Windows 8 keeps slows down to 100% disk usage and hangs.

Hello All,

I have been using Windows 8 since its launch and I also came across the same issue.
Point is how did I resolved the issue ?

Windows8 automatically manages virtual memory and paging file size by default.
It doesn't sets virtual memory as per the internal recommendation. The virtual memory set by default is approximately 70% of the recommendation. E.g. For my laptop, it recommends 2003MB of virtual memory wherein each drive size is of 100GB & RAM is 3GB. By default it got set to 1403MB when Windows8 was installed.

You need to increase this virtual memory. Make it equivalent to your RAM size for the initial size and twice of the initial size in maximum size and make sure you have the same amount of free space in your hard drive in each drive.

To do this, follow the following steps:
1. Go to Control Panel> All control panel items > System
2. Click on Advanced system settings
3. Under performance, click on settings
4. Go to Advanced tab
5. Under Virtual memory, click on Change
6. UN-check "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives" check box
7. Select your windows drive (where OS is installed)
8. Click on Custom size radio button
9. Set Initial size equivalent to your RAM size in MB
10. Set Maximum size to twice of your RAM size in MB
11. Click on Set
12. Click on OK thrice
13. Restart your system

This should resolve this issue,

Regards,
Arpan Kashyap

Hi,

I had this same problem, my lenovo laptop would be left idle for ~15 minutes then come back, 100% disk usage but not tagged to any process.  

The issue was a scheduled task to defrag.

Open Task Scheduler -> Microsoft -> Windows -> Defrag 

Disable or delete the task.

Hope this helps someone else.

I thought it was hard disk issue as the computer would be unusable without restarting using the power button.