Slow Laptop

[gharknes]

IME the only guaranteed fix is to back up all your data and nuke the whole operating system. ie re-format and re-install everything. Unfortuately your PC never quite has the same 'feel' as before.

Thats exactly what i would suggest...

back up all your personal data/stuff you wanna keep then format the drives and reinstall from scratch... its good practice to do this on a fairly regular basis anyway, i pretty much rebuild my PC once/twice a year

Given time, every version of Windows that's ever been issued seems to gets slower and slower - I also resort to saving my data, reformating the drive and loading windows again

usually because well all load our machines with a load of unneeded crap hogging resource

OP you mention firefox is using up lots of resourse, does your file take as long to open if you shut down all unnessary programs, can you take a screen shot of you task manager and programs that are running and post it here, uyse print screen key then paste into paint and save as jpg file.

I tend to disagree with the idea that a reinstall of OS fixes all, it is not actually true, yes an OS fresh install will certaintly perform faster but after you have installed all your crap again it will be no different. reInstalling the OS may not fix your problem, you could have a hardware fault, if for example you try and install XP and you have a disk problem you will be in a right old mess then.

Here is what I would do, find a benchmark you can use to measure (as you suggest above "opening a file")

1. Identify all programs and services running, make sure they are legit and needed. Task manager

2. uninstall any virus and anti spam software you have, uninstall anything you don't use or don't recognise) Add/remove programs

3. Check for any programs hogging large chunks of system memory (you mentioed firefox)

4. Start system in safe mode and Defrag your hard disk (system tools) check the speed this operation is performing (may indicate a hard disk problem)

check speed again and get back to us with results

BTW, I would not discount a hardware problem, lazy drive,

if you where in pattaya I'd come and have a look for you.

good luck

I think if you had carried this out at the start your problem would have been identified, when you have a problem like this you need to get to the bare bones of windows by uninstalling everything then if problem is gone start to install things as you need them checking for problems as you go

well done