Windows 7: Hard disk always active and computer is very slow

Under Device Manager, Right-click on the SATA controllers it doesn't show anything about what you mentioned.

Right click aqnd select Properties. Click on the Advanced Settings tab. It should look something like this:

Ok I think I got it now...

Image 1:




Image 2:

It shouldn't be a PIO issue in this case then.

is that the very latest version of NOD32 you are using? I've heard bad things about the newer versions, with 2.7 being the last decent one.

also a search turned up
NOD32 caused slow-down, AVAST hasn't

I use version 4.0.467.0

Do you suggest I should drop it?

until it can be determined as to what is causing the slowness, its a suspect, and issues like this will require removing any application which uses a disk filter driver.

Ok. I disabled NOD32 real time protection and also disabled with ccleaner it's registry value when it automatically loads. I've installed microsoft anti-virus. The HDD is still working extra time.

image 1 is few seconds after boot without NOD32:



Image 2 is about 1 minute after image 1:



What I don't understand is why some photoshop elements are being read by the system on boot. I have nothing of photoshop on boot.

disabling the realtime protection does not remove the Nod32 NPNP Filter.

Ok I uninstalled it completely

Ok, get sysinternals Process Monitor and drop a shortcut to it into the startup folder.

you'll wanna watch the processes that Read and Write until the activity slows normalises.