Author Topic: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC  (Read 13954 times)

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Offline Nunzio77

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Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« on: November 13, 2022, 06:06:44 PM »
Hello,
I noticed that when I start the PC, for many minutes (about 10/15 minutes) the hard disk usage is high, in total it remains at 100% and the app that uses the hard disk the most is Avast antivirus.

It's normal?
« Last Edit: November 13, 2022, 11:31:24 PM by Nunzio77 »
Thank you and good day!
Nunzio
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Avast Free - Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, Intel Core2 Duo CPU T7500, RAM 4 Gb, SDD 512 Gb, ATI Mobile Radeon HD 2400 - Avast Mobile Security Free - Smartphone Android

Offline rocksteady

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2022, 05:11:30 PM »
You are not alone seeing that. It has been annoying me for the past few versions of avast free. Clearing all my Browser caches seems to help a little but HDD is still being hammered by Avast for minutes after startup. I don't know what the hell it is doing with the HDD for so long after startup, maybe it is scanning the whole HDD every time. I have just been putting up with it.

If Avast have an explanation, please share it with us frustrated users.

Offline DavidR

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2022, 07:06:39 PM »
@ Nunzio77

Your image isn't showing Avast as the culprit - just that the Disk column is showing a total of 100%, not what is responsible for that.  If it is Avast you need to scroll down to show where Avast is using this disk activity.

As in my image listed by name for all Avast processes, this image is for explanation only as it isn't directly after startup.

I would also suggest adding your system specs in your forum profile > signature.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Nunzio77

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2022, 08:09:24 PM »
@ Nunzio77

Your image isn't showing Avast as the culprit - just that the Disk column is showing a total of 100%, not what is responsible for that.  If it is Avast you need to scroll down to show where Avast is using this disk activity.

As in my image listed by name for all Avast processes, this image is for explanation only as it isn't directly after startup.

I would also suggest adding your system specs in your forum profile > signature.

The characteristics of my PC and operating system are in my signature.
During normal PC operation, after those indicated minutes of PC startup, Avast's resource situation is similar to yours. I'm talking about the minutes after starting up the PC in which Avast is the process that writes the most to the hard disk as you can see from the image for many minutes. It obviously contributes very actively to the total use of the hard disk. The problem is that it takes many minutes.
Thank you and good day!
Nunzio
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Avast Free - Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, Intel Core2 Duo CPU T7500, RAM 4 Gb, SDD 512 Gb, ATI Mobile Radeon HD 2400 - Avast Mobile Security Free - Smartphone Android

Offline DavidR

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2022, 08:52:00 PM »
Yes, but you don't show it, so there is no real way to identify why.

This however can be difficult right after startup, but try and get to the desktop task manager and try and capture the actual avast task responsible.  If this was when your screenshot was taken you should be able to scroll down (and order by the Name column, grouping all the avast tasks together). 

Whilst your system spec is now old, my old Win XP Pro PC desktop had a Core 2 Duo and 4GB ram (this is almost 5 years ago) and I can't recall such issues.  However Avast has moved forward too.

I would also ask if you have a lot of apps/programs set to run on startup ?
If so try limiting those to see there is one causing avast to scan disk activity.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2022, 08:53:50 PM by DavidR »
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Nunzio77

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2022, 09:18:25 PM »
Here are the print screens.
Auto-running apps are only the essential ones.

Thank you and good day!
Nunzio
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Avast Free - Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, Intel Core2 Duo CPU T7500, RAM 4 Gb, SDD 512 Gb, ATI Mobile Radeon HD 2400 - Avast Mobile Security Free - Smartphone Android

Offline DavidR

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2022, 12:22:15 AM »
I think part of the problem here is the values displayed in that column, as it is showing 4,3 MB/s (MegaBytes per second) in your image, which isn't a value I would associate with Hard Drive activity/usage and how this is converted to arrive at 100% of what.  I'm not even sure this figure is accurate, as 100% of what your disk being full or 100% activity. 

All I can think of is Avasts Service is accessing 4.3Mbs of data per second, but then every value in that column when added up would have represent the physical limit of data accessed per second.  Even in your previous image the Avast Service was only showing 1,6 MB/s and at the same time Disk was showing 100%
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Nunzio77

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2022, 06:28:19 AM »
Thanks David R. ;)

A response from the developers would also be appreciated.  8)
Thank you and good day!
Nunzio
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Avast Free - Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, Intel Core2 Duo CPU T7500, RAM 4 Gb, SDD 512 Gb, ATI Mobile Radeon HD 2400 - Avast Mobile Security Free - Smartphone Android

Offline DavidR

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2022, 11:41:49 AM »
You're welcome.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Nunzio77

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #9 on: November 18, 2022, 11:08:56 AM »
@DavidR and all, so this is still a sign that Avast slows down during the first few moments of starting up the PC during its use?
Thank you and good day!
Nunzio
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Avast Free - Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, Intel Core2 Duo CPU T7500, RAM 4 Gb, SDD 512 Gb, ATI Mobile Radeon HD 2400 - Avast Mobile Security Free - Smartphone Android

Offline rocksteady

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #10 on: November 18, 2022, 01:03:21 PM »
From what I see on Task Manager (Win10 22H2) at startup, Disk runs 100% for ten mins or so. When Task Manager is sorted on Disk load, there are different Avast processes showing top or near top contribututors that burden. I have got used to not trying to doing anything constructive on the PC until the disk thrashing eventually calms down. For me this is not new to recent Avast Free versions but has been a pain for some time.

Offline Rundvleeskroket

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2022, 01:43:48 PM »
Is this on SSD or on a traditional spinning HDD?

Disk thrashing sounds like the OS and/or Avast and/or other applications want to do a lot of small reads and writes. A HDD can't deal with that very well, whereas an SSD handles that much better.

I've had my OS on SSD since 2009 and can't imagine going back. This year even my mass storage went SSD. No more HDD in the PC. Faster, quieter, less moving parts.

There will come a time, and we may already be there, where an SSD is expected. The OS and apps will be written with an SSD in mind. This might be what is going on.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2022, 01:46:58 PM by Rundvleeskroket »

Offline Nunzio77

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2022, 02:14:21 PM »
Is this on SSD or on a traditional spinning HDD?

HDD
Thank you and good day!
Nunzio
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Avast Free - Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, Intel Core2 Duo CPU T7500, RAM 4 Gb, SDD 512 Gb, ATI Mobile Radeon HD 2400 - Avast Mobile Security Free - Smartphone Android

Offline rocksteady

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #13 on: November 18, 2022, 05:53:33 PM »
Also HDD

Offline Nunzio77

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Re: Hard disk usage 100% when starting the PC
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2022, 05:47:47 PM »
When the resolution?
Thank you and good day!
Nunzio
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Avast Free - Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, Intel Core2 Duo CPU T7500, RAM 4 Gb, SDD 512 Gb, ATI Mobile Radeon HD 2400 - Avast Mobile Security Free - Smartphone Android