Storage Solutions 100% HDD Usage on newly formatted system

[TheITN3RD]

Recently installed windows 10, since then my hdd is always 100% , i tried task manager it is barely 33 % but resource monitor showing very high read/write for system.exe, resource monitor showing as high read / write speed.. but there no further info available.

Have tried the following:

SFC /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

No use. As per this post there is no storahci.sys , instead it has this:

Also tried solutions from this post but no use.

I recently switched from Kingston SSD to HP because the health went down to 80% ....i dont know know what to next?

 

[lockhrt999]

Two tests,

1. Does the HDD usage go down (red light less blinking) when you are actively using your computer, say watching YouTube?
2. Do you get full HDD copy paste performance?

If answer is yes to both then ignore that HDD usage. It's normal for windows version 7+. It's not a bad thing and it'll settle down after a few days.

 

[k660]

Two tests,

1. Does the HDD usage go down (red light less blinking) when you are actively using your computer, say watching YouTube?
2. Do you get full HDD copy paste performance?

If answer is yes to both then ignore that HDD usage. It's normal for windows version 7+. It's not a bad thing and it'll settle down after a few days.

hold up isnt this a ssd issue we are talking here?

 

[lockhrt999]

hold up isnt this a ssd issue we are talking here?

I couldn't tell. He said HDD and also has one in his system as per the task manager.

 

[aasimenator]

just leave it for 30 minutes and see if the usage goes down, you said its freshly installed Windows Yes? Windows does a lot of background stuff after the installation is done. leave it running for 30 minutes to an hour on idle do nothing, maybe disable sleep mode temporarily and leave it. report back later.

 

[TechnologyHell]

I couldn't tell. He said HDD and also has one in his system as per the task manager.

Yea, but the issue is on the SSD instead

Doesn't seem normal, but I would recommend to install same edition of windows on the other SSD, and to check if the problem persists.
If yes, issue with the controller on the mobo, else issue with the SSD itself.

 

[nick.knack91011]

Do you have onedrive installed by anychance with sync on ?

 

[r2d3]

i had this exact same issue on a freshly installed windows. ssd/hdd usage abnormally stays at 100% with little to no data transfer and there are massive lags. in my case the issue was physical connection. after cleaning the connectors and few replugs of sata connector, the issue was sorted. dont know what worked.

there is a huge risk of bad sectors being created if the drive is used even for short time in this condition. in my case it resulted in brand new ssd losing 10% health.

 

[TheITN3RD]

hold up isnt this a ssd issue we are talking here?

my bad......it should be SSD...HP to be specific....dont have this issue with other eVGA SSD

Do you have onedrive installed by anychance with sync on ?

it was installed by default but is removed it from startup

Yea, but the issue is on the SSD instead

Doesn't seem normal, but I would recommend to install same edition of windows on the other SSD, and to check if the problem persists.
If yes, issue with the controller on the mobo, else issue with the SSD itself.

i dont think its controller issue, i had not faced this issue with my previous Kingston SSD with same hardware setup

 

[nick.knack91011]

it was installed by default but is removed it from startup

Windows has a habit of reinstalling edge and one drive and that's what happened with my friend his one drive was always syncing in background filling up his hdd until we completely uninstalled it, just recheck once and make sure ,
Also , i would suggest just backup your data and do a clean install if possible , also while your way of diagnosing is fine but some background system services are not visible in task manager , so it's either one drive or some other windows background service doing the damage.

Also if possible upgrade to windows 11 as support for10 is ending prettty much ending anyway

 

[kage]

Run a complete Windows Defender and MalwareBytes scan. Some types of malware only focus on mining storage cryptos and this could be a case of that.
If nothing works, reset/reinstall Windows.

 

[nick.knack91011]

Run a complete Windows Defender and MalwareBytes scan. Some types of malware only focus on mining storage cryptos and this could be a case of that.
If nothing works, reset/reinstall Windows.

Windows defender is more like windows offender it causes more problem than it fixes .Tbf it's better than all the anyiciruses that used to be there like McAfee norton and so in which were also viruses in themselves .

I agree a clean install would be best too

 

[PunkX 75]

As suggested, do an absolute clean reinstall.

There may be some un-obvious background process that could be at play here. Do a quick adwcleaner/Malwarebytes scan, as well.

 

[TheITN3RD]

As suggested, do an absolute clean reinstall.

There may be some un-obvious background process that could be at play here. Do a quick adwcleaner/Malwarebytes scan, as well.

as i said earlier this is a clean install that to with a brand new sealed packed SSD.i will check with malwarebytes....

Windows has a habit of reinstalling edge and one drive and that's what happened with my friend his one drive was always syncing in background filling up his hdd until we completely uninstalled it, just recheck once and make sure ,
Also , i would suggest just backup your data and do a clean install if possible , also while your way of diagnosing is fine but some background system services are not visible in task manager , so it's either one drive or some other windows background service doing the damage.

Also if possible upgrade to windows 11 as support for10 is ending prettty much ending anyway

checked and double checked using appwiz.clp and 3rd party revo uninstaller both edge aand one drive is uninstalled

Windows defender is more like windows offender it causes more problem than it fixes .Tbf it's better than all the anyiciruses that used to be there like McAfee norton and so in which were also viruses in themselves .

I agree a clean install would be best too

i never use default defender, currently using SEP 14.x (ahem.ahem.)

 

[kage]

i never use default defender, currently using SEP 14.x (ahem.ahem.)

Please don't.
Windows Defender might cause some false positives here and there, but in 2025 it IS the best anti virus software for Windows. Period.

MalwareBytes is a close second and comes in handy for some pesky rootkits, but this is all I would recommend.
All other anti-viruses are more like adware/bloatware nowadays. At best they don't do much, at worst they bog down your whole system and bring crashes.

 

[k660]

in 2025 it IS the best anti virus software for Windows. Period

No, but it has gotten really good over the period of last decade.

That reminds me,

i never use default defender, currently using SEP 14.x (ahem.ahem.)

Have u tried uninstalling antivirus completely?
- I remember when antiviruses used to keep my hdd 100% for long long periods
( Especially when bit-defender was notorious for it )

 

[Tobikage]

Recently installed

Is this a 6th or 7th gen system by any chance ?

 

[nick.knack91011]

Just install fedora / Mint / PopOs and get it done , maybe. The universe wants you to switch to Linux..

 

[k660]

Just install fedora / Mint / PopOs and get it done , maybe. The universe wants you to switch to Linux..

You got a point there,
When windows become absolute dog water ( there was time when it became absolutely unusable n no matter what I tried didn't work ) and I changed to linux mint.
And my got it was such a relief moment.
Though it is also true after a couple years when I returned to windows it had become way more stable than expected.

 

[nick.knack91011]

You got a point there,
When windows become absolute dog water ( there was time when it became absolutely unusable n no matter what I tried didn't work ) and I changed to linux mint.
And my got it was such a relief moment.
Though it is also true after a couple years when I returned to windows it had become way more stable than expected.

Think is now linux especially mint fedora and pop are so easy to maintain even a 4yr old can install it out of the both , and i would say even gaming is great on them ( not windows great but still ) just a few softwares i use like foobar brings me back to windows so i dual boot even though strawberry is fine .

But honestly unless you really wanna use Ms office ( that too is easy to use offline ) Linux is just way more convinient to install / backup safer encrypted and never fails.

There's a huge difference in speed and stability compared to couple years back with linux re kernels and windows after a period will always end up lagging like androids if you don't maintain it well and someone who hates closed ecosystems like ios and macs linux seems best mid solution with flexibility it offers and I always keep a windows boot usb anyway if i feel like switching .

I think op should try mint for sure or xfce if he wants something lighter as it literally takes 5 minutes to install it nowadays. I prefer fedora but for newbies mint is amazing.