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    Disk usage pegged to 100% with nothing running...

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by mlw11743, Mar 13, 2012.

  1. mlw11743

    mlw11743 Newbie

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    My laptop is about a year and half old, running Windows 7, 64 bit Home Premium.

    A few days ago, the machine slowed to an unusable level. I checked the resource monitor and found that disk usage was at 100%, even with no applications running.

    After many attempts to find the problem, I backed up my files, reformatted (wiped) the drive and re-installed the operating system. I also got new drivers from Dell.

    Before installing any of the new drivers, or any of my old files on, the disk usage pegged to 100% again.

    I repeated the re-install just once, and the same problem occurred. I am now running Windows Disk Check to see if it finds any problem.

    Any suggestions, tips or advice will be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks in advance.

    Michael Louis Weissman (mlw11743)
     
    mlw11743, Mar 13, 2012
    #1
  2. JohnnyFlash

    JohnnyFlash Notebook Virtuoso

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    That's impossible for disk usage to be anything without the resource manager listing everything that's running. Can you post a screen?
     
    JohnnyFlash, Mar 14, 2012
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  3. mlw11743

    mlw11743 Newbie

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    Very difficult to get a screenshot with the performance as slow as it is. We'll try.

    Please note that we can see all the processes that are running; there aren't many. We just don't see any that are especially hot.

    Note as well that disk check completed without errors.

    We'll try to post a screenshot later this morning, EDT.

    Thanks!
     
    mlw11743, Mar 14, 2012
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  4. mlw11743

    mlw11743 Newbie

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    Here are two screenshots, taken three minutes apart.

    Thanks again!

    -Michael
     

    Attached Files:

    mlw11743, Mar 14, 2012
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  5. LinkRS

    LinkRS Notebook Consultant

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    Hi Michael,

    I am not too familiar with 'Resource Monitor,' but it does not seem to show what we need to see. Can you post screen captures of the Task Manager process list (make sure that you tick 'Show processess for all users'). That will show all of the running processess, and how much of the CPU time they are using. Pegging out the I/O for the hard drive would only impact disk intensive operations, not general responsiviness, unless you are constantly paging due to low memory. Thanks!

    Rich S. :D
     
    LinkRS, Mar 18, 2012
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  6. dutchess63

    dutchess63 Notebook Consultant

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    Hola, this brings my memory back to the old days when we had the I-Love-You-virus.
    When infected with this little wurm you would also have 100% disk usage.

    I advice running an indepth antivirus scan.
     
    dutchess63, Mar 18, 2012
    #6
  7. JohnnyFlash

    JohnnyFlash Notebook Virtuoso

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    Ya, that's what I'm thinking too. In safe mode.
     
    JohnnyFlash, Mar 19, 2012
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