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100% DISK usage causing slow system startup


For the last week or so my system has been very slow to startup, and during this time the disk shows at 100% usage.
It takes at least 5-10 minutes until everything has loaded and disk usage returns to normal and the system is usable.

I have checked the resource monitor and there is nothing specific that is thrashing the disk, the top apps consuming most I/O changes as the system starts.
I have uninstalled McAfee to rule that out.
If I start in safe mode, then everything is fine.
I have tried stopping certain services which I have read are common culprits, such as superfetch and shadow copy, but it had no effect.

if you start in safe mode and everything is fine, then please try this. Open msconfig– click on the services tab– check the box hide all Microsoft services– note which services are checked and then uncheck them all – restart your PC and if everything runs fine do the following steps.
Open msconfig – go to the services tab – check the box hide all Microsoft services – check half of the services you had unchecked – restart. By doing this process a few times you will identify the offending service.

I have tried disabling all non Microsoft services, but still the same issue occurs. the only difference is that it doesn't seem to last as long.

can you post some details about your hard drive. HHD or SSD? Percentage used? Recently optimized or defragged?

My system is a Dell Inspiron 2350
It is 1TB drive with 32GB SSD cache. I have over 600GB free.

According to HWINFO I have 2 drives.
Drive Model: LITEONIT LMS-32L6M mSATA 32GB
Drive Model: Seagate ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
the seagate it says is in a Raid array

Windows says I only have an SSD, thus won't allow me to defrag it as SSD doesn't need to be defragged. I assume this is going to be an issue as obviously the HDD does need to be derfragged

so what you essentially have is the 1 TB HDD drive with the 32 GB SSD supplemental cache. I suspect your problem is Windows 10 interaction with that relatively unusual set up. you should check with Dell regarding issues with Windows 10 and your specific PC. Typically Windows 10 will automatically optimize (trim) SSD's and defrag HDD's, I'm not sure what it's set up to do with your unique configuration.

this is certainly not a unique configuration, at the very least I would be one among tens of thousands of other Dell customers with the same setup as well as many thousands of others using hybrid drive systems, whether purchased from a vendor or self built.
You may want to read this.

Hybrid drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I did not mean to insult your system. I meant unique in that your SSD and HDD are linked to each other with hybrid software. Unlike most SSD and HDD combinations which can be optimized separately, your system requires "unique treatment" (damn the word unique again) for hybrid setups. Hopefully some members with similar setups might be able to get you better information as standard (not unique :-)) solutions/answers will not apply.
Cheers

Please do the following, again with msconfig, but also taskmanager


  • Open taskmanager
    • Go to the tab startup
    • disable everything

  • Search msconfig and open it
    • Go to the tab services
    • Check 'hide microsoft services'
    • Uncheck all other services
    • Click apply and click ok

  • Reboot if asked


This is a clean boot

See if the problem persist, if the problem does not persist enable in the startup tab in taskmanager 1 item and in the services tab in msconfig also 1 service, reboot and see if the problem persist. Keep doing this until you find the culprit or there is nothing left.

Axe, we already did this, see 2nd and 3rd posts.

100% DISK usage causing slow system startup