Vistas Search function is indexing all your personal files silently in the
background.

Windows defender is running with real-time priority to scan all your disks
for malware.

If you have only 512 - 1024 MB on System Memory then Vista swaps a lot
virtual memory on the disks.

Automatic Disk-Defragmenter is running as scheduled job and runs also
silently.

What else autostarting programs might be running visible or hidden on your
machine you alone or the OEM knows..

These are the major "disk-activity-makers" in a Vista PC.

SJ /germany

"Alan" <alan111@ntlworld.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:%23St7FNGYHHA.5044@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> Not sure if this is anything to do with Vista or not.
> I bought a new Packard Bell machine from PC World in the UK about a month
> ago. The hard drive never stops working. Even as I'm typing this, the HD
> is going berserk as if I were number crunching for NASA.
> I can close all applications and leave it idle with nothing but the
> desktop showing and it will whir and buzz like crazy for about twenty five
> minutes before it begins to reduce its activity.
> Any ideas as to what could cause this? Apart from driving me mad listening
> to it, the drive will clearly not last long like this.
> I've e-mailed PC World a day or so ago, no reply. They want 75p per minute
> to get help so I'm not going down that road if I can avoid it.
> If anyone has any advice it will be much appreciated,
> Regards,
> Alan.
>