Thrashing disk drive - Does your hard drive start working like crazy for no apparent reason when you aren't even using it? - Disk Thrashing

There are many many possible reasons for this annoyance.  Try these possible solutions in this order.
Please let me know if you have any comments or any other suggestions.

Warning:  Before starting to troubleshoot, you should back up all your important data files to a CD/DVD or other media.

1. To find out what's happening on your system, use a filesystem monitoring tool. 
   • Windows Sysinternals - Windows Sysinternals | Microsoft Docs
2. Virus, worm, or some other malware. 
   • If you have not recently been to any suspicious websites or downloaded anything unusual, then you can probably assume this is not the problem.
   • Try an online virus scanning program or try running your antivirus program from the CD.  
3. Symantec's NIS (Norton Internet Security) or NAV (Norton AntiVirus) programs.
   • Turn off all the features (for a short period of time). 
     • Did the thrashing stop?
   • Uninstall NIS or NAV.    Make sure to reinstall NIS or install a replacement ASAP.
     • Did the thrashing stop?
   • Disable automatic LiveUpdate
     • Start > Control Panel > Symantec LiveUpdate > General (tab) > Interactive Mode
       • Did the thrashing stop? 
     • Start > Control Panel > Symantec LiveUpdate > Automatic LiveUpdate (tab) > Use Automatic LiveUpdate (uncheck this item)
       • Did the thrashing stop? 
     • Run Norton Internet Security 2007
       • Norton Internet Security (tab) > Settings > Automatic LiveUpdate > Turn Off > Permanently
     • Don't forget to manually run LiveUpdate at least once a week.
4. Zone Alarm Firewall.  If you are using Windows Firewall or Norton's Firewall, you can ignore this.
• Uninstall Zone Alarm.
  • Did the thrashing stop?
• Make sure you have a firewall installed. You should have only one software firewall.
5. Turn off the Indexing function.
   • Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Component Services > Services (Local) > Indexing Service > Stop
     • Did the thrashing stop?
   • Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Components (on left side of window) > Indexing Service (remove checkmark)
     • Did the thrashing stop?
   • Turn off indexing and speed up Windows XP
     • If you don't use Windows XP's built-in search often (like every day), disabling indexing can significantly speed up your PC.
       By default Windows XP indexes files on your hard drive and stores them in memory to speed up its' built-in search. But if you rarely use Windows search, turn off indexing to free up memory and CPU horsepower for the files and applications you actually do use. A few simple how-to steps after the jump.
       • To turn off indexing:
         1. Open up "My Computer."
         2. Right-click on your hard drive (usually "C:") and choose "Properties."
         3. Uncheck the box at the bottom that reads "Allow Indexing Service to..."
         4. Click OK, and files will be removed from memory. This removal may take a few minutes to complete.
       • To disable the indexing service:
       1. In the "Start" menu, choose "Run."
       2. Type "services.msc" and press Enter.
       3. Scroll-down to "Indexing Service" and double-click it.
       4. If the service status is "Running", then stop it by pressing the "Stop" button.
       5. To make sure this service doesn't run again, under "Startup Type:", choose "Disabled."
       • Windows search will still work if you perform these steps, but it will work more slowly than if indexing was enabled.
6. Turn off Optimize hard disk when idle
• Tweak UI - Wikipedia
• Did the thrashing stop?
7. RAM - Do you have enough memory in your system?  You need at least 512MB for WindowsXP.  A GB (1024MB) would be better.
   The more RAM you have, the less the system will have to save to disk using the pagefile.
   • Virtual Memory = Page File = Swap file
     Start > Control Panel > System > Advanced (tab) > Performance - Settings > Advanced (tab) > Virtual Memory - Change
8. Other things to try:
1. Clean up your hard drive so that you have at least a GB of free space.
2. Empty the Recycle Bin
3. Scandisk = check the disk for errors
4. Defrag = optimize the disk
5. Disable System Restore
6. Unplug the network card

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How to Fix Ccsvchst.Exe Problems at Instant Registry Fixes 

• Suggestion
  • Turn off Norton's automatic updates
    • Control Panel > Disable Symantec LiveUpdate
    • Turn off Norton's automatic updates after each update - LiveUpdate has a tendancy to turn itself back on during each update.
  • Turn off Windows automatic updates
    • Control Panel > Automatic Updates > Notify me
  • Manually run these updates OFTEN

• How to uninstall Symantec Norton SystemWorks, AntiVirus, or Personal Firewall