Windows 8 nightmares - I need a hero...

[adysaes]

Hello all. Have created my second new build - first one to use an SSD for the main drive and am having total nightmares at the moment with Windows 8 performance - have done a total reinstall but the same problems have cropped up yet again.

The problem is that after a while, especially when I do anything like installing any software, the system become completely unusable. Task manager can't even stop processes effectively, there's no way of turning off the computer and internet pages refuse to load. When I check task manager it reports very low CPU and memory percentages but 100% disk usage - the 100% disk usage is the common theme. On top of this I'm noticing incredibly sluggish startup - takes up to 4 minutes to get to a working desktop and things like internet explorer then, on first go, take up to 45 seconds to open. It's a potentially powerful beast (see specs below) but is giving absolutely useless performance.

I've tweaked the virtual memory so it's 8000-1600mb as advised in several forums and have optimised the drive several times but the issue just keeps cropping up. Please, please can anybody help me narrow down the problem?

Spec: I5-3470, 8GB Ram, GTX 760 OC, Gigabyte GA-H77N-Wifi

 

[v1zzle]

Install Windows 7

 

[Dogsnake]

First please provide your complete specs. Since you think it is a drive associated issue it might be some help to tell us the drives you have installed. Also brands and model numbers are a great help. How does the system perform with only windows installed, mb drivers and chip set utility and video drivers? Bare bones. What are you installing to the ssd besides windows? Does your ssd have any software with it and did you install it? This does sound like your ssd is to small or it's cache is being saturated and remains so. Need more info.

 

[chugot9218]

Did you install Windows with other drives plugged in? If so, try again with only the SSD plugged in/powered.

 

[JamesSneed]

The task manger in Windows 8 is much improved and will show you which processes are consuming IO.

This is the basic idea of what to look for:

http://slopjong.de/2013/04/23/extremely-high-disk-activity-with-windows-8-and-how-to-fix-it/

 

[4745454b]

Might be a bad/dying drive. Figure out which it is and get rid of it.

 

[photonboy]

Your issue sounds like an incompatible driver, possibly the Wi-Fi one if you are using that.

Troubleshooting:
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4338#dl

1. Remove the current wi-fi drivers if you didn't install the correct ones, then install the ones from above (open the Windows 8 64-bit link)

2. Install the main chipset driver from the same link and any other driver you think relevent

3. Flash the BIOS to the latest

4. Ensure the SATA connection your SSD uses is set to AHCI (not IDE)

5. Switch SATA connectors if not using the best one (usually the Intel 6gbps is best)

6. Other:
DISABLE in the BIOS and remove any relevent software through add/remove for:
- ethernet
- wi-fi
- audio

Other:
1) do NOT install Windows 8.1 for at least two months after it's finalized (the Preview version is buggy for sure)

2) START8 is a recommended product. You can change the settings to boot to normal Desktop and remove the CHARMS feature from the normal desktop. Basically you can forget the new interface exists but you can still access it through the restored Start Menu.
http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

Summary:
I believe it's a driver issue, but we can troubleshoot further if none of the above helps. Not all steps are necessary.

After further consideration, I might recommend the FIRST step to be to REMOVE the wi-fi software (if used) and disable it in the BIOS if it's there at all. You will thus have no internet connection, but if your 100% issue is gone you know the problem is wi-fi related (again probably not having the proper Windows 8 driver).