Windows 7 What is my computer (hard drive) doing now?- I can hear it working

[pintree3]

When you defrag your computer you can hear the hard drive running as it changes files back and forth. At times I can hear the same sound (or similar) but have no clue what it can possibly be doing. My 1st instinct is to unplug my internet connection should someone be hacking in my PC and using my resources. But after doing so I can still hear it working hard, on and on, and on at times. So I do a Ctrl+Alt+Del to see what is using most of my memory. Often its Firefox and Skype but even after closing both and doing nothing (hand away from keyboard and mouse) I can still hear it at work. I do not have any automatic updates for any of my software so it can't be that. I was wondering if there is some way, software perhaps, to find out exactly what it is that is making my computer do such a thing?

 

[Saltgrass]

There are maintenance operations that check the hard drive any time it is idle. It might be one of those. Does Task Manager show anything special in the way of drive activity, or Resource Monitor?

 

[pintree3]

There are maintenance operations that check the hard drive any time it is idle. It might be one of those. Does Task Manager show anything special in the way of drive activity, or Resource Monitor?

Hi Saltgrass. 4 years have passed and I just now realized you had replied. Please accept my apologies. I meant no disrespect. I am always but always grateful for the help given. I must have never received an email telling me you had replied or something along those lines. Once again sorry (I hope ''better late than never" applies here

 

[kemical]

(I hope ''better late than never" applies here

Well we never close threads so I think it does..

 

[pintree3]

Well we never close threads so I think it does..

Thank you