Fix High CPU and Disk Usage after Windows 10 update

Did you notice Windows PC is slow, Not Responding or High CPU and Disk Usage after the recent Windows 10 update? Several users report that after installing a Windows 10 update, experience high CPU or disk usage, leading to a sluggish system, slow response times, and overall reduced performance. Several factors cause 100% CPU or Disk usage after a Windows update, it may be due to Corrupted System Files, Background Processes, Malware or Unwanted Software consuming excessive system resources. Whatever the reason, this article explores the common causes of high CPU or disk usage after a Windows 10 update and provides steps to resolve these issues.

Fix High CPU or Disk Usage In Windows 10

After a recent Windows 10 update, you might notice your computer running slower or becoming unresponsive due to high CPU or disk usage. This can happen for several reasons:

1. Background Processes: The update might trigger processes like indexing or Windows Defender scans, which can temporarily spike resource usage.
2. Driver Conflicts: Outdated or incompatible drivers can cause the system to overwork, leading to high CPU or disk usage.
3. Corrupted Files: System files may get corrupted during the update, causing the computer to struggle with tasks.
4. Windows Services: Services like Superfetch or Windows Update might be consuming more resources than usual after the update.
5. Malware or Unwanted Software: The update might have enabled unwanted software or malware that consumes excessive system resources.

Restart Your Computer

Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve high resource usage by completing pending updates or stopping temporary processes:

• Click on the Start menu, select Power, and then choose Restart.
• After the system reboots, check if CPU or disk usage has returned to normal.

Check for Background Processes

Background processes initiated by the update, such as indexing or cleanup, can cause high resource usage:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
• Click on the Processes tab to see which applications or services are using the most CPU or disk resources.
• If you see processes like Windows Search Indexer or Windows Defender using high resources, give them time to complete. These processes typically return to normal after they finish their tasks.

In addition, Disable the Startup programs

• Open Taskmanager by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del key on the keyboard.
• Then Move To the startup tab this will show you the list of all the programs that automatically run with the PC startup.
• Right-click on the applications that needn’t to be run at startup and select “Disable”.

Run the System File Checker (SFC) and DISM

Corrupted system files can cause excessive resource usage. Running SFC and DISM can repair these files:

• Press Win + X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
• Type the command sfc /scannow and press Enter
• Wait for the scan to complete and fix any issues it detects.
• After the SFC scan, run the DISM command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Let the scanning complete 100%, it may take some time depending on the system corruption level. Once done, restart your computer and check if the issue is resolved.

Adjust your Windows 10 for the best performance

Adjust Windows 10 for best performance As the name suggests, this is a setting option in the Windows system which helps a lot in fixing memory, CPU, and performance-related issues in Windows.

To Adjust windows for Best performance:

• Click on Start menu, Search, type performance and select Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.
• Then on the performance options window, under Visual Effects select the radio button Adjust for Best Performance.
• Click Apply and ok to close and take effect the changes.

Disable or Adjust Windows Services

Certain Windows services, like Superfetch and Windows Search, can cause high disk usage. Disabling or adjusting these services might help:

• Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
• Locate Superfetch (or SysMain on newer versions) and Windows Search in the list.
• Right-click on each service and select Properties.
• Change the Startup type to Disabled and click Stop to halt the service.
• Click OK to apply the changes and restart your computer.

Do the Same Steps With Other Services like BITS, Search index and Windows updates. After that close the Services window and Restart windows, On the next start, you will notice a huge difference in System Resource usage.

Adjust Virtual Memory Settings

High disk usage can sometimes be related to virtual memory settings. Adjusting these settings may improve performance:

• Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter.
• Go to the Advanced tab and click on Settings under Performance.
• In the Performance Options window, go to the Advanced tab and click on Change under Virtual Memory.
• Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
• Select Custom Size and set the initial size and maximum size to the recommended values at the bottom of the window.
• Click Set, then OK, and restart your computer.

Update or Roll Back Drivers

As we already discussed, Driver issues can lead to high CPU or disk usage. Ensuring your drivers are up-to-date or rolling back problematic drivers can help.

• Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
• Expand categories like Display adapters, Disk drives, or Network adapters.
• Right-click on each device and select Update driver to check for updates.

Check for Malware or Unwanted Software

Sometimes, high CPU or disk usage can be caused by malware or unwanted software that the update might have inadvertently enabled:

• Open Windows Security by pressing Win + I and selecting Update & Security > Windows Security.
• Click on Virus & Threat Protection and run a full scan.
• Remove any detected threats and restart your computer.