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WilliamsGreen's avatar
WilliamsGreen
Iron Contributor
Sep 07, 2026

CPU, RAM, and disk usage right after boot – nothing even open yet

I just booted up my system and haven't opened anything yet, but my CPU is already jumping between 10% and 70%, RAM is sitting around 60–70%, and disk is also at 60%. I'm on an i3-1115G4 with 8GB RAM ...
configuration
deployment
Jamony's avatar
Jamony
MCT
Sep 08, 2026

Those percentages immediately after sign-in do not prove a fault. Windows may still be loading startup applications, scanning with Microsoft Defender, installing updates, indexing files, and caching data. With 8 GB of memory, 60–70 percent usage can also be normal depending on background software. Wait ten minutes without opening applications, then use Task Manager’s Processes tab to sort separately by CPU, Memory, and Disk. Record processes that remain high rather than ending unfamiliar Windows services. Check Startup apps and disable only nonessential third-party entries, restart, and compare. Install pending Windows and optional driver updates, verify the SSD has adequate free space, and run a full Windows Security scan. If disk or CPU stays high, perform a clean boot to separate Windows components from third-party software. Post the process names, Windows build, disk active time, and memory composition; those details are needed before recommending hardware changes.