Windows 10 is a lot better than previous versions of the operating system, but of course if it is not configured properly, then its speed and performance will slow down.

 There are several ways to speed up and improve the performance of this operating system, but one of the lesser known features you should know about is called Superfetch, which was renamed SysMain after the 1809 update of Windows 10.

 In the following, we are going to explain more about SysMain in Windows 10.

In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about SysMain or Superfetch in Windows 10 . These include how it works, the potential for trouble, and how to disable it.

What is meant by SysMain or Superfetch in Windows 10?

Superfetch is one of the first features of Windows Vista. The official description of the service refers to “maintaining and enhancing system performance over time”, but this explanation is somewhat vague and does not cover all aspects of the issue.

 The service runs entirely in the background, constantly analyzing patterns of RAM usage, and also trying to figure out which type of programs you run the most. 

Over time, Superfetch marks these applications as “overused” and then loads them into your computer’s RAM ahead of time. Superfetch shows up as “Service Host: SysMain” in the Windows 10 Task Manager. The idea of ​​this service is that when you want to run an application, it will run much faster because it is already loaded in RAM.

By default, SysMain is designed to preload your applications into available RAM. Don’t worry, this service only uses unused memory. As long as your computer needs more RAM (for example, to load an application that has not been preloaded), SysMain will also release the required amount of RAM.

Keep in mind that Superfetch and Prefetch are two separate categories. Prefetch, or Preload Memory Manager, was introduced earlier in Windows XP. In essence, Superfetch is a replacement for Prefetch. The difference is that Prefetch cannot analyze usage patterns over time.

Do we really need SysMain?

In most cases, SysMain can be useful to the user. If you have a new computer and the hardware is moderately high, then Superfetch runs so smoothly that you may not even notice it. 

Most likely, this service is already running in the background of your computer and you have not noticed this! 

Of course, this Superfetch or SysMain can also cause problems:

• Since this service is always running in the background, it can automatically take up some RAM and CPU.

• SysMain does not eliminate the need to load applications in RAM, but simply loads faster. Once this load is done, then your computer will experience the same slowdowns caused by running applications without Superfetch.

• System startups can also be a bit slower, as Superfetch has to transfer a lot of data from the hard drive to RAM. If in the first few minutes of Windows boot, you saw your hard drive 100%, then this service can be one of the reasons for this.

• If you have Windows 10 installed on an SSD, then Superfetch performance improvements will be negligible. Since these memories are very fast, they do not need to preload data. If you want to achieve such an advantage, then you can read this article .

• Sometimes this feature can cause problems while playing, especially if your computer has 4 GB of RAM or less. Of course, the reason for this is not so clear, because it does not happen to everyone. Most likely, this problem occurs in games that require a lot of RAM. During the execution of such games, the RAM must be constantly filled and emptied, and this also causes Superfetch to repeat its work more often.

Does disabling Superfetch cause any problems? No! If you want to deactivate this service, then you do not have to worry about the side effects. We suggest that if your system does not have a problem, then do not disable this feature. If you have a high percentage of your hard drive or RAM usage, and you also experience a variety of issues while running RAM-sensitive applications, then it is best to disable SysMain and see if it changes. If the result is positive, then disable it, otherwise it is better to re-enable this feature.

How to disable Superfetch (SysMain) in Windows 10

Again, if you do not have the problems listed above, then it is best not to disable SysMain. It is best to keep this feature enabled, as it will improve the performance of your computer. If you are not sure about this, then you should disable this feature and check the result, if you are not satisfied, then it is better to reactivate it. Again, in Windows 10, Superfetch is the same as SysMain. Therefore, while disabling this feature, you should be aware of this issue.

1. Disable using the Services application

1. Open the Start menu, search for “services” and then launch the Services application. You can also do this by pressing “Windows + R” and then typing “services.msc” and clicking “OK”.
2. Then scroll down to see “SysMain”. Right-click on it and then select “Stop”. The Superfetch feature is now disabled.
3. Then you have to continue-right-clicking on “SysMain” in the Services application and then select “Properties”. Under the “General” tab, look for “Startup type” and then change it to “Disabled” (or Manual; if you want to run it if needed).

2. Use the registry editor

To disable Superfetch or SysMain, using the Services application is our suggested solution. But if for any reason you want to do it another way, then you can change the registry key of this service. We recommend that you back up your registry before doing so. It should also be noted that before making any changes to the registry, it is necessary to create a System Restore Point. That way, if things don’t go well, then you can go back to that point in time.

How to create a System Restore Point

1. In the Start menu, type “Create a restore point” and then click on the result that appears.
2. If the “System Restore” key was disabled, then that means System Protection is disabled.
3. To activate System Protection, you must click on drive C in the same window. Next, select “Configure” and then “Turn on System Protection” and finally click “OK”.
4. To create a Restore Point you have to click on “Create” and then choose a name for your Restore Point.

Disable Superfetch (SysMain) using the registry

1. In the Start menu, type “regedit”. Next you have to select it from the results menu. You can also press “Windows + R”, type “regedit” and then click “OK”.
2. Find “the SysMain key”. Use the panel on the left to go to:

3. Disable “SysMain”. In the right panel you have to double-click on “Start” and then set “Value data” to “4”. Save the changes and then reboot the computer.

3. Use Command Prompt

The fastest way to disable SysMain is to use the Command Prompt. It also seems more professional to use this method.

1. In the Start menu, type “cmd” and then right-click on “Command Prompt” and select “Run as administrator”.
2. In the window that appears, type “sc stop” “SysMain” and then press “Enter”.
3. Then you have to type “sc config” SysMain “start = disabled” and then press “Enter”.
4. Close Command Prompt and then reboot your computer.

Concluding remarks

Superfetch is not the only feature you can disable. In addition to this service, there are features in the Windows 10 operating system that you can also disable and then view the result.