Windows 7 Runs Slow, Freezes, Can't Reboot

** THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED, SEE SOLUTION AT THE BOTTOM...THANKS AGAIN! **

Hello all,

First time poster here, having some problems with my Windows 7 install. Ever since this evening, about 15 minutes into my Windows 7 session, I notice that it starts running slower (mostly in any web browsers I'm running). Then, one by one, it seems as if systems just stop. First, I can't load any web pages. Then, my wallpaper rotator stops. Then, I can't close windows or it takes minutes to close a window. Then, I can't open any programs. Finally, it gets to the point where I can't shut it down. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. I have tried doing so from the Start Menu (which shows up, but may freeze itself) and from the command line, and it's as if the OS doesn't care. I have to do a hard reboot, after which twice it's run a CHKDSK and found orphaned files and other errors. (I've had to do this at least 8 times tonight.)

Here is my system information:

• HP Pavillion dv7-1127cl laptop (17")
• 320 GB HD, split into three partitions (~220 GB for Windows 7, 10 GB for extra space, and 60 GB for a Ubunto install I completed Tuesday)
• Processor: AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile RM-72 2.10 GHz
• Ram: 4 GB

It originally had Vista on it (it was purchased in December 2008), but I installed 7 on the 220 GB partition a week ago. Vista worked fine until about July 2009, when it started going slow and becoming unstable. That's when I split off the 60 GB partition for a Win 7 RC install, which I used exclusively. Once I started getting notices about the RC expiration, I bought an OEM copy of Win 7 and did a somewhat clean install (Windows.old of my Vista stuff). It worked great until these problems came up. The RC partition became my Ubuntu 9.10 install to play around with (which is where I'm posting from now).

Here's what I've attempted:

• CHKDSK after some crashes
• sfc /scannow (system crashed while at 28%)
• Virus scan (system crashed while at 2%, 7,333 files in)
• System restore (amazingly, even though various installers say they've created restore points, none show up, and the system crashed as I was checking)

After posting this, my next step is to boot to a command prompt in safe mode and run sfc /scannow. Safe mode appears to work just fine (as I hope it would). If that doesn't work, I may try to create some sort of boot disk or even try and reinstall 7. I would check my minidump files, but none were created, so I'm not sure of the source of the problem.

Does anyone else have any suggestions as to why it's happening and what else I can do to fix it? Any responses will be much appreciated. I will post the results of my sfc scan tomorrow, but for now I need sleep because it's almost 2 AM.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Changed Scandisk to CHKDSK, as that's what I meant.

I would make a virus scan my top priority

I would also try disabling all third party apps and services to see if add on software is giving you the problem. In MSconfig uncheck all items under startup and in services tab tick hide all MS services then uncheck the rest.
This should give you some idea whether problem lies within windows or 3rd party software

The SFC scan will also help give you an idea of whats going on