How to fix
FIX: High disk and CPU usage by “System and Compressed Memory”
on Windows

Hello. Every time I launch an application or game, the "System and Compressed Memory" process on Windows eats my CPU like crazy. Can I disable it? If not, what can I do to fix high CPU usage by "System and Compressed Memory"? Thanks.

There are dozens of processes that run in the background at any time during the operation of Windows. Some of these are imported by third-party software, while others are implemented by the operating system itself and are required to perform normal Windows 10 functions, such as updating or providing internet connection.

System and Compressed Memory is one of the built-in processes that can be found running in the background and can be viewed via the Task Manager. It fulfills a very important role within the operating system - it is responsible for memory management and file/folder compression as required. By default, the process should only take a minimal amount of resources.

However, users were complaining about System and Compressed Memory high CPU[ref en-1] and disk[ref en-2] usage, which might spike up to 100% in some cases. Without a doubt, such behavior can cause serious performance issues, including lag, unresponsiveness, crashes, and Blue Screen errors.

Abnormal consumption of resources is a sign that something is very wrong, and the issues should be addressed as soon as possible. In fact, there are plenty of other system processes that behave in a similar manner - we previously discussed WaasMedic Agent Exe, Modern Setup Host, IP Helper, and many others.

There are several reasons why you might suffer from System and Compressed Memory high disk or CPU usage. For example, a paging file size on your system was altered by some program (or maybe yourself), system files got corrupted, or another service/process is causing the issue.

In any case, below you provide several ways you can fix high disk or CPU usage of the System and Compressed Memory process. If you would like to skip all the troubleshooting steps and find a quick solution, we strongly recommend you run a scan with a PC diagnostic and maintenance tool [d1] - it can quickly and efficiently remove problems from Windows thanks to it patented[ref en-3] technology.

Solution 1. Scan your system with anti-malware

Malware infection could be one of the main causes of an unstable system, as it can interfere with normal Windows processes and interrupt their normal functions. You can either employ a third-party security tool or use the built-in Windows Defender.

• Type Windows Security in Windows search bar and hit Enter
• Select Virus & threat protection
• Pick Scan options
• Choose Microsoft Defender Offline scan and click Scan now

  

• You PC will restart and the scan will begin
• Results will be displayed after you load back into Windows.

Solution 2. Change the size of paging file

• Right-click on Start and pick System
• Scroll down and select Advanced system settings
• Under Performance section, click Advanced
• Go to Advanced tab
• Under Virtual Memory, select Change
• Here, make sure that the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives option is ticked.

  

Solution 3. Change Windows optimization settings

You can tell Windows what it should focus on more - performance or appearance. Usually, this setting is set for Windows to decide, but it might not always be optimal. Thus, if you are having problems with high resource usage, try this method:

• Right-click on Start and pick System
• Scroll down and select Advanced system settings
• Under Performance section, click Advanced
• Select Adjust for best performance

  

• Click Apply and OK.

Solution 4. Fix Windows system files with SFC

In case the problem lies within system file corruption, you can repair that by using SFC and DISM scans.

• Type cmd in Windows search, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator
• Type the following command and press Enter:
  

  sfc /scannow

  

• If SFC managed to fix corrupted files, restart your computer. If an error was delivered, proceed with the following commands (don't forget to press Enter each time):

  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Solution 5. Check your Memory

The easiest way to check whether your RAM is failing or is having some issues is by running Windows Memory Diagnostics. Here's how:

• In Windows search, type Windows Memory Diagnostics and press Enter
• Select Restart now and check for problems (recommended)

  

• Your PC will immediately restart and test will be run
• Be patient, as it might take awhile.

The results will be displayed to you. If nothing was detected, it means your memory is fine, so proceed with the next step. If Windows has detected problems, you will have to replace your RAM sticks or contact a technician.

Solution 6. Disable System and Compressed Memory process

You can disable the process via the Task Scheduler:

• Type Task Scheduler in Windows search and press Enter
• On the left pane, open the following:
  Task Scheduler Library > Windows > MemoryDiagnostic
• In the right pane, click on RunFullMemoryDiagnostic
• From the Actions menu on the right, click Disable.

  

Solution 7. Disable Host SuperFetch process

Service host: SuperFetch is a Windows process that allows apps on your system to load faster by allowing the OS to learn which ones are used the most. This service, however, might sometimes cause serious performance issues due to excessive resource consumption. Precisely due to this reason, System and compressed memory CPU and disk usage might spike up.

You can disable this process in these ways:

Disable via Services

• Type in services.msc in Windows search and hit Enter
• Scroll down and locate SuperFetch or SysMain entry
• Right-click and pick Properties
• Under Startup type, select Disabled

  

• Click Apply and OK.

Disable via Command Prompt

• Open Command Prompt as administrator as explained above
• Copy and paste the following command, pressing Enter after:
  

  net.exe stop superfetch

• If that did not work, use net.exe stop sysmain command instead.