How to Fix High Disk Usage by Service Host Superfetch

What is Superfetch? Can I disable the Superfetch service host? And how to do it? See the overview first, then the details.

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Have you ever encountered this situation: "Your PC ran into a problem that it couldn't handle, and the disk usage is nearly 100%, caused by the Service Host: Local System"?

This article will teach you how to deal with this annoying situation. Before we dive into solving the high disk usage problem, we must first understand what a Service Host is and what Superfetch does so that we can better understand the issue at hand.

Read more: How to Fix 100% Disk Usage in Task Manager on Windows 10

"What are 'Service Host' and 'Service Host Superfetch'?" "Service Host" (also known as svchost.exe) is a process in the Windows operating system that allows multiple system services to run within the same process for efficient resource management and improved efficiency. These services typically relate to various system functionalities such as network connections, updates, security, and more. "Service Host Superfetch" is a specific service in Windows that primarily functions by predicting and preloading memory pages of applications that the user might need, thus reducing system response time and enhancing overall performance. Superfetch learns users' usage patterns and loads these potentially needed programs into memory during idle times so that they can start up faster when required by the user. Please note that both terms refer to technical aspects related to the inner workings of the Windows operating system.

Service Host

Svchost.exe is a generic host process name used to run services from dynamic link libraries. Microsoft started moving many Windows features from reliance on internal Windows services (run from EXE files) to using DLL files. From a programming standpoint, this made the code more reusable and, one could argue, easier to update. The problem is that you can't start a DLL file directly from Windows the same way you would an executable file. Instead, a shell is loaded from an executable to host these DLL services – thus, the Service Host process (svchost.exe).

Windows needs a lot of services. If they all ran in a single Service Host process, a failure in one service could bring down the entire Windows operating system. So, they're compartmentalized. Services are organized into groups of logically-related ones, and then an instance of the Service Host is created to host that group.

Service Host: Superfetch

Superfetch is a part of Windows Vista and later. This technology allows the Windows operating system to manage your RAM, so that your applications can run efficiently.

It helps third-party apps and critical Windows components perform common tasks quickly. It does this by storing data from frequently used applications in RAM, instead of reading it from the hard disk, thus improving speed.

Superfetch is similar to a hard drive cache, as it copies your frequently used files into RAM. This makes programs launch faster. However, if your system isn't equipped with the latest hardware, the Superfetch service can easily cause high disk usage. High disk usage caused by this service isn't always an issue. It's how the service optimizes your system's performance.

If you're using Windows 10 and notice that the Service Host: Local System is consuming a lot of CPU, disk, or memory usage, you're not alone. Many Windows users have reported this issue. But worry not, for it can be fixed. Read on for verified effective solutions to immediately fix your high disk usage problem.

1. Resolve high disk usage issue with Superfetch Service Host by disabling it

SuperFetch reduces boot times and loads necessary programs more efficiently. However, in Windows 8 and later versions (including Windows 10), it has been confirmed to cause disk performance issues. Here's how to stop the service.

Method 1: Disable Superfetch through Services in Windows

Step 1: Press Windows + R, or type Run in the Windows 10 search box. Type services.msc in the Open field, then click the OK button.

Step 2: Right-click on "Superfetch," select "Properties," and then click "Stop" in the window that pops up. In the "Startup type" drop-down menu, select "Disabled."

Method 2: Disable Superfetch via Command Prompt

Step 1: Click the "Start" button, search for "Command Prompt," right-click it, and choose "Run as administrator." Click "Yes" to proceed.

Step 2. Type net.exe stop Superfetch and hit Enter.

If the previous command does not work, try the net.exe stop sysmain command.

Wait a few minutes to see if your computer is running faster. Alternatively, check your computer's disk usage in Task Manager. Under the “Processes” tab, look at the percentage next to “Disk” at the top. If it's no longer at 100%, then the issue is resolved!

Method 3: Disable Superfetch via the Windows Registry

You can also disable the Service Host via the Windows Registry. Here's how to disable Superfetch:

Step 1. Press Windows + R or type "Run" in the search box. Type Regedit in the "Open" field, then press Enter.

Step 2: In the Registry Editor window, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/Session Manager/MemoryManagement/PrefetchParameters.

Step 3: Change the value of "Enabled Superfetch" to 0 to disable it. Click "OK."

Close the Registry Editor, restart your system, and check if the Service Host Superfetch 100% disk usage issue is fixed in Windows 10.

2. Troubleshoot and fix high disk usage issue with the Superfetch service on the host machine

Apparently, Windows updates are one of the reasons for high CPU or disk usage. You can run the troubleshooter to see if it's the culprit:

Step 1: Press the Windows logo key on your keyboard and click “Control Panel.”

Step 2: Click on "View by Category" and then click on "System and Security."

Click on “System and Security”

Step 3: Click on 'Security and Maintenance' and then 'Troubleshoot'.

Click on Troubleshoot.

Step 4: Click Fix problems with Windows Update. Click Next.

Step 5: Click Run the troubleshooter as an administrator.

Summary

Hopefully, this guide has provided you with enough information about the Superfetch service high disk usage and how to disable it. Now, you can optimize your computer's performance and normalize disk usage by using one or all of the methods – Services, Command Prompt, Registry Editor, or Windows troubleshooting approach. Feel free to try out any or all of these solutions for addressing the issue.

Additional Tip: How to Optimize Your Computer with a Free Partition Manager

Aside from disabling the Superfetch service to boost your computer's performance, you can also manage your disk to improve system performance. The free partition manager provides a comprehensive solution to easily organize and manage partitions in Windows 10/8/7 without any hassle.

• Resize/Move Partition, Create/Format/Delete/Clone/Merge partitions
• Convert FAT to NTFS, MBR to GPT, Logical to Primary or Primary to Logical
• Erase all data on hard drive permanently with one click
• Support 4K alignment for SSD to maximize PC performance
• Check and fix errors on selected partition

Download and try this free partition manager now to manage your disks and partitions without losing data.

Finish the steps in the video, then restart your Windows 10, and check in Task Manager if the disk usage under Service Host: Local System has been resolved. If none of the above methods work for you, feel free to contact us for assistance. We're happy to help.

People also ask

1. Is it safe to disable the Service Host Superfetch?

The Service Host: Superfetch is merely a memory management process. If you find it to be the cause of high disk usage constantly, you can disable it without causing instability to your system. However, there might be some lag when accessing frequently used applications since they load faster with Service Host: Superfetch enabled.

How do I disable the Superfetch service host?

As shown in Solution 1 , there are three ways to disable the Superfetch service host on Windows 10: through Services, Command Prompt, or Registry Editor. Skip to the relevant section for the detailed steps.

3. Can I disable the Superfetch service in Windows 10?

Yes, disabling the Superfetch service in Windows 10 can help speed up your computer when you notice high disk usage by the Service Host: Local System process. Here's how to do it: 1. Press `Win + R` on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. 2. Type `services.msc` and press Enter to open the Services Manager. 3. Scroll down the list of services until you find "Superfetch." 4. Right-click on "Superfetch" and select "Properties." 5. In the "Superfetch Properties" window, change the "Startup type" to "Disabled." 6. Click on the "Stop" button to stop the service if it is currently running. 7. Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the changes. Keep in mind that disabling Superfetch might affect the performance optimization that it provides, especially for frequently used applications. However, if you're experiencing high disk usage issues, this could be a temporary solution to alleviate the problem. It's always a good idea to monitor your system performance after making such changes and consider re-enabling Superfetch if needed.

4. What is Superfetch, do I need it?

Superfetch is like a hard drive cache, copying your most-used files into RAM so programs launch more quickly. However, if your system has the latest hardware, Superfetch should work fine. Otherwise, the svchost Superfetch can easily cause high disk usage.