How to find why Windows 10 running slow.

Is your Windows 10 computer running slowly? If so, then you are in the right place to find out the cause. On many Windows 10 computers, users can experience slow performance problems without an obvious reason. This happens because a program (e.g. the Antivirus program) or a single Windows process or service, which runs on the background, consumes too much CPU or Memory resources.

Up to today, I have written a tutorial that contains several suggestions in order to make your Windows 10 PC to run faster and several other tutorials with several solutions to fix different high usage problems on Windows 10.

• Related articles:
  • How to fix: High CPU Usage issue on Windows 10/8
  • How to fix: High Disk Usage issue on Windows 10/8.
  • How to fix: "TiWorker.exe" High Disk Usage problem on Windows 10/8.
  • How to fix: "System and Compressed Memory" High CPU Usage on Windows 10.
  • How to fix: WSAPPX (WSService) High CPU usage issue on Windows 10/8.

According to my experience, I have realized that, there is no single working solution to solve all the slow performance issues on Windows 10, because the new OS is running a lot on processes in the background, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly which process or service is causing your computer to work at the limits, especially in cases where a single Windows legitimate process (e.g. the "SVCHOST.EXE" process), can load and manage several other services at the same time.

• Related article: How to fix: Svchost.exe (netsvcs) memory leak or high CPU usage problems on Windows 7.

In this tutorial I 'll show you how you can identify which exact service or process causes your Windows 10 or your Windows 8 PC to run slow.

How to find why Windows 10/8/8.1 running slow.

Part 1. Identify which Program or Service consumes too much CPU or Memory resources on Windows 10.

Part 2. Troubleshoot the Program or Service that consumes too much CPU or Memory resources on Windows 10.

Part-1. How to Identify which Program or Service causes your PC to work at the limits.

– To identify which service or program causes your CPU or Memory to work at the limits:

1. Launch Windows Task manager. To do that:

• • Right click on the start menu and select Task Manager (or just press Ctrl + Shift + Esc).

2. When Task Manager opens, you will see a similar window on your screen:*

* Note: If you don't see the below window then click More Details at the left bottom.

3. Choose the Details tab and then sort the running processes by clicking on:

• CPU label, in order to sort all the running processes by CPU usage. *
• Memory label, in order to sort all the running processes by Memory usage. *

* Note: Make sure that you see the greater values on the top. If you don't see the greater values on the top, then click on "CPU" (or "Memory" label) again.

4. After that, you 'll see on the top of the list, the process that consumes the highest system resources (CPU or Memory).

For example: As you can see at the below screenshot, the process that consuming the highest CPU resources is the "MsMpEng.exe", that belongs to "Antimalware Service Executable".

Part 2. How to Troubleshoot the Program or Service that consumes too much CPU or Memory resources on Windows 10

Now, it's time to troubleshot the process whish is responsible for the high CPU usage.* To accomplish this task, use one of the following methods:

* Note: In these instructions and screenshots, I'll show how to troubleshoot high CPU usage problems on Windows 10/8. If you want to troubleshoot high Memory usage problems, then sort by "Memory" usage, where it needed.

Method 1. How to Troubleshoot the Process that makes Windows  to run SLOW

1. Right click on the first process on the list that consumes the highest CPU (or Memory) resources and then select Properties.

* Notes:
1. Ignore the "System Idle Process" if appeared first in the list.
2. If the "svchost.exe" process is appeared first in the list, then continue to Method 2.

2. At the "Properties" window, notice the Process name, the process Description and the process Location (the location of the executable file), of the culprit program.

For example: As you can see at the screenshot below, the process "MsMpEng" (MsMpEng.exe)that causes the high CPU usage, is the "Antimalware Service Executable" process, that is located – and executed – from the "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender" folder. (Windows Defender" application).

3. After finding the required information try one of the following:

A. End Task:

1. Right click on the culprit process and select End Task.

2. Wait 2-3 minutes and then see at Performance tab if the CPU usage is decreased.

3. If the usage returns to normal levels, then try one of the following:

• Search the WEB, for a solution related to your problem
• If the culprit process belongs to a third party application, then uninstall the application from your system.
• If the culprit process belongs to a Windows service then try to completely disable the culprit service on your system.

 

B. Stop Service.

1. Right click on the culprit process and select Go to service(s) (if this choice is available).

2. Right click on the culprit service and select Stop.

 

3. Wait 2-3 minutes and then see at Performance tab if the CPU usage is decreased.

4. If the usage returns to normal levels, then try one of the following:

• Search the WEB, for a solution related to your problem.
• If the culprit service, belongs to a third party application, then uninstall the application from your system.
• If the culprit service, is a legitimate Windows service, then try to permanently disable the service.

C. Using the Process location information, try the following:

• If the culprit process, belongs to a third party application, then uninstall the application from your system.

Method 2. How to Troubleshoot SVCHOST.EXE Process.

In some cases it is not easy to identify (by using the above method) which exact process (or service) uses too many CPU resources, because Windows – by design – can use a single process (e.g. the "svchost.exe" process), that loads several other critical services at the background. In that case, you have to find which processes are running under the "svchost.exe" process and then to troubleshoot the culprit service. To do that:

1. Select the Performance tab and then Open Resource Monitor.

2. At the Resource Monitor window, choose the CPU* tab and make the following changes:

(1) Short the running processes by CPU* usage (greater values on the top) and
(2) Expand Services.

* Note: If you want to troubleshoot Memory usage problems, then click/sort by "Memory" usage.

3. On the top window, select the first process on the list, that uses the most CPU (or Memory) resources.
4. Then, look at the Services section – at the bottom window – to view all the services that are loaded under the selected process.

For example: As you can see at the screenshot below, the SVCHOST.EXE process is handle the following services: Superfetch, Network Connection Broker, Windows Driver Foundation, etc..

5. Now put the Resource Monitor and the Task Manager windows, next to each other. (as shown below)

5. At the Resource Monitor window, do the following:

• At the Processes pane:
  (1) Select the first process in the list that consumes the highest CPU or Memory resources (e.g. the "svchost.exe" process)
• At the Services pane:
  (2) Sort the services by CPU usage. (greater values on top) *
  (3) Notice the name of the first service(s) in the list.

* Notes: If you want to troubleshoot Memory usage problems, then click/sort by "Memory" usage.

For example: As you can see at the below screenshot, the first service under the "Services" section is the "SysMain" service (Superfetch).

6. At Task Manager window, choose the Services tab.
6a. Locate in the list, the service you noticed before (at Step-1) and then temporarily stop that service. To do that:

1. Select the Service
2. Right-click on it, and choose Stop Service.

7. Now wait 2-3 minutes and then see at the Resource Monitor window, if the CPU usage has changed. At this point two things can happen:

A. The CPU usage is still High.
– At this case, proceed and disable (using Task Manager window), the next service(s) that is listed at Resources Monitor > Services section, until you find which of the listed services causes your CPU (or Memory) to work at high levels.

B. The CPU usage has decreased.
– At this case, search on the WEB for a solution related to your problem or disable the culprit service permanently.

How to disable a Windows Service permanently.

1. Open Services manager. To do that use one of the following options.

• Option 1. From Task Manager window, click the Services tab and then select Open Services.

• Option 2. Simultaneously press Windows key + R  to open the run command box, type: services.msc and press Enter.

2. At Services management window, right-click at the culprit service and choose Properties.

3. Change the Startup type to Disabled, press OK and restart your computer.

That's it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.