Windows 7: mediaplayer freezes and explorer lags

hey all, I have started using the RC after having used the offiial beta for only a week (it kept giving me BSODs and I was too lazy to figure out why).

With this build I have noticed one thing, and as I have looked through this forum for a while to see if anyone else had it, and didn't find anything, I will assume it is not a 'feature'.
While playing xvid media (television shows from the US) with windows media player, I notice at random times that the image freezes (the sound continues). After a while (between 10 to 30 seconds) the image unfreezes and starts playing catchup. This can happen while I'm doing something else, but also when I'm not doing a thing, and only WMP is opened. I first thought it might be codec issue, so I installed a Windows 7 codec pack (though I usually hate these things). Unfortunately it hasn't solved my problem.

I've also noticed that it takes explorer about 20 to 50 seconds to start up. I don't know if that's strange, but it seems like a long time to me. Even if it's already open on a different folder, and I open another instance, it takes this long. Only if I browse within the already opened window does it not seem to lag.

The only thing I can think of is that it might have something to do with my virus scanner? I have ACG installed. I also have daemon tools running, even though it says that there might be compatibility issues.

Any thoughts?

This is what i have come across on my new machine too.
Here's the thread i started, we may nail this one buddy.
New PC Lags/freezes