Windows 7 Slow Startup

First of all, sorry if I'm in the wrong place - wasn't sure where to post.

I've been using Windows 7 Ultimate for a few months now and been very pleased with it, in the past few weeks I noticed a slow down though. I decided to do a clean install as I need a format anyway.

The thread title isn't quite right - Windows 7 loads up fine but once I log on it seems to take a while to 'repsond'. I have a USB HD connected (for example). the OS knows it there but it doesn't give me access to it for a while - maybe 15-30 minutes. The same thing happens with programs, I try to load them up but nothing happens until Windows 7 decided it's fully started. So everytime I log on, I'm having to wait 15 minutes+ until I can start using programs etc. After the wait - everything works fine but the waiting is really killing me now. It also started doing this on my previous install too.

Any ideas why this may be?

What is your security program? MSE. Norton, McAfee or whatever.

Thanks for the replies.

Since the new install I hadn't been running any antivirus - was NOD32 before the format.

It turns out that Jacee has it spot on - my USB HD causes all sorts of problems when it's on. Fortunately there isn't too much on it -so I can copy it over to a different drive.

Anyone know the cause? I'm assuming it doesn't do it with all USB drives?

Thanks again.

There is a possibility that it trries to sync your music from WMP to the USB drive. Two things you can check:

1. Run Process Explorer to see which processes are holding things up.
2. Go to " Services" and temorarily disable the "Windows Driver Foundation"

See whether that yields anything.

Thanks for the advice. I think I've fixed the problem with a format (although it may not work when full, like before). I copied over everything on my external and did a format through Windows. Still attached and haven't had a any problems since. I'm going to copy some stuff back over when I get a minute and see how it respsonds then. If it still acts up, I'll follow your advice and post back.

Thanks again.