SSD keeps spiking to 100%

[BT63]

I have several old computers, including a few Dell Optiplex 780 USFF, Windows 10, 8GB RAM, 240GB SSD, which are used for running older software and other light duties.
Windows is fully updated.
RAM usage rarely goes above 5GB of the 8GB and is usually at 3-4GB.
SSD has plenty of space, only about 1/3 full.

One of them - and only one - has an issue where, several times per minute, it has a mini-freeze-up, lasting about 0.5 - 2 seconds and the task manager shows the SSD goes to between 70 - 100% for that brief moment.

There are typically several of these short sharp spikes per minute and it is disruptive. Even if the computer is left running overnight, these spikes continue, several per minute, never ceasing, but not at evenly spaced intervals.

What could be the problem?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[DrFfybes]

Have a look at the individual tasks - I suspect it will be an Anti-Malware or similar.

Paul

[monabri]

Google "ssd spikes to 100"

There's quite a bit of information available (a few links below)

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 5dd24f9d3b

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads ... y.3687974/

https://www.tenforums.com/performance-m ... conds.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comm ... around_15/

https://linustechtips.com/topic/1358520 ... 7-seconds/

https://www.windowsphoneinfo.com/thread ... 00.575289/

[Infrasonic]

What happens if you boot it onto safe mode - same SSD behaviour? If not then it is likely to be a Windows OS or app process under full boot that is causing it.

If it still spikes under Safe then it might be something to do with the SSD - use the SSD manufacturers diagnosis tool to analyse it. Update the SSD firmware if offered that option.

If it doesn't spike under Safe then try an admin level command prompt sfc/scannow and see if it finds any errors - it will auto fix them.
Look at the CBS log file if you want to see what it has fixed.

On older OS installs you may find that errors are found pretty much every time you run sfc/scannow - a clean or repair/upgrade install from a Media Creation Tool copy of Windows is the answer there as it will give you a fresh registry. If you take the repair option with keep files and settings that's less disruptive.

If none of that works have a look at Process Explorer as per the tenforums thread.

I've identified difficult to trace spike issues via process explorer in the past but it can take some time - it isn't always immediately obvious as it may be more than one related process causing the spike.

[BT63]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.
The problem now appears to be fixed after cloning its Transcend SSD to a Kioxia SSD and running with the Kioxia SSD.
The computer has been running for many hours with the task manager open and the SSD spikes have gone.

[Infrasonic]

Glad you got it fixed - if you go to the event viewer and look for any issues from when the old SSD was installed you may be able to identify what the issue with it was from the ID number.