I just got a Dell XPS 410 desktop computer with Windows Vista. It has an Intel Core II Duo Processor, 250 GB of memory, and 2GB of RAM. Everything has been working just fine so far, but when I run certain programs, they run slowly or they don't run as fast as I want them to. Looking at my Hijackthis log, I think I can see why.

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Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.0 (BETA)
Scan saved at 6:58:26 PM, on 7/6/2007
Platform: Windows Vista (WinNT 6.00.1904)
Boot mode: Normal
Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\McAfee\MPS\mpsevh.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM6\aim6.exe
C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM6\aolsoftware.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\ieuser.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil9b.exe
C:\Users\Pat\Desktop\HiJackThis_v2.exe
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = about:blank
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - c:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: scriptproxy - {7DB2D5A0-7241-4E79-B68D-6309F01C5231} - c:\program files\mcafee\virusscan\scriptcl.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O2 - BHO: Browser Address Error Redirector - {CA6319C0-31B7-401E-A518-A07C3DB8F777} - C:\Program Files\BAE\BAE.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] "C:\Windows\system32\msconfig.exe" /auto
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvSvc] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\nvsvc.dll,nvsvcStart
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Aim6] "C:\Program Files\AIM6\aim6.exe" /d locale=en-US ee://aol/imApp
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - c:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0\bin\npjpi160.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - c:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0\bin\npjpi160.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {B205A35E-1FC4-4CE3-818B-899DBBB3388C} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Encarta Search Bar\ENCSBAR.DLL
O13 - Gopher Prefix:
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (Installation Support) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{6C986431-07A0-464C-B1EA-19D70C3F43F4}: NameServer = 151.164.8.201 204.60.203.179
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\PROGRA~1\Google\GOOGLE~2\GOEC62~1.DLL
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\Windows\system32\browseui.dll
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Alert Service (AlertService) - Intel(R) Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelDH\CCU\AlertService.exe
O23 - Service: DQLWinService - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\IntelDH\NMS\AdpPlugins\DQLWinService.exe
O23 - Service: DSBrokerService - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\DellSupport\brkrsvc.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee E-mail Proxy (Emproxy) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\McAfee\EmProxy\emproxy.exe
O23 - Service: GoogleDesktopManager - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Desktop Search\GoogleDesktop.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Matrix Storage Event Monitor (IAANTMON) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaantmon.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Software Services Manager (ISSM) - Intel(R) Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelDH\Intel Media Server\Media Server\bin\ISSM.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Viiv(TM) Media Server (M1 Server) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelDH\Intel Media Server\Media Server\bin\mediaserver.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee HackerWatch Service - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\HackerWatch\HWAPI.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Application Tracker (MCLServiceATL) - Intel(R) Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelDH\Intel Media Server\Shells\MCLServiceATL.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Update Manager (mcmispupdmgr) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcupdmgr.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Services (mcmscsvc) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcmscsvc.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Network Agent (McNASvc) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\program files\common files\mcafee\mna\mcnasvc.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Scanner (McODS) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcods.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Protection Manager (mcpromgr) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcpromgr.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Proxy Service (McProxy) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\mcproxy\mcproxy.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Redirector Service (McRedirector) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\redirsvc\redirsvc.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Real-time Scanner (McShield) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcshield.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee SystemGuards (McSysmon) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcsysmon.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Personal Firewall Service (MpfService) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\MPF\MPFSrv.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Privacy Service (MPS9) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MPS\mps.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee SpamKiller Service (MSK80Service) - McAfee Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\MSK\MskSrver.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Remoting Service (Remote UI Service) - Intel(R) Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelDH\Intel Media Server\Shells\Remote UI Service.exe
O23 - Service: RoxMediaDB9 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxMediaDB9.exe
O23 - Service: Roxio Hard Drive Watcher 9 (RoxWatch9) - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxWatch9.exe
O23 - Service: SigmaTel Audio Service (STacSV) - SigmaTel, Inc. - C:\Program Files\SigmaTel\C-Major Audio\WDM\STacSV.exe
O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe
O23 - Service: XAudioService - Conexant Systems, Inc. - C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\xaudio.exe
--
End of file - 6748 bytes


One other note, I have a "Windows Experience Index Rating" of 3.2, I don't quite know what that means though. So, what can I do to speed things up a bit?

I haven't used Vista yet, but I'm sure some of the basic OS tweaks for 2000 and XP might still give your system a little speed.

Here are some pages that deal with performance issues. Just remember that all tweaks carry some risks, so it's good to know what your doing before you do anything.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...storeperf.mspx

http://www.tweakxp.com/performance_tweaks.aspx

I would start by getting rid of Mcafee

Just taking a glance through your log, and you can see mcafee has more than enough services and etc running to choke almost any machine..

Personally I would try something like Avira, http://www.free-av.com
I don't know if I would really trust the windows firewall, I suppose it is better with vista, but an alternative would be Comodo Firewall http://www.comodogroup.com I am not sure if it is Vista capable/compatible yet or not.. Both are free software, also if you would like to see comparisons of virus scan results, you can visit http://www.av-comparatives.org/ for non biast reviews..


Here were the entries for mcafee that I noticed..
This is ridiculous.

Running processes:
C:\Program Files\McAfee\MPS\mpsevh.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe

O2 - BHO: scriptproxy - {7DB2D5A0-7241-4E79-B68D-6309F01C5231} - c:\program files\mcafee\virusscan\scriptcl.dll

O23 - Service: McAfee E-mail Proxy (Emproxy) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\McAfee\EmProxy\emproxy.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee HackerWatch Service - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\HackerWatch\HWAPI.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Update Manager (mcmispupdmgr) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcupdmgr.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Services (mcmscsvc) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcmscsvc.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Network Agent (McNASvc) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\program files\common files\mcafee\mna\mcnasvc.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Scanner (McODS) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcods.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Protection Manager (mcpromgr) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcpromgr.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Proxy Service (McProxy) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\mcproxy\mcproxy.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Redirector Service (McRedirector) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\redirsvc\redirsvc.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Real-time Scanner (McShield) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcshield.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee SystemGuards (McSysmon) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcsysmon.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Personal Firewall Service (MpfService) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\MPF\MPFSrv.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Privacy Service (MPS9) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MPS\mps.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee SpamKiller Service (MSK80Service) - McAfee Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\MSK\MskSrver.exe

McAfee has always been a resource hog. Strip out all the Dell shareware crap running in your processes by unchecking them in msconfig (I'm assuming you can still access this in Vista), as well as the "support" software.

AVG is a fantastic virus scanner and doesn't try to kill your computer with processes like McAfee tardware does.

reformat and reload ,what everyone who buys a Dell should do to get rid of all the demo s--it on them .