HDD going up to 100% usage on Win 10

[Mandrillo]

My disk is going up to 100% and then slowing down the software that is running on it only when i'm writing things on it, for example updating games, or just copying files from another disk to this one.
Task manager: https://gyazo.com/eef82a6db2faaf3b1d880a5408a41121
https://gyazo.com/fd93843579758f5ed116bf2379e51d84

Crystal disk info: https://gyazo.com/2aa744bd395f14fb5e116a7bf911f7a3

I don't know if the problem is caused by windows 10, if the disk is too old or some software is going crazy.

Processes that uses the disk when this happens depends on what i'm doing.
Sometimes it's steam updatind a game or a game launcher updating, or just explorer.exe cause i'm copying files on the hard disk.

Now, the strange thing is that i can read at full speed from this hard disk (100-150 MB/s, it depends on the sectors) but writing is just blocking it.
Any ideas on what can cause this?

I got a new HDD and while backing up the files i noticed that it had the same problem, but it was just spiking to 100%, with response time >3000 ms, then going back down normally.

Nothing is happening with the 3rd HDD (Disk 2 E: ).
Maybe the mobo is failing? Is it just windows 10 going crazy with some sata ports? Why not all of them?

Disk 0 (C: ) is a 250gb 840 evo samsung ssd, no problems with it at all

Other system specs:
CPU: AMD FX-8320
Mobo: Asus M5A97 R2.0
Ram: DDR3 Vengeance Black 16 GB 1600Mhz
HDD: Disk 0 - Samsung SSD
Disk 1: Seagate 7200 rpm (disk with problems)
Disk 2: Seagate 7200 rmp (no problems)
Disk 3: it's not connected to the system, still seagate 7200 rpm (disk with some spikes while copying)
Power supply: ENERMAX Thriatlor ECO 650w
Video card: GTX 1070 (don't think that's relevant at all)

 

[Colif]

can you open task manager, go to same tab as you got screen shot from, and click open resource monitor at bottom
open the hdd tab and see what is using the most here, show us a screen shot

have you run defrag recently?

you can run http://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/item/seatools-win-master/ on it and check it further.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hey there, @Mandrillo!

I'd definitely follow @Colif's advice on testing the HDD using its brand-specific diagnostic utility and also defragging it. If nothing helps, I'd strongly recommend you swap the SATA cable connecting the HDD inside your PC and also use a different SATA port on the motherboard. Sometimes, it's possible that the 100% HDD spikes are caused by a faulty connection to the drive.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted with the troubleshooting!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[madmatt30]

Updated to win 10 anniversary ??
If so I had exactly the same problem mate , writing - 100% usage , 5 minutes to extract a 500mb file , an age to do any program installs.
Near same configuration as yours, os on ssd & 3 x 3tb platter drives , problem only occured on one drive.

Will try & post a link when I'm back home because I had to dig into registry to solve the problem

As a starter open settings/systems, notification & disable tips about windows option.
Privacy tab , make sure its set to basic option.

 

[Mandrillo]

Updated to win 10 anniversary ??

Actually i freshly installed win 10 anniversary.

As a starter open settings/systems, notification & disable tips about windows option.
Privacy tab , make sure its set to basic option.

Already done, nothing changed.

have you run defrag recently?

It was impossible to run.. Today it seems like it's working without problems, i'll keep testing it and let you know if something changes.

you can run http://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/item/sea... on it and check it further.

Every test passed on both disks.

So today it seems like the disk is working without problems.. Really i can't understand what's going on.

@madmatt30 waiting for your fix with the registry anyway

 

[madmatt30]

Registry did nothing mate , back after 2 cold boots.
Its compattelrunner which is killing my drives after boot for a good 20 minutes.

Its a windows telemetry information collecting tool & I have just deleted the ****** thing completely no so hopefully solved.

Reboot your oc mate , when you get the 100% disk usage in task manager click on open resource monitor , then the disk tab that opens.

The middle box shows all drive read/write accesses & the program that is running them.
If its the same file as mine I can walk you through removing it.

 

[Mandrillo]

Ok, thanks for the help, i'll post again here if it goes up to 100% again

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hey there again, @Mandrillo!

I'm glad that you got the HDD working properly again. However, to keep your peace of mind, I'd advise you to back up all important data from it somewhere off-site as well. Having a copy would definitely avoid any potential data loss and besides, better safe than sorry, right?
Hopefully, it won't spike the usage to 100% again, but if it happens, let us know.

Best of luck!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[Mandrillo]

Hey there again, @Mandrillo!

I'd advise you to back up all important data from it somewhere off-site as well. Having a copy would definitely avoid any potential data loss and besides, better safe than sorry, right?

Already done Thanks for the advice anyway

 

[Mandrillo]

Ok, got an update for this problem.
After leaving my pc on for appoximately 16 hours updating a 11 GB game, when i came back home the game launcher was blocked with the classic windows error. So i closed it.
After that, my hdd just spiked up to 100% to come back 1 sec later to 45% with nothing using it.
https://gyazo.com/0fb41afc2270bcc197ecf5eca216520a

So i tried opening the folder of the game using explorer and that happened:
https://gyazo.com/d5ac5654569e2c34ed8094057f55eab9

Then i tried right-clicking the game launcher on my desktop and i opened file location, and all the files now are here: https://gyazo.com/a502aa60da98bcc87eaf8c264245ef77
But still i can't open them.

I'm trying to reboot right now, hoping that this is a windows "feature" and not my hdd dead.

UPDATE:
So just after clikcing Reboot my pc went to sleep mode.
I turned it on again and my hdd was back up to 95-100% doing things like this in the resource monitor:
https://gyazo.com/f725792acd5c2e3dc2552bfcaf5d3382
Basically every folder in the disk was "being used", they disappeared after 2-3 minutes and the hdd now is working again.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

This sounds pretty unfortunate, @Mandrillo!

However, I'm not sure if you have already tried swapping the SATA cable and the SATA port where the problematic HDD is connected to the mobo. I'd also advise you to consider backing up all your data from the system somewhere off-site and re-install Windows from scratch, together with all the games & applications. Keep in mind that while installing Windows on the SSD, you need to unplug all secondary HDDs from the mobo in order to avoid any potential OS confusion. This would be best last resort to your issue.

However, I imagine that you might not be up for it, so you should also consider running a anti-virus/malware software to check your system for any potential infection. Reinstalling the games themselves might also be a good idea.

Have you tried this HDD in another system as well? Do these spikes appear there whenever you connect it and try to read some data off of it?

SuperSoph_WD

 

[Mandrillo]

I don't have another system to try the HDD, and i already tried to replace sata cables.
I'll try to reinstall windows, probably tomorrow, and i'll let you know if it works.

 

[Mandrillo]

I solved it.
Probably i'm the most unlucky person here.
When i changed the cable and i had the same problem i tought that it was not the cables fault, but it was.
I had 2 bad cables, 1 in the system and 1 laying around.
Changed it (again) and now everything is fine.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Good job figuring it out, @Mandrillo!

I'm glad you have finally managed to resolve the issue! I'd advise you to always backup your files somewhere off-site as well and prevent any potential data loss. I'd also get a couple of spare SATA cables whenever you can afford it, just in case. You definitely don't need those defective ones anyway.

Hope we were helpful! Best of luck!
SuperSoph_WD