Laptop unable to use BitLocker on drive with VSS service CPU spike

4.5

The VSS service uses 100% CPU, stalling the encryption process.

Symptoms
  • System freeze
  • Fan running loud
  • Encryption stalls
Possible Causes
  • Infinite loop in writer
  • High disk I/O

Step-by-Step Fix

1

Identify Busy Writer

Use Resource Monitor to see which writer is active.

2

Reduce Disk Load

Stop other high-CPU/IO tasks.

3

Update Windows

Check for Microsoft fixes for VSS performance.

When to See a Technician

CPU spikes in VSS often happen when it's struggling to sync a very busy database.

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