Windows 7: Slow system

For the past few days, my Windows 7 x64 Ultimate desktop PC has bee sluggish. I click on anything, whether in a browser or to open any other window, and it just takes a few seconds to respond. I've checked task manager to see if anything new is running, and nothing. I show 0% CPU usage and 9% physical memory. I have an i7 980 Extreme (not overclocked) 24GB of DDR3 RAM and 2GB Graphics card. Only new software installed is Corel Video Studio Pro X4, but it's not running. Only things running in the background are my Microsoft Security Essentials, Intellipoint and Microsoft Office. But those three have always been running and have not been a problem.

Anyone have any idea at all what could be going on?

Can we get a snip of the performance tab of task manager showing processes from all users?

Ok, here you go. Hope this is what you need and if not, please let me know.

Well with 61 processes running.

What I don't understand, not only your system, is why Windows is using such a large page file with a large amount of RAM.

I installed another 8GBs of memory in my system to bring it to 16GBs. With 8GB the page file was under 1GB use. Now with 16GBs it is 1.4+GBs with nothing else running.

I would think as you gain physical RAM the page file use would go down. BUT NO it goes up.

Try shutting some of that junk you have running all the time down.
9 times out of 10 you don't need all that stuff starting up with the OS for the program to actually function the way they are supposed to.
For some reason every software vendor likes to start stuff up when windows starts that really isn't needed to make the program function.
All it does is put a strain on the system.

Thanks for the reply and the suggestion. But - that's where I get confused. I checked on some of the items that are running and they all seem to say that they are necessary for Windows to function so what in the heck can I stop that won't mess up Windows?

On my Win 7 Pro desktop I have at startup 34 Processes running and that is with the Windows Live ID junk running that gets installed with any of the Live programs like Live mail (which is the only LIVE software I have installed).
But then I don't use any anti virus or spyware/malware programs. Nor do I even have a anti virus installed. Stopped that about 3 years ago. Don't use the Windows firewall, why would I. I have a very good firewall router, I don't install junk software, I watch where I go on the internet.
And most important I do regular images of my system. If I get any type of infection, which I haven't had in over 10 years (and only then from someone using a infected floppy disk on my system), I just reimage my drive from 2-5 days before. Nothing lost as I backup my personal files to other PCs on my network on a daily basis.

You should be able to pare that down to something like 40+ services, maybe even a little less, without causing Windows to stop functioning or limiting your AV and the like software.

I'll have a closer look at the processes you have running and give you some suggestions.

Wow, thank you very much. I would appreciate any and all suggestions you may have.

Here are some suggestions.

1) dpupdchk.exe Not a Windows process. What is it? Why are you letting it run? What is it supposed to do?

2) FileChurn.exe *32. Not Windows. As above.

3)IAStorDataMgrSvr.exe *32. That is a Intel program for RAID, I think (IIRC). If you are not running a RAID aray it is not needed at startup. And even if you are running a RAID aray it is not needed at startup.

4) That LSSrvc.exe*32 service? That is for a lightscibe DVD burner. Do you use it often? If not think about disabliing it at startup. If you don't have a burner that does lightscrib then it could be malware. Even if you disble the service from starting with Windows I bet you can still write on CD/DVDs using the program.

5)LVPrcSrv.exe*32 that is for a camera and adds certain configuration options. Do you use the web cam much? Do you need access to those options all the time? Consider shutting it down along with those other 2 LVP programs.

6)The PSIservice, both of them, is a licensing service related to Corel software. I have found that you can stop this service and if needed start it up before you run the program. Your choice here.

7)OSPPSVC. Read this.
How to disable background tasks in Office 2010? - Microsoft Answers

That's about it.
Good luck.

Wow, thank you very much. That knocked the processes down to 46. We'll see what happens in the next few days. That dpupdchk.exe is part of Intellipoint and checks for updates. I've turned that off.

Really appreciate your help and advice. Have a great weekend.

You are welcome. Hope it all works out for you.

I have to add that many will say there is no reason to stop services. Win 7 is as lean and mean as any OS MS has ever released. And that it will take care of itself.
I think differently. In fact I posted this on another thread.
I just installed another 8GBs of RAM in my system. Bringing the total to 16GBs.
When I had only 8GBs my page files usage at startup was under 1GB in size. With this other 8GBs of RAM installed you would think the page file usage size would go down as the system has more RAM to use. NO the page file is now 1.4+GBs at startup with the exact same services running. Seems kind of ASS BACKWARDS to me.