Originally posted by Bad-Motha:
Usages for CPU, RAM, and Disk are completely different.
What are you using to monitor/see these peaks?
If it's Task Manager, that is just showing CPU.
If you want to see Disk usage in the form of % of active Reads/Writes, you need to open Resources Monitor instead; then click on Disk tab.

How much RAM do you have? If you have a 6GB GPU then you should have 12-16GB of RAM.

What model(s) of Drives do you have?

I have 8GB RAM and task manager shows disk, cpu, and memory in the processes tab. WD-WCC3F1VLA3JF is the serial number..if that helps

Actually, it's Timmy Turntwig Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:12am

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds:
May I ask what the model of this HDD, also is this a 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM HDD?

Where do I find the RPM?

#10

Actually, it's Timmy Turntwig Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:17am

Originally posted by It's Timmy Turntwig:
Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds:
May I ask what the model of this HDD, also is this a 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM HDD?
Where do I find the RPM?

Not 100% sure, but I think I have 7200 RPM

#11

Dr.Shadowds 🐉 Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:18am

Originally posted by It's Timmy Turntwig:
Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds:
May I ask what the model of this HDD, also is this a 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM HDD?
Where do I find the RPM?

Open up control panel > Open Device manager > Under Disk Drives. Type out the brand and model, and I check the RPM for you.

#12

Actually, it's Timmy Turntwig Nov 24, 2016 @ 9:23am

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds:
Originally posted by It's Timmy Turntwig:
Where do I find the RPM?
Open up control panel > Open Device manager > Under Disk Drives. Type out the brand and model, and I check the RPM for you.

WDC WD10EZEX-00BN5A0

#13