[SOLVED] Windows 10 hangs for a few seconds when opening some programs for the first time

[Arbiter051]

I am not sure when this problem started. But I noticed when opening some programs for the first time after a cold boot (meaning I shutdown my computer, went to sleep and when I start it up the next morning). For example when opening Firefox/Chrome, it doesn't freeze. When opening Battle.net, my cursor will chug and hitch/freeze for a few seconds while moving it. Pretty much all 3 of my monitors will freeze for 2-3 seconds and come back like nothing happened, however my audio is unaffected and keeps working just fine. My PC works just fine as intended as far as I can tell, it's just this problem is bugging the crap out of me.

MTGArena and opening Steam also produce this problem, however if I start one of these programs that causes this, the problem never happens again until a restart. So if I open MTGA, the problem happens, then if I open it again, if I open Battle.net or Steam etc... The problem will not occur, however as I said, if I restart, the problem happens and then goes away after the first opening of one of these applications. I noticed this issue about 2 weeks ago and things I've tried are.

-Adding all 3 programs to Avast Free Exceptions
-ServicePipeTimeout in registry
-Running these applications in Admin Mode
-My Pc is on High Performance
-I looked while Task Manager was open but my CPU usage does not hit anywhere near 100%, my disk usage is barely used as well. There is no specific program that has popped up as usuing a ton of CPU usage either.
-Ive scanned with different types of Anti-Malware programs (including Malwayre-Bites and HitmanPro) and they all come up with nothing.
-I've updated all of my drivers.
-I have checked the Event Viewer, and I did find Steam with the error 7000 and 7009, however after a restart, the problem happened again and no new errors was created
-The only things that start with my computer are Avast, Discord and MSi Afterburner even with Discord closed and MSi Afterburner closed, the problem happens. I have 5 non Microsoft Services running, which are my Bluetooth Adapter (Which I have unplugged thinking it was the culprit, but nope), 3 Avast Services and my Nividia Display Container.
-Nothing is Overclocked in my PC Currently
-I have checked the health of all my drives and both CrystalDiskInfo and Windows reported they were healthy

9900Kf
Gigabyte z390 Aorus Pro with Bios F10
Msi Gtx 970 (Old card died, saving up money for the next GPU Lineup) with most recent driver and I am using the Prefer Maximum Performance option
32gb Corsair LPX Ram @3000mhz
850W Corsair PSU Gold Certified 80+
850Evo 500gb Which has the operating system
860Evo 1TB is loading the games
Seagate 1TB for general Storage
Windows is fully up to date 1909

When I first load up my computer, if I log in before Discord fully loads, the problem can happen there to. I used to think it was just my computer loading a bunch of things at the same time, but I am not sure that is the case anymore.

If anyone has any ideas, I am all ears. Thank you for your time.

 

[rgd1101]

where the page file? hibernation on?

 

[Arbiter051]

Page file is on my c drive. I did try moving the page file but it didn’t fix it. I forgot to add that.

Hibernation is off as well as fast startup

 

[rgd1101]

latest bios?

 

[wpgwpg]

Start the Resource Monitor and look at the disk access. I'm thinking you have something on that hard drive that's being loaded and causing the delay. After it gets loaded into RAM, it will be cashed in that big 32 GB RAM storage you have so that you don't see the delay again until you reboot.

 

[Arbiter051]

@RgD the latest bios is f12 I believe. I am on f10

@wpg should I be looking at the memory side or cpu of resource monitor? Also I am assuming I should look at it, as I am loading one of my programs?

 

[wpgwpg]

Look at the disk activity and click once where it says TOTAL so that the file having the most activity is listed at the top. Yes, look at as you're loading one of the programs that is getting that lag. The numbers you'll see are cumulative, so the files listed near the top will be relatively stable.

 

[Arbiter051]

Look at the disk activity and click once where it says TOTAL so that the file having the most activity is listed at the top. Yes, look at as you're loading one of the programs that is getting that lag. The numbers you'll see are cumulative, so the files listed near the top will be relatively stable.

I loaded mtgarena and both it and avast seem to shoot up. Mtgarena with over 25 mill and avast with almost 20 when it lags. Then system seems to also write a ton. After closing and reopening the program, nothing seems to 30-35k

the program itself, system and avast seem to be using a huge amount. Funny enough even with mtgarena in the home screen idling I see avastsvc close to 500 thousand

looks like loading battle.net, no lag because I already loaded mtg arena before, but battle.net uses a ton and then avast and system are using over a mill. Nothing else shoots up but avast, system and the program being opened.

 

[wpgwpg]

Depending on how long it's been since you booted up, Avast could be doing a virus scan. That means looking at all your programs wherever they are. I haven't used Avast in a no. of years, but that's common behavior for antivirus programs. If any of the files on that list of the most disk activity are on the hard drive, I'd move them to one of the SSDs. Just so you're aware, you want to look at the file names more so than the program names. It's the busiest files you want to move to the SSDs if they're on the HDD.

 

[Arbiter051]

Hm, I only gave ssd drives.

Also forgive me but what do you mean I should be looking at the file names? Where exactly should I be looking?

also I could load up one of these programs an hour after boot or 5 minutes after, doesn’t matter sadly. I don’t think avast is doing schedule scan.

 

[wpgwpg]

When you look at disk activity, File is the 3rd column in the list after image and PID. Thats where the file names are listed. You may have to enlarge that column to see the whole names of the affected files. If Avast is constantly doing I/O and slowing things down, you might want to try a different antivirus program. I've had good experience with Defender and Norton Security Suite.
Of course there's always your option to just ignore the delay the first time you access these programs.

 

[Arbiter051]

I gotcha, though I don’t see file. I see image pid read write , but I’m pretty sure you mean image so I can see the whole process name? Or am I wrong?

im looking looking at process with disk activity.

 

[wpgwpg]

The column header is as follows:
Image PID File Read Write Total
1 ~~~~ 2~~~ 3
The 3rd heading in that list, File, is the column that lists file names.
Update: I'm adding a picture of that Resource Monitor screen FWIW.

https://imgur.com/a/A0WX8e8

View: https://imgur.com/gallery/A0WX8e8

 

[Arbiter051]

Ah I see what you are taking about. Alright tomorrow I’ll do the test again. Hopefully narrow some stuff down.

looking at the file names, only the application and avast seems to be hitting up the usage skyrocket high. I’m pretty sure it’s just avast at this point.