Windows has unusual hdd usage while idle

[marshall.robert]

Right now, as my laptop sits doing 'nothing' its hard drive is acting like its installing something big, or defraging. ive noticed that windows does this every time its idle and stops shortly after 'unidling', does anyone know why?

-rob

[kamaboko]

I believe it is indexing your drive for faster retrieval of files/documents.

[marshall.robert]

its disabled....

[Steveway]

That's the NSA, looking at your porn.
You know HDD usage is nothing uncommon for Windows, they do all kind of stuff on your Pc.

[marshall.robert]

Oh S**T WHERES THE POWER BUTTON!!

seriously though, its a bit disconcerting that there is all that usage and no one really knows why....

im not fully anti-microsoft, but i do think some of the stuff they do is questionable, they should be a little more open and honest about what their OS contains, and what it does when 'idle'...

[kamaboko]

Oh S**T WHERES THE POWER BUTTON!!

seriously though, its a bit disconcerting that there is all that usage and no one really knows why....

im not fully anti-microsoft, but i do think some of the stuff they do is questionable, they should be a little more open and honest about what their OS contains, and what it does when 'idle'...

Believe me, all that info is available, you just have to hunt through thousands of white page docs to find it.

This is a good place to start:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/

[Kernel Sanders]

How about something more likely, like an active background process?

If you're running Vista, it's probably the automated Defrag. If you're running XP, you may want to think about whether you have a Virus/Spyware?

[Colro]

Windows XP also has an automated defrag on a very low priority level that runs when the computer is idle.

[LinuxIsInnovation]

It can be the System restore..

[rune0077]

Vista also gathers tons of system information and statistics while your computer is not in use. If you agreed to it, this info will be sent to Microsoft (hopefully only if you agreed to it).

[LinuxIsInnovation]

Nah, even if you don't "agree" to the reporting option, the Error reporting service will keep on eating resources..

[LinuxIsInnovation]

Btw, the Customer experience service you mentioned is a different issue from the error reporting service :D