Unknown Disk Activity

[Umma Gumma]

If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time and return to
it, it won't respond to me immediately. There's this inordinate amount of
disk activity going on and I have no idea why. I don't have any search
indexing programs on the disk and I certainly don't have any viruses or
malware of any kind. I've check for those. I have Windows Process Explorer
and can't determine why this disk activity is occurring. Is there any other
way I might be able to identify it?

 

[Leonard Grey]

Open Task Manager, select the Processes tab, display the processes in
decreasing order of CPU consumption and park it on the desktop on top of
all other windows. What processes are occupying most of the CPU when
your problem is occuring?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time and
return to it, it won't respond to me immediately. There's this
inordinate amount of disk activity going on and I have no idea why.
I don't have any search indexing programs on the disk and I
certainly don't have any viruses or malware of any kind. I've check
for those. I have Windows Process Explorer and can't determine why
this disk activity is occurring. Is there any other way I might be
able to identify it?

Some sort of hibernation?

 

[Randy]

Do you have a defrag program running when the computer is idle? Is your
screensaver running just before this happens?

Randy

 

[Umma Gumma]

Some sort of hibernation?

HA! That's a separate issue. Since I did an update per MS my computer won't
hibernate or stand by.

 

[Umma Gumma]

Not that I'm aware of: re the defrag. I have Windows defrag and that's all.

Do you have a defrag program running when the computer is idle? Is your
screensaver running just before this happens?

Randy

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

I have Windows Process Explorer and can't determine why this disk activity is occurring.

Try FileMon and/or Process Monitor instead. You should be able to trace the activity in no time.

FileMon for Windows v7.04:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/FileAndDisk/Filemon.mspx

Process Monitor v1.22:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processmonitor.mspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time and return to
it, it won't respond to me immediately. There's this inordinate amount of
disk activity going on and I have no idea why. I don't have any search
indexing programs on the disk and I certainly don't have any viruses or
malware of any kind. I've check for those. I have Windows Process Explorer
and can't determine why this disk activity is occurring. Is there any other
way I might be able to identify it?

 

[marrie]

Umma Gumma wrote:
:> If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time and
:> return to it, it won't respond to me immediately. There's this
:> inordinate amount of disk activity going on and I have no idea why.
:> I don't have any search indexing programs on the disk and I
:> certainly don't have any viruses or malware of any kind. I've check
:> for those. I have Windows Process Explorer and can't determine why
:> this disk activity is occurring. Is there any other way I might be
:> able to identify it?
:>
:> --
:> entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem

did you check to see whether indexing is checked on your C drive? right
click on that drive in my computer and click properties and go to advanced.
If that box is checked, uncheck it and hit ok, then ok to close the dialogue

marrie

 

[Umma Gumma]

Umma Gumma wrote:
:> If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time and
:> return to it, it won't respond to me immediately. There's this
:> inordinate amount of disk activity going on and I have no idea why.
:> I don't have any search indexing programs on the disk and I
:> certainly don't have any viruses or malware of any kind. I've check
:> for those. I have Windows Process Explorer and can't determine why
:> this disk activity is occurring. Is there any other way I might be
:> able to identify it?
:>
:> --
:> entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem

did you check to see whether indexing is checked on your C drive? right
click on that drive in my computer and click properties and go to
advanced. If that box is checked, uncheck it and hit ok, then ok to close
the dialogue

marrie

Hmmm. Mucho disk activity when I did that. It's being applied to all
subfolders. I don't use MS search. I find it useless. Instead I use Kathy
and Locate. And update their databases from time to time. But I've turned
off indexing.

 

[marrie]

Umma Gumma wrote:
:> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :> If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time and
:>> :> return to it, it won't respond to me immediately. There's this
:>> :> inordinate amount of disk activity going on and I have no idea
:>> :> why. I don't have any search indexing programs on the disk and I
:>> :> certainly don't have any viruses or malware of any kind. I've
:>> :> check for those. I have Windows Process Explorer and can't
:>> :> determine why this disk activity is occurring. Is there any
:>> :> other way I might be able to identify it?
:>> :>
:>> :> --
:>> :> entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
:>>
:>> did you check to see whether indexing is checked on your C drive?
:>> right click on that drive in my computer and click properties and
:>> go to advanced. If that box is checked, uncheck it and hit ok, then
:>> ok to close the dialogue
:>>
:>> marrie
:>
:> Hmmm. Mucho disk activity when I did that. It's being applied to all
:> subfolders. I don't use MS search. I find it useless. Instead I use
:> Kathy and Locate. And update their databases from time to time. But
:> I've turned off indexing.

Ok. If you have disk keeper did you set it to defrag at certain times but
not when your computer is beeing used during the day?

marrie

 

[Umma Gumma]

Umma Gumma wrote:
:> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :> If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time and
:>> :> return to it, it won't respond to me immediately. There's this
:>> :> inordinate amount of disk activity going on and I have no idea
:>> :> why. I don't have any search indexing programs on the disk and I
:>> :> certainly don't have any viruses or malware of any kind. I've
:>> :> check for those. I have Windows Process Explorer and can't
:>> :> determine why this disk activity is occurring. Is there any
:>> :> other way I might be able to identify it?
:>> :>
:>> :> --
:>> :> entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
:>>
:>> did you check to see whether indexing is checked on your C drive?
:>> right click on that drive in my computer and click properties and
:>> go to advanced. If that box is checked, uncheck it and hit ok, then
:>> ok to close the dialogue
:>>
:>> marrie
:>
:> Hmmm. Mucho disk activity when I did that. It's being applied to all
:> subfolders. I don't use MS search. I find it useless. Instead I use
:> Kathy and Locate. And update their databases from time to time. But
:> I've turned off indexing.

Ok. If you have disk keeper did you set it to defrag at certain times but
not when your computer is beeing used during the day?

marrie

no. i just have what defrag came with Windows.

 

[marrie]

Umma Gumma wrote:
:> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :> :>> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :>> :> If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time
:>> :>> :> and return to it, it won't respond to me immediately.
:>> :>> :> There's this inordinate amount of disk activity going on and
:>> :>> :> I have no idea why. I don't have any search indexing
:>> :>> :> programs on the disk and I certainly don't have any viruses
:>> :>> :> or malware of any kind. I've check for those. I have
:>> :>> :> Windows Process Explorer and can't determine why this disk
:>> :>> :> activity is occurring. Is there any other way I might be
:>> :>> :> able to identify it?
:>> :>> :>
:>> :>> :> --
:>> :>> :> entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
:>> :>>
:>> :>> did you check to see whether indexing is checked on your C
:>> :>> drive? right click on that drive in my computer and click
:>> :>> properties and go to advanced. If that box is checked, uncheck
:>> :>> it and hit ok, then ok to close the dialogue
:>> :>>
:>> :>> marrie
:>> :>
:>> :> Hmmm. Mucho disk activity when I did that. It's being applied to
:>> :> all subfolders. I don't use MS search. I find it useless.
:>> :> Instead I use Kathy and Locate. And update their databases from
:>> :> time to time. But I've turned off indexing.
:>>
:>> Ok. If you have disk keeper did you set it to defrag at certain
:>> times but not when your computer is beeing used during the day?
:>>
:>> marrie
:>
:> no. i just have what defrag came with Windows.

And you are sure you disabled that other indexing option that you were
talking about? Next thing do a scann for spyware viruses and rootkits and
before you do that disconect yourself from the internet so no nasties can
try and get themselves in there.

marrie

 

[Umma Gumma]

Umma Gumma wrote:
:> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :> :>> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :>> :> If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of time
:>> :>> :> and return to it, it won't respond to me immediately.
:>> :>> :> There's this inordinate amount of disk activity going on and
:>> :>> :> I have no idea why. I don't have any search indexing
:>> :>> :> programs on the disk and I certainly don't have any viruses
:>> :>> :> or malware of any kind. I've check for those. I have
:>> :>> :> Windows Process Explorer and can't determine why this disk
:>> :>> :> activity is occurring. Is there any other way I might be
:>> :>> :> able to identify it?
:>> :>> :>
:>> :>> :> --
:>> :>> :> entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
:>> :>>
:>> :>> did you check to see whether indexing is checked on your C
:>> :>> drive? right click on that drive in my computer and click
:>> :>> properties and go to advanced. If that box is checked, uncheck
:>> :>> it and hit ok, then ok to close the dialogue
:>> :>>
:>> :>> marrie
:>> :>
:>> :> Hmmm. Mucho disk activity when I did that. It's being applied to
:>> :> all subfolders. I don't use MS search. I find it useless.
:>> :> Instead I use Kathy and Locate. And update their databases from
:>> :> time to time. But I've turned off indexing.
:>>
:>> Ok. If you have disk keeper did you set it to defrag at certain
:>> times but not when your computer is beeing used during the day?
:>>
:>> marrie
:>
:> no. i just have what defrag came with Windows.

And you are sure you disabled that other indexing option that you were
talking about? Next thing do a scann for spyware viruses and rootkits and
before you do that disconect yourself from the internet so no nasties can
try and get themselves in there.

marrie

Thank you. It's solved. I disabled all indexing other than for "my
documents"

 

[marrie]

Umma Gumma wrote:
:> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :> :>> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :>> :> :>> :>> :>> Umma Gumma wrote:
:>> :>> :>> :> If I leave my computer unattended for a small amount of
:>> :>> :>> :> time and return to it, it won't respond to me
:>> :>> :>> :> immediately. There's this inordinate amount of disk
:>> :>> :>> :> activity going on and I have no idea why. I don't have
:>> :>> :>> :> any search indexing programs on the disk and I certainly
:>> :>> :>> :> don't have any viruses or malware of any kind. I've
:>> :>> :>> :> check for those. I have Windows Process Explorer and
:>> :>> :>> :> can't determine why this disk activity is occurring. Is
:>> :>> :>> :> there any other way I might be able to identify it?
:>> :>> :>> :>
:>> :>> :>> :> --
:>> :>> :>> :> entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
:>> :>> :>>
:>> :>> :>> did you check to see whether indexing is checked on your C
:>> :>> :>> drive? right click on that drive in my computer and click
:>> :>> :>> properties and go to advanced. If that box is checked,
:>> :>> :>> uncheck it and hit ok, then ok to close the dialogue
:>> :>> :>>
:>> :>> :>> marrie
:>> :>> :>
:>> :>> :> Hmmm. Mucho disk activity when I did that. It's being
:>> :>> :> applied to all subfolders. I don't use MS search. I find it
:>> :>> :> useless. Instead I use Kathy and Locate. And update their
:>> :>> :> databases from time to time. But I've turned off indexing.
:>> :>>
:>> :>> Ok. If you have disk keeper did you set it to defrag at certain
:>> :>> times but not when your computer is beeing used during the day?
:>> :>>
:>> :>> marrie
:>> :>
:>> :> no. i just have what defrag came with Windows.
:>>
:>> And you are sure you disabled that other indexing option that you
:>> were talking about? Next thing do a scann for spyware viruses and
:>> rootkits and before you do that disconect yourself from the
:>> internet so no nasties can try and get themselves in there.
:>>
:>> marrie
:>
:> Thank you. It's solved. I disabled all indexing other than for "my
:> documents"

Ah. cool deal! Now write down what you did in a notebook or something so you
know how to fix it or help others do the same.

marrie