100% disk usage

Question

I have 100% disk usage on an m2 disk. Tried everything with no luck. Problem is inter rapid storage technology with raid on enable on bios.
FIX
You can change from RAID to AHCI without formatting, but it has to be done in a very specific way (via Safe Mode) to force Windows to load the correct drivers.

If you want to avoid setting it up from scratch, try this first. If it works, it will set up 100% usage and you won't need to format.

Follow these steps EXACTLY:

In Windows:

Press Windows + R on your keyboard.

Type msconfig and press Enter.

Go to the Boot tab.

Check the Safe boot box.

Press OK and select Restart.

In BIOS (during reboot):

As soon as it turns off and on again, immediately press F2 to enter BIOS.

Go to System Configuration > SATA Operation.

Change it from RAID On to AHCI.

Click Yes, save the changes (Save & Exit) and let it restart.

Back to Windows (Safe Mode):

The computer will boot into Safe Mode (it will all look a bit strange/big).

What happened here? Windows in Safe Mode detected the change to AHCI and loaded the correct NVMe driver on its own!

Now, press Windows + R again.

Type msconfig.

Go to Boot.

Uncheck the Safe boot box.

Click OK and Restart.

If the computer boots into Windows normally after this:

Congratulations, you've gone back to AHCI without formatting!

Check Task Manager. The 100% usage should have disappeared.

Go to Device Manager -> Storage Controllers -> You should see "Standard NVM Express Controller" instead of Intel RST.

Answer 1

Hello! RAID mode could be the cause. For M.2 SSDs, NVMe mode (if available) or AHCI is recommended.

You can try changing the mode without formatting your computer, but it's not guaranteed. You risk your Windows not starting after the changes. Do it at your own risk, and back up your files.

1. Press the CTRL + R shortcut > Type ''msconfig'' (without quotes) > Click on the ''System Boot'' tab > Check the ''Safe Boot'' option > Click ''OK''.
2. Restart your computer > Enter BIOS > Select AHCI Mode.

• Press the F2 and DELETE/DEL keys repeatedly until you access BIOS. Some manufacturers may use other keys to access the BIOS, such as ESC, F10, F9, F8...

3. When starting Windows in Safe Mode, press WINDOWS + R > Type "regedit" (without quotes).
4. Navigate to the path "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\storahci" by expanding the keys until you reach the destination.

• You can paste the above path into the Address Bar (below the File, Edit, View... Menu).
• Select the storahci Key > Double-click the Start value (on the right side) > In Value Data, enter 0 > Click OK.

5. Navigate to the path "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStorV" expanding the keys until you reach the destination.

• Select the iaStorV Key > Double-click the Start value (on the right side) > In Value Data, enter 0 > Click OK.

6. Access msconfig again (Step 01) > In “General”, check the “Normal Startup” option > Apply > Restart the PC.

Answer 2

If you're experiencing 100% disk usage on your M.2 disk and suspect that the issue is related to Intel Rapid Storage Technology with RAID enabled in the BIOS, switching from RAID to AHCI mode can help resolve the problem without formatting your disk. Here’s a summary of the steps you can take:

1. Enter Safe Mode:
   • Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
   • Go to the Boot tab and check the Safe boot option.
   • Click OK and restart your computer.
2. Change BIOS Settings:
   • During the reboot, press F2 to enter the BIOS setup.
   • Navigate to System Configuration > SATA Operation.
   • Change the setting from RAID On to AHCI.
   • Save the changes and exit the BIOS.
3. Boot into Safe Mode:
   • Your computer will boot into Safe Mode, which allows Windows to detect the change and load the correct NVMe driver.
4. Disable Safe Boot:
   • Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and go to the Boot tab again.
   • Uncheck the Safe boot option, click OK, and restart your computer.
5. Check Disk Usage:
   • After booting normally, check the Task Manager to see if the 100% disk usage issue has been resolved. You should see "Standard NVM Express Controller" in Device Manager under Storage Controllers instead of Intel RST.

Following these steps should help you switch to AHCI mode and potentially resolve the disk usage issue without the need for formatting your disk.