Windows – Everything running super slow in Windows 7 on the Dell Laptop

laptopwindows 7windows-explorer

Recently my laptop has become really sluggish. I have Windows 7 and Windows Explorer often freezes or the hour glass comes up and never goes away. I often can't close windows, and when I do, again the hour glass comes up and spins forever!

I will then check task manager and no programs will be running, a lot of processes are happening, but just becoming very aggravating. Often have to restart once before I can simply use the internet. I did upgrade to internet Explorer 9 (big mistake) but I can deal with Firefox, but often have the same overall issues!

I do have spyware and virus protection, and have done a few FULL scans and nothing comes up, I just downloaded malwarebytes also and did full scans and again nothing comes up.

I really would love to have this fixed, without simply formatting and reinstalling Windows.

If you want me to, I can post a HiJackThis log file, in case that would be helpful.

Best Answer

Perform a "Clean Boot" if performance returns to normal while clean booted, you know it is a startup program or third party Service that is causing it.

To Boot Clean in Windows 7 and Vista

Accessing the System Configuration Utility

  1. Click Start type msconfig in the search box and press Enter

Configure Selective Startup options

  1. On the General tab, choose Selective Startup
  2. Uncheck Load Startup Items
  3. Select the Services tab
  4. Check Hide all Microsoft services (important you do this before step 5)
  5. Click Disable all
  6. Click on OK
  7. Click Restart.

If it does perform normally while clean booted you can enable Startup items (Startup Tab) one at a time and restart the PC, do this until performance degrades, then you know which Startup item is causing it, do the same for non Microsoft Services. Leave the problem program or service disabled. Now you can try and determine which 3rd party software is related to the Startup program or service and either update it or uninstall it.

If Clean Boot does not restore performance, restore your system to normal boot by doing the following:

  1. Click Start type msconfig in the search box and press Enter
  2. On the General tab, choose Normal Startup
  3. Click Ok
  4. Click Yes, when asked to restart your computer
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