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My computer keeps getting slower, ever since I bought it, which I think is normal. But I'm at a point where it isn't fun anymore. And it 'hangs'/'lags' a lot

My CPU rarely uses over 70% of the PC, 0-5% when idle. My RAM is at most at 75 %, but mostly at around 50%. I regularly clean and defrag my HDD, clean the register, run complete virus/spyware/malware/.. scans at a regular base. Programs I don't use any more are deleted immediately. My HDD now uses around 300GB/640GB.

My setup is:

  • AMD Phenom II x4 955.
  • 4GB G.Skill C7 1333
  • ATI HD4890 1GB
  • Gigabyte ga-ma 790
  • 640GB HDD with 16MB cache (Not sure about this one, could be 32MB)
  • Windows 7 professional 64bit

This has never been overclocked, nor have I changed any of the parts.

I have about 80 processes running. And about 80 services.

So, is there anything abnormal with this? Is there anything else I should check? Got any tips?

EDIT: Here is the HijackThis log:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 22:22:30, on 27-5-2011
Platform: Windows 7 SP1 (WinNT 6.00.3505)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v9.00 (9.00.8112.16421)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Program Files (x86)\LG Soft India\forteManager\bin\Monitor.exe
C:\Users\Simon\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Diamondback\Razer\Diamondback\razerhid.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Lycosa\razerhid.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Lycosa\razertra.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Diamondback\Razer\Diamondback\razertra.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Diamondback\Razer\Diamondback\razerofa.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\SpeedFan\speedfan.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\plugin-container.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\plugin-container.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\plugin-container.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\plugin-container.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Unity\Editor\Unity.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Unity\MonoDevelop\bin\MonoDevelop.exe
C:\Users\Simon\Downloads\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = ttp://search.orbitdownloader.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = ttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = ttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = ttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = ttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = 
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = 
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = 
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {5C255C8A-E604-49b4-9D64-90988571CECB} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Search Helper - {6EBF7485-159F-4bff-A14F-B9E3AAC4465B} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\SEPsearchhelperie.dll
O2 - BHO: Groove GFS Browser Helper - {72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveShellExtensions.dll
O2 - BHO: avast! WebRep - {8E5E2654-AD2D-48bf-AC2D-D17F00898D06} - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\aswWebRepIE.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Toolbar Helper - {E15A8DC0-8516-42A1-81EA-DC94EC1ACF10} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Toolbar\wltcore.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Windows Live Toolbar - {21FA44EF-376D-4D53-9B0F-8A89D3229068} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Toolbar\wltcore.dll
O3 - Toolbar: avast! WebRep - {8E5E2654-AD2D-48bf-AC2D-D17F00898D06} - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\aswWebRepIE.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Diamondback] C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Diamondback\Razer\Diamondback\razerhid.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Lycosa] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\Lycosa\razerhid.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast5] "C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [amd_dc_opt] C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD\Dual-Core Optimizer\amd_dc_opt.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [StartCCC] "C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe" MSRun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - Startup: CurseClientStartup.ccip
O4 - Startup: Dropbox.lnk = Simon\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
O4 - Global Startup: forteManager.lnk = C:\Program Files (x86)\LG Soft India\forteManager\bin\Monitor.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xporteren naar Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~2\MIF5BA~1\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Blog This - {219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &Blog This in Windows Live Writer - {219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra button: Verzenden naar OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~2\MIF5BA~1\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Verz&enden naar OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~2\MIF5BA~1\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~2\MIF5BA~1\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files (x86)\common files\microsoft shared\windows live\wlidnsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files (x86)\common files\microsoft shared\windows live\wlidnsp.dll
O11 - Options group: [ACCELERATED_GRAPHICS] Accelerated graphics
O16 - DPF: {C3F79A2B-B9B4-4A66-B012-3EE46475B072} (MessengerStatsClient Class) - ttp://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MessengerStatsPAClient.cab56907.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - ttp://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} - ttp://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab
O16 - DPF: {F5A7706B-B9C0-4C89-A715-7A0C6B05DD48} (Minesweeper Flags Class) - ttp://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MineSweeper.cab56986.cab
O18 - Protocol: grooveLocalGWS - {88FED34C-F0CA-4636-A375-3CB6248B04CD} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\GrooveSystemServices.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AMD External Events Utility - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\atiesrxx.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AMD FUEL Service - Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Fuel\Fuel.Service.exe
O23 - Service: AMD Reservation Manager - Advanced Micro Devices - C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Reservation Manager\AMD Reservation Manager.exe
O23 - Service: AODService - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD\OverDrive\AODAssist.exe
O23 - Service: Mobiel Apple apparaat (Apple Mobile Device) - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - AVAST Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour-service (Bonjour Service) - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: iPod-service (iPod Service) - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\sppsvc.exe,-101 (sppsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\sppsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Steam Client Service - Valve Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe
O23 - Service: SwitchBoard - Adobe Systems Incorporated - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\SwitchBoard\SwitchBoard.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vaultsvc.dll,-1003 (VaultSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Wat\WatUX.exe,-601 (WatAdminSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\Wat\WatAdminSvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 10621 bytes
`
Wuffers
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Simon Verbeke
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    Clean some dust off your CPU's heatsink. If they get overheated, they clock down (if you're lucky). Also, a processlist would be handy. 9/10 times there is tons of crap installed, not helping the situation. You also didn't mention if your CPU is at 70% when idle, or when doing stuff. – Brad May 27 '11 at 19:55
  • Is there any way to export all the names of the processes? Case is dusted off once every month. 70% max, 0-5 when idle – Simon Verbeke May 27 '11 at 20:07
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    @Simon, better yet, run HijackThis (http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/) and post your log file. That should give us a solid idea of what is going on. Also, just because you dust your case, doesn't mean the inside isn't filled with stuff. Crack it open and take a look if you can. – Brad May 27 '11 at 20:10
  • @Simon Verbeke What kind of programs, and how many, are you running when it goes slow? – Connor W May 27 '11 at 20:17
  • @Brad, I meant the interior as well ;) Gonna run hijackthis, will let you know when I have added the log – Simon Verbeke May 27 '11 at 20:18
  • @Brad Added the log. @Connor It varies, sometimes photshop and Visual studio, sometimes nothing at all – Simon Verbeke May 27 '11 at 20:28
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    @Simon Verbeke Do you notice excessive hard drive activity when it goes slow? What anti-virus software do you have? If your CPU never maxes out, and you have enough available RAM, it can only be your hard drive that is causing the slow down. Some older anti-virus softwares can cause this when they do scans. – Connor W May 27 '11 at 20:35
  • @Connor Can you point me to any good HDD tests? :) As far as I can tell, it never maxxes out. I use the latest Avast – Simon Verbeke May 27 '11 at 20:39
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    @Simon Verbeke Ok, went through the log instead and can see you're using avast! 5. A quick look shows that version 6 is available, so I would upgrade, even if that turns out not to be the issue. – Connor W May 27 '11 at 20:40
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    @Simon Verbeke I dont know of any HDD tests off hand, but try and check the HDD light on your computer a bit more often, espicially when it goes slow, and see if you notice a difference. – Connor W May 27 '11 at 20:46
  • @Connor: Oh, I thought I installed 6.. I'll check the HDD light more often then ;) – Simon Verbeke May 27 '11 at 20:48
  • @Connor, I do have version 6.. Don't know why it says 5.. – Simon Verbeke May 27 '11 at 20:50
  • @Simon Verbeke Ok, fair enough :) Just keep your eye on that light then! – Connor W May 27 '11 at 20:52
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    Your HijackThis log is clean. – Brad May 27 '11 at 20:55
  • @ Connor, Ok, I will ;) any guideline for when should I start to worry? When idle it flashes 1-2 times a sec, very briefly. – Simon Verbeke May 27 '11 at 20:55
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    @Simon Verbeke Yup, thats normal. It should only slow down when the light is on pretty much solid, for longer than say 3 or 4 seconds. Obviously when Windows is booting up, or when you open something like photoshop, it will be on pretty much solid for a bit, but that is normal. – Connor W May 27 '11 at 21:00
  • @Simon Verbeke Also, how often does this happen? Do you notice it happens at any particular time? For example, does it happen soon after the computer has booted? – Connor W May 28 '11 at 09:41
  • After it booted it happens quite often, though I'm mostly getting it out of sleep (the mode where the pc completely shuts down but keeps the session). Normal boots are way faster. Firefox is particularly slow when starting, but not always. So I just went to check, and it seems to have HDD access issues. It has a lot of connections open with the HDD, but does nothing with them. – Simon Verbeke May 28 '11 at 09:53
  • @SimonVerbeke: Check your Firefox plug-ins and extensions for anything unnecessary. – Tamara Wijsman May 28 '11 at 13:03

3 Answers3

2

The best thing to do is a spring cleaning, periodically wipe your harddrive and reinstall windows to it.

Sometimes the task manager and just cpu usage doesn't give the whole picture. Open up your task manager, go to the performance tab, click resource monitor. The area I think you should be monitoring is your harddrive. Which applications use it the most, how much they are using it, your IO's, and your queue length are all important.

Will Gunn
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    This is not 1995. – Brad May 27 '11 at 20:09
  • Well depending on your definition of time, it might be. No matter how much cleaning you do, removing old programs, removing old registry entries, etc things still remain. Eventually an install will slow down even with good care. I'm not saying to reinstall every week, but I like to make it a habbit to reinstall at least twice a year on a computer I use often. – Will Gunn May 27 '11 at 20:12
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    I couldn't disagree more. My used and abused laptop running XP hasn't been reformatted since I bought it 6 years ago. My 3-year desktop at home and 4-year desktop at work also have none of these problems. Perhaps your cleaning methods aren't working. Even then, I can't remember the last time I've had to fight with DLL-hell, extra programs leaving stuff behind, etc. – Brad May 27 '11 at 20:15
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    Optimization is spring cleaning, reinstall is '95, as mentioned before. – music2myear May 27 '11 at 20:42
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    +1 for Brad. Even in the XP age, there was NO point in reinstalling. If you did, you just started over the same proccess, spending a lot of time with this. – Apache May 27 '11 at 21:47
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    I agree as well: I haven't reinstalled my computer in years except for upgrades between XP --> Vista --> 7 and it has been smooth for the whole time, I don't see a point in reinstalling unless you really break something. With 64 bit root-kits are near impossible and the rest can simply be tracked down with Sysinternals and WPT, allowing you to recover the installation performance or even go past it... – Tamara Wijsman May 28 '11 at 12:49
  • @Brad @Shiki That's true only if you use a computer strictly for web browsing or small tasks. Any computer of moderate usage (frequently trying new programs, new devices, games) will heavily benefit from reinstallation. I have seen this work so many times on computers that most people would normally throw away only to have a reinstall and everything works again. Cleaning and optimization can only go so far – TheLQ Jun 02 '11 at 19:20
  • @TheLQ, that simply isn't true! I've witnessed it myself, on many computers, a few of which I download tons of random software on and then remove later. It just isn't true anymore. – Brad Jun 02 '11 at 19:26
  • @Brad Maybe in your case, but honestly saying its useless is way to broad. Perhaps something like "In my experience it doesn't do anything most of the time". Just because its never happened to you doesn't mean it hasn't happened to others – TheLQ Jun 02 '11 at 19:29
  • @TheLQ, which is exactly what I am trying to say to you. – Brad Jun 02 '11 at 23:39
2

You need to get our Autoruns (from Sysinternals/Microsoft) and go through your start up entries and services very carefully.

For instance, is there a reason there are two versions of each of the Razer applications running on your system? Did you have two different Razer mice, different drivers with each, and failure to remove the old one before installing the other?

You should also go through your service list after studing Black Viper's run down on windows services: http://www.blackviper.com/

Adobe, Java, and iTunes probably do not need to run on system startup either.

By carefully going through your software and services and removing those apps that are not necessary and disabling the startups of those that you use, you should be able to find a much more responsive system. Doing this with my 7 year old laptop made the system quite nimble, actually. Windows 7 Ultimate ran as fast as XP ever did when properly optimized.

music2myear
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  • I will have a look at that tomorrow ;) It's getting quite late here. Thanks! – Simon Verbeke May 27 '11 at 20:58
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    Went trough this. Down to 60 processes now :) Thanks! – Simon Verbeke May 28 '11 at 11:17
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    Back when I ran XP on my laptop I used hardware profiles to set up optimized software configurations for different uses. When on an airplane or travelling, I'd turn off all services except for those necessary for DVD viewing. This was no ultraportable laptop, but I was able to get around 6 hrs of usable DVD viewing. Then there were other settings for the classroom (wireless only, no multimedia), general use (everything on) and a couple others that I no longer recall. This made the whole system very responsive for each given environment. – music2myear May 31 '11 at 14:54
1

This seems like an interesting issue to troubleshoot, can you try this procedure and run it for half a minute?

Answer with a comment here and I'll look into the trace to see what's hidden thing is bogging down you PC, sometimes things can be hidden from the normal monitors or not clear at first.

Other than that 80 processes running. And about 80 services. sounds like a lot, try to get that down to a bare minimum that's really necessary for your daily tasks. I'm also on Windows 7 and tweaked it down to 30 processes (of which 44 services), so you should at least be able to get your counts down to 60 processes and 60 services which I would still consider a lot...

And really consider on killing the Razer software, it is probably monitoring all mouse input which slows it...

If you need it for gaming purposes try to run it on demand.

Tamara Wijsman
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  • Tried the procedure.. But it gave me a BSOD. After I rebooted and waited a few minutes, I got another BSOD. The error was: BCCode: 1e BCP1: FFFFFFFFC0000047 BCP2: FFFFF80002EC85FC BCP3: FFFF000003008100 BCP4: FFFF000000000080 OS Version: 6_1_7601 Service Pack: 1_0 Product: 256_1 – Simon Verbeke May 28 '11 at 09:50
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    I also don't suspect the razer drivers to be resource hogs. Though 2 instances of each of the drivers (one for keyboard and one for mouse) is odd – Simon Verbeke May 28 '11 at 09:50
  • @SimonVerbeke: Can you look in the event log if there was a dump made? If it's too big you could run `wmic recoveros set DebugInfoType = 3` to set it to a Small Memory Dump or do it through the GUI as explained [here](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307973). If you sent it I can see why it crashed, because it really shouldn't. On an unrelated note: Amongst others I'm Dutch too and welcome to Super User! :) – Tamara Wijsman May 28 '11 at 13:01