Ethernet Graph in Task Manager Shows CONSTANT Download

As a first step, in the processes tab in Task View click on the Network header  to see what process is doing the downloading.

Just checked.  The process which the network activity belongs to is SYSTEM.

OK, in Task Manager right click on System just to make sure Location is C:\Windows\System32.

- Open Delivery Optimization settings (press Start and type 'delivery', select delivery optimization) and toggle off 'Allow downloads from other PCs'.

- In Task Manager choose the App history tab and see what has used Network, or Tile updates (although System usage may not appear in any app.).

- Are you connecting to a network server, local or remote?

-Troubleshoot with a clean boot.

Okay, in order:

• System is in C:\Windows\System32
• Download from other PCs was and is OFF
• Nothing unusual in Network or Tile updates
• Connection is direct to Spectrum network via Arris cable modem
• Will try a "Clean Boot" and get back to you, though that may have to wait until tomorrow.

Thanks for your help so far.  I'll let you know what I get from the clean boot.

I just finished recovering from the Clean Boot, and the results are THE SAME: an approximately 2.7 mbps network activity attributed to SYSTEM.  This suggests to me that there is a problem associated most likely with the last update applied to this computer, which from the history was a "Quality Update," dated 11/6/2018.

I should also mention that I've seen two "Blue Screen Of Death" occurrences since that update, one of them while rebooting after the Clean Boot.  Those are the ONLY two I have EVER seen, which further reinforces my sense that there is something wrong at the operating system level which will probably necessitate a reinstallation of Windows 10 (oh, FUN!).

Please advise.

Hi Loren,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

We would suggest you to follow steps mentioned below and check the data usage of each app installed on your computer.

1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Data usage.

2. After clicking on data usage the right pane displays the breakdown of Wi-Fi and Ethernet usage for the past thirty days.

3. Click on Usage details under the data usage statistics.

4. You will now see all the apps along with their data details.

Hope it helps.

Let us know if you got the help you needed by clicking Yes or No.

Manjunath H

Microsoft Community - Moderator

Hi, Manjunath!

Sadly, no, no help.  Here's the Data Usage Details, and it pretty much  conforms to what I've seen to this point, being something going on at the System level:

I really appreciate your help with this.  I just hope we can come up with a resolution short of having to start from Square One!

Loren

Drat, my mistake, I didn't set the screen for the Local Area Connection as opposed to Wireless.  Still, not much difference, as you can see:

Obviously, we still have a problem here.

While in the clean boot state did the network activity continue?  This would indicate something in the system and not third party software.
- Get Sysinternals TCPView to check on network activity. If it's in system4 it may not help much.

- Disconnect peripherals. Not hard drives, but printers etc.

- Run the network troubleshooter.

- Reboot the router/modem.

- Run sfc /scannow. And DISM.

- What OS build are you on? If an ISO is available you can run a repair upgrade and keep all your software and data. Less painful than a reset or a clean install.