System hangs by higher HDD Activity!! Please Help!?

Snakeyeskm said:

While they are several programs that you have said that you need on ongoing basis, try going into msconfig and unchecking all startup programs, needed or not (unless you have already tried this). Then see if this problem occurs. If it does go back into msconfig and run the diagnostic startup and see if the problem occurs.

As stated numerous times already - I have done this long time ago (both). There aren't any extra programs in the startup - only those I need. Windows boots quite fast as well.

gregrocker said:

Like most tech enthusiasts, I clean reinstall factory installs with Win7 retail installer using the Product Key on COA sticker. Sometimes a factory utility goes missing but the overall performance is much better. I have done hundreds of these and every one has been a vast improvement on the factory install.

Before you slap me down again since I'm impertinent enough to repeat a suggestion that is the first step for any tech enthusiast, may I suggest you shrink your OS partition to try a Dual Boot clean reinstall to see how it fares alongside your factory install. This will test whether the issue remains on the same hardware, what is missing and whether you can live a clean reinstall.

Partition or Volume - Shrink
Clean Install Windows 7

While this is a good suggestion and something I might try just to compare the results, it could only be a temporary solution, as some important features do not work on a clean install (no separate drivers available from Sony) - for example a backlid keyboard control.

To be honest I wouldn't say a new installation doesn't have the problem at all - I think it is just not that obvious and hard! The more programs/services run - the worse it gets - this is my feeling about it.... So it could still be a hardware issue.

Last thing I did was scan the HDD with Hitachi Drive Fitness Test - both the short and long tests returned 0 errors. Ran all possible HDD tests from HD Tune and compared the results to those from another PC's 5400RPM's HDD - not a single one is lower - all are better as they should be, considering mine is a 7200 RPM.

At this point the thread is too long to re-read when I have a dozen open cases with some doing tricky partitioning operations, so forgive me if I repeat anything as I'm working from memory.

What I would do at this stage is study the Event Viewer>Admin View closely to google repeat errors to resolution. This is how troubleshooting is done and helps familiarize you with what's going on better. You will learn some are not worth bothering with, while others need resolution.

Another useful log to study is the Performance log on Advanced Tools menu accessed by clicking the WEI score link at Computer>Properties. Check for cued issues at top of Tools menu, Generate a System Health Report.

Type Problems in Start Search box to see if any solutions have been sent to unreported probs. Win7 is interactive in this way.

Unfortunately problem still there

It's getting hopeless

Try the clean install to separate partition for comparison purposes. You can postpone activation for up to 180 days to compare: re-install windows 7
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...-120-days.html

A reinstall with Recovery Disks is not a clean reinstall so you have no baseline to compare the featherlight instantaneous performance of Win7 without the corrupting factory bloatware. This will provide it.

If you decide you want the clean install we can help you remove the factory bloatware install to recover its space and the System MBR into the new install.