Disk usage 100% but very less transfer rate on windows 10

[vasishath]

Hello,

I bought a new Asus vivobook s15 laptop with 8th gen Core-i5 8250U and a Seagate ST1000LM035 1TB HDD in October 2017. Since the day I bought it, whenever I try to update windows, the hard disk usage shoots up to 100% with transfer rates between 0-500 Kbps and high response times in the order of 3000-13000 ms. This starts happening as soon as it starts checking for updates, not only when installing. And it doesn't go away immediately on stopping updates.. It stays for some time.

On opening resource monitor, I see process "System" (ntoskernel.exe) doing most of the transfers but again at very low speeds. What's more weird is the fact that if I force turn off laptop and reboot to linux (I also have linux installed), it also boots and runs slow for some considerable time.. As if windows wrote some garbage to the disk and its taking some time to cleanup. But otherwise, linux runs just fine.. no matter how much I stress it. Also, if I stop windows update and let the hard disk "relax" for some time, then also linux runs just fine.

I suspected a manufacturing defect in hard disk so I went for an RMA and got my hard disk replaced. But the problem is just the same. I have tried running SMART tests (short and extended), linux "badblocks" program etc to find any bad sectors but all pass successfully (both on my previous and new HDD).

I was initially running on Windows 10 1703 and updated to 1709 last night. Issue is still the same.
All my drivers are up to date.

So, I am not able to understand it.. Where is the actual problem ? Is it some buggy driver or something else ?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[wayne3580]

When you start Windows Update, it will search your system to see what updates you have and which ones you need additionally. Then it will start the downloads. This does a lot of I/O which is naturally going to slow your system down. If you stop it in the middle of downloading, it is likely to install what it has already downloaded. All this is just the way it works. You just have to be patient and give it time to complete.

 

[vasishath]

Lol.. U r saying as if i am doing the windows update for the first time. I have been using windows since 10+ years now and i know how much time does it take to do the same.
And the system doesn't just slow down.. It starts freezing and thats not expected from a modern 8th gen processor.

 

[wayne3580]

"Freezing" can happen when Windows needs to expand it's page file. Since you've given zero info about your system/configuration, we have very little to go other than speculation. FWIW I've been working with Windows 22 years, DOS before that, mainframes before that.

 

[vasishath]

I know about page file and yes i agree page filing expansion causes system freeze but that shouldnt last more than 3-4 mins.

As i said i have a brand new system, i should mention that i have 8gb of ram. And i have also tried disabling page filing but that has no effect.

And even if it is pagefile, how come its affecting writing speed on all other partitions of the disk that continues even after i reboot into another OS ?