Windows 10 running too slow.

[Khush-Korra3123]

I have a HP 15-be016tu Notebook purchased in 2017 that came pre-installed with Windows 8.1, although HP support says it has FREEDOS loaded on it. I installed Windows 10, which ran slower than a good PC. Than just a few months ago, I installed Windows 8.1, which runs quite fantastic, even though I have both Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 installed on the PC. The whole PC is in the stock form. I have installed windows 10 quite a few times, but it still runs slower. 

The problems include in comparison to windows 8.1

1. 100% disk usage by system and other important windows services for sometime after starting, update or running a heavy application. 

2. Slower bootup, sometimes faster in safe mode. 

3. Slower loading just after startup, becomes insignificant after an hour or so.

Someone also suggested that it's because my PC has been optimised for Windows 8.1. 

I want to know what can I do in both the cases. 

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@Khush-Korra3123 

The 100% disk usage is most likely due to Win10 Windows Updates and the longer boot time is due to more stuff being loaded at startup by Win10 than by Win8x.

With a Win10 PC, you're going to experience a variety of problems not typical of the older PCs.

First is sluggishness. You may experience a very slow PC at times because Windows Update (WU) is hogging your PC, searching for, downloading, and installing updates -- to bring your PC up to the most current version of Windows. This can also contribute significantly to high processor temperatures, as it is being heavily used.

Second is fan noise. That's directly related to fan speed, which is the result of processor heat, and WU is known to drive up the processor load -- sometimes to 100%. That can cause the fan to run loud and continuous for some time.

Third is disk usage. WU can easily force the disk usage to 100% and and keep it pinned there for some time. That's because it writes WU files to the drive, then it turns around and reads them, then it overwrites existing Windows System files. All of that takes a lot of disk usage to complete.

These processes are compounded by Win10 because new Win 10 patches coming out nearly every Tuesday. Since you can't stop Updates like you did with Win7, this means you're going to get updates, regardless of what you do.

To find out what version and build of Win10 your PC is running, do the following:
1) enter "cmd" (without the quotes) into the search area and select the Command Prompt option
2) enter "winver" into the command window (again, without the quotes)
3) The most current Win10 versions as of 7/9/19 are the following:

a) v1803: Bld 17134.915

b) v1809: Bld 17763.615

c) v1903: Bld 18632.239.

If yours is older than that, most likely WU is hogging your PC trying to update it.

Some folks have been told that resetting your PC will fix this. but, if you reset your PC, you only make matters WORSE! Why? Because you will reset Win10 back to the original version that came preloaded on the PC and that will restart Windows Update all over again.

To disable WU temporarily, do the following:
1) Enter "services" in the search area (again, without the quotes)
2) When the window opens, scroll down until you see Windows Update
3) If it say Running under status, that indicates that WU is running
4) To change that, double-click on that task, select Stop under the Service status, and then Apply
5) That should stop WU -- and you should see an immediate improvement in performance.

If not, then WU is not the problem.

WU will restart itself automatically later on, so you basically have no choice than to bear with it until it finishes.

[Khush-Korra3123]

Thank you for your answer. I did stop Windows Update, it helped me somewhat. However one problem that still bugs me the high disk usage of 'System' or ntoskrnl.exe during peak activities. Is there something for that which can be done? 

[Khush-Korra3123]

Thank you sir. Deactivating windows update has made my windows faster, but it still far away from the same swiftness as windows 8.1 on my PC.

[WAWood]

@Khush-Korra3123 

OK, then run Task Manager, Startup Tab, and look at all the stuff that is being loaded.

Anything you feel you can do without, you can disable.