How To Fix Windows 10 High CPU Disk Usage By Ntoskrnl.exe Issue

Windows 10 is the latest version of the Windows operating system. It was first released in 2015 and was made as a free upgrade to people who were running Windows 7 or Windows 8 on their computers. Although this is a solid performing operating system there are instances when certain issues can occur which we will be troubleshooting today. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will tackle the windows 10 high cpu disk usage by Ntoskrnl.exe issue.

How To Fix Windows 10 High CPU Disk Usage By Ntoskrnl.exe Issue

Before performing any of the recommended troubleshooting steps listed below it’s best to restart your computer first. This action refreshes the operating system and remove any corrupt temporary data that could be causing the problem.

The Ntoskrnl.exe or Windows NT operating system kernel is a system application that is responsible for various services such as hardware abstraction, process and memory management. It’s task is to make sure that your computer runs smoothly. When this service uses a lot of memory or disk activity then there’s a chance that the problem is caused by a malware, corrupted driver, or even a corrupted file system. Listed below are the troubleshooting steps you need to do to fix the problem.

Update you computer hardware drivers

Since this problem can be caused by outdated drivers then it’s best to make sure that your computer has the latest drivers installed.

  • Open Settings.
  • Click on Update & Security.
  • Click on Windows Update.
  • Click the Check for updates button.
  • Restart the computer once the updates have been installed.

Check if the Windows 10 high cpu disk usage by Ntoskrnl.exe issue still occurs.

Scan your computer for Malware

One of the main reasons why this problem will occur is if your computer if infected with malware. It is therefore a good idea to run a malware scan on your computer so as to eliminate this threat.

The best way to do this is to use Malwarebytes which you can download from https://www.malwarebytes.com/. Once it is installed run a scan.

  • Open Malwarebytes for Windows.
  • To the left, click Scan > Scan Types.
  • If the Scan tab shows a Your scan is complete message, click Close X to view the Scan Types.
  • Select one of the three scan methods provided: Threat Scan, Custom Scan, Hyper Scan.
  • If a malware is detected it will be quarantined or removed from your system.

Check if the Windows 10 high cpu disk usage by Ntoskrnl.exe issue still occurs.

Disable Runtime Broker

Runtime Broker is a process that ensures that apps you download from the Windows Store are declaring all of their permissions. This usually uses a lot of CPU and memory resources if it gets corrupted. You can check if this is what’s causing the problem by disabling it.

  • Go to Start Menu and open the Settings app
  • Open System > Notification and Actions
  • Deselect the option “Show me tips about Windows” or “Get tips, tricks and suggestions as you use Windows”
  • Restart your computer.

Check if the Windows 10 high cpu disk usage by Ntoskrnl.exe issue still occurs.

Change the Registry Settings

  • Press the “Windows” + “R” keys simultaneously.
  • Type in “regedit” and press “enter”.
  • Go to the following address: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CurrentControlSet>Control>Session Manager>Memory Management
  • Double click on the “Clear Page File Shutdown” registry in the right pane
  • Change the “Value Data” to “1” and click on “OK”
  • Restart your computer

Check if the Windows 10 high cpu disk usage by Ntoskrnl.exe issue still occurs.

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