Continue without scanning external HDD, computer lags

If it was my computer I would scan the external hard drive.
What was the results of the internal drive scan?

Please keep us informed of what you have done and the results. It will help me and others to guide you farther if need be. When you get done doing all your scanning please do this so we know what kind of computer we are working with.

System Info - See Your System Specs

These specs will follow you ever post. Take a look at my specs in the lower left of this post and it will give you a idea of the kind of info that helps us help you.
I'm sorry; Welcome aboard our Forum.

You have been busy. Rear through this Tutorial. There will be some very good information. Some this you might want to do and some you might not want to do. It will take some time to read their is a lot of information.
Most peoples problems are in sections #7 and #8. So lets focus on those first.

Optimize Windows 7

A picture is worth 1014 words so lets do this.
Show me these. This will help with uploads. If you have question just ask.

https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...ven-forums.html

Update: I found I was having issues with specific programs:

• Google Chrome - Google Chrome would make my computer completely hang
• AMD graphics driver - AMD graphics driver taking a very long time to load on boot
• Avira antivirus - Avira would just lag on its own and not respond

I've uninstalled them and cleaned the registry and rebooted. The lag is gone.
I've reinstalled the AMD driver without problems.
I've reinstalled Avira without problems.
I've reinstalled Chrome and it's making my computer hang again.
It only happens when I try to run Chrome. When I do, my computer doesn't stop reading my harddrive.

Thank you for the pictures they do help.
These are some ideas that will help but of course it your computer your choice.
1. As you can see in Non Microsoft Services (3rd party programs)I only have my security running. All those other things you have check are running in the background all the time even when you are not using them. They don't need to be. All those auto Updates programs are using your browser to call home for updates when ever they want to. I do my updated manually. They should only run when you tick on they and tell them to run.
Example: Office is running in the background all the time. Remove the check mark. Office will not start at boot up. It will only start when you tick on it when you want to use it. When you close Office it stops running and that includes in the background. It still works the way it always has except it does not run in the background when not is use. Their is absolutely no reason for Office to be sucking up computer resources when you are not using it. That goes for all those other free loaders except security programs.

Leave Chrome off the computer for now. Play with it later. I will go back and take a close look at your pictures and get back to you in a short time. I'm back. Anything that indicated security I would leave alone. HP has a lot of little goodies in there and I'm not familiar with HP Laptop at all. You have so many things. I noticed you have a Tune Up Utility.
I recommend removing that first. Windows 7 does not need or want such a program. Then reboot.
In Start Up I would start by un-checking a few things first.
1. M/S Office
2. Anything Adobe
3. Light scribe service
4. IconMan-R
I will go find someone for the HP stuff. You probable don't need all that HP but I'm not sure.
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Looking at this mess again this would really be your best option. Take a read through it when you get a chance.

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7