Sometimes when using the uTorrent program on the status bar (bordered by the taskbar) the inscription appears: "Disk is overloaded (x%)." This error is called disk cache overload in uTorrent and significantly reduces the speed of file downloads.
Why does an overflow cache error occur and how is it harmful?
The main reason for this problem lies in the design of the hard drive. Inside, it consists of several plates rotating at a speed of 7-10 revolutions per minute. Because of this design, the speed of receipt of new information and the speed of writing are very different. To circumvent this shortcoming, the design contains a cache with a capacity of several tens of megabytes, designed to store files until they are transferred to magnetic disks.
If the speed of receipt of information in this cache is greater than its record, then it is filled. The program pauses the download and waits for it to free. This increases the overall file download time. Simultaneously with this process, an inscription appears on the left side of the status bar informing the uTorrent user about the disk cache overload. SSDs do not suffer from this problem. Most often, it appears on old HDDs connected via Sata-1 and IDE interfaces.
The second reason is incorrect program settings and errors in its code. To circumvent the problem of fast filling of the hard disk cache, the torrent client downloads information to RAM, and from there to the disk cache and then to the magnetic plates. This is done automatically, but sometimes it incorrectly allocates a place in RAM.
Solution No. 1: setting a limit on download speed
The first way to eliminate 100% disk cache overload in uTorrent 3.4.2 and earlier is to limit the maximum download speed. This can be done for current and future distributions or only for current ones.
In the first case, in the status bar, click RMB (right mouse button) on the total download speed counter, and select a value in the menu that opens. Going through the values, it is necessary to achieve the disappearance of the error.
In the second case, the sequence of actions is as follows:
- Go to the “Downloading” subsection on the left side of the window.
- Select all available distributions.
- Click RMB and select the option “Bandwidth allocation” in the context menu.
- In the submenu that opens, go to "Set download limit".
- Select the values at which the error disappears.
Solution # 2: change uTorrent settings
To resolve the disk cache overload error in uTorrent, you can use 4 settings items:
- manual installation of cache sizes in RAM;
- pre-reservation of hard disk space;
- limitation of the maximum number of downloadable distributions;
- changing the diskio.use_partfile parameter.
To manually fix the amount of RAM allocated for the cache, you need to run the following algorithm:
- go to the "Program Settings" and select the "Advanced" section;
- go to the subsection "Caching" (Disk cache);
- put a check mark next to the line “Use the specified size instead of auto-selection” and enter a digit multiple of 128 (256, 386, 512, etc.) in the text box, the maximum number should not be larger than the installed RAM;
- change the value until the error disappears.
To pre-allocate space on the hard disk for distribution files, in the "Program Settings" in the "General" section, select the checkbox next to "Distribute all files."
The third way to get rid of disk cache overload in uTorrent is to reduce the number of simultaneous downloads.
Fourth way: change the value of the diskio.use_partfile parameter. The algorithm is as follows:
1. Go to the advanced settings section ("Program Settings"> "Advanced").
2. Find the corresponding item in the list that opens (it will be at the beginning) and select it.
3. Put a label in the lower half of the window in the “No” circle.
4. Click OK and restart the program.
Solution No. 3: Upgrade
In some cases, manipulation of the settings does not help in eliminating the overload of the disk cache in uTorrent. Then it remains only to replace the system unit components with more productive ones. But this method is necessary only for very old computers (15 years or more).
The ways to get rid of a crowded cache in uTorrent are so simple that even a novice can handle this problem.