Anyone NOT have constant disk access in WinXP?

[extreme_dB]

Go to the Processes tab in Task Manager and enable all the I/O columns through View --> Select Columns (I/O reads, I/O read bytes, etc.). Then look at those columns to see if any processes are being constantly incremented.

I have WinXP on a desktop and laptop, and both of them have constant disk access for "lsass.exe" and "svchost.exe". The disk I/O never stops, even after disabling every service possible (including fast indexing, etc.). This happens even on a fresh install after a reformat with no other programs or drivers loaded.

The constant reads/writes can't be good for the drive! I just want to know if this is "normal".

If you don't have this problem, please list your system specs. Thanks.

[Greg]

Same as you, I/O access appears to be normal.

[extreme_dB]

Constant disk access is unacceptable to me.

I finally found the answer through a process of elimination. The constant I/O from lsass.exe is only a symptom, not the cause. The service responsible is "Terminal Services" (used for remote login). Once I disabled Terminal Services, the continual activity from lsass stopped.

My hard drive light still faintly blinks once per second though, even when there's no disk activity (which I verified with Diskmon). I disabled autoplay for all drives through gpedit.msc, to no avail. I'm still searching for an answer.

[Greg]

Will be interesting to know what you discover. At least HDD access these days can occur asnychronously, with good DMA action, but it does seem like a waste of system resources. After windows has sat idle for a little while, it should be doing almost nothing.

[Jorolat]

Originally Posted by extreme_dB

Go to the Processes tab in Task Manager and enable all the I/O columns through View --> Select Columns (I/O reads, I/O read bytes, etc.). Then look at those columns to see if any processes are being constantly incremented.

I have WinXP on a desktop and laptop, and both of them have constant disk access for "lsass.exe" and "svchost.exe". The disk I/O never stops, even after disabling every service possible (including fast indexing, etc.). This happens even on a fresh install after a reformat with no other programs or drivers loaded.

The constant reads/writes can't be good for the drive! I just want to know if this is "normal".

If you don't have this problem, please list your system specs. Thanks.

Did you ever find a solution to the svchost.exe disc access problem? I and another chap in the microsoft.public.windowsxp.general newsgroup are having similar difficulties

Jorolat

[j0j081]

My hard drive light rarely blinks when I'm not actually doing something. I haven't disabled any services either besides system restore. I am using the nForce IDE driver/controller.

[Jorolat]

Originally Posted by j0j081

My hard drive light rarely blinks when I'm not actually doing something. I haven't disabled any services either besides system restore. I am using the nForce IDE driver/controller.

---
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Clawhammer
ASUS K8N8X - nForce3
1 GB RAM
BFG 6800GT OC ~400/1.1~
w/Zalman VF700CU
WinTV-PVR 150
Audigy 2 ZS
Seagate + Maxtor 200 GB 7200 rpm 8 MB
NEC 3500A
Antec TruePower 430
-Win XP Pro x64 Edition

Crikey Jojo, my system looks like a Charles Babbage Mark I Clockwork Machine compared to your specs!

Ain't right ya know, how you colonials have got better stuff 'n us

Queen Liz is coming to Dover at the end of the month, fink I'll have a word with her - see if we got any gunboats left...

extreme_dB's original post is two years old & I can't email him so I've left a private message. His last post was in May (if I remember correctly) so I hope he'll turn up sooner or later!

nb my hard drive light rarely blinks too but enabling I/O Read Bytes & I/O Write Bytes in Windows Task Manager showed up the disc activity.

Jorolat

[Jorolat]

I've just installed XP slipstreamed with SP2 onto a new hard drive
(but I'm back on the old OS & HDD now) and as soon as I installed the
modem drivers the svchost disc activity started. I uninstalled the
drivers & the problem went away.

I ain't gotta clue why this is so & it'll be a few days before I can
spend some time on it. In the meantime, if anyone has any ideas I'ld
be glad to hear them!

Jorolat

[OWA]

I use to get this a long time ago but haven't with my last few systems.

[j0j081]

Originally Posted by Jorolat

I've just installed XP slipstreamed with SP2 onto a new hard drive
(but I'm back on the old OS & HDD now) and as soon as I installed the
modem drivers the svchost disc activity started. I uninstalled the
drivers & the problem went away.

I ain't gotta clue why this is so & it'll be a few days before I can
spend some time on it. In the meantime, if anyone has any ideas I'ld
be glad to hear them!

Jorolat

Good work figuring out the problem! Regarding your previous post don't feel too bad I was actually born in the UK. My system specs are even pretty weak though compared to a lot of people on this site.

[Jorolat]

Originally Posted by j0j081

Good work figuring out the problem! Regarding your previous post don't feel too bad I was actually born in the UK. My system specs are even pretty weak though compared to a lot of people on this site.

Now that I've been able to link the problem with modem drivers it appears that the I/O Read & Write Bytes activity may not be connected to disc activity at all (which would account for a lot of the associated 'oddities') but it may be a couple of days before I can chase it up.

Congratulations on escaping the UK & if your system specs are relatively weak I can only imagine some people are using Crays under a different label (I don't even know what some of your stuff is for).

Jorolat

[jAkUp]

Turn off indexing in your hard drive properties. It index's the drive while you are not using it. I always turn it off.