T400 performance issues and possible clean install

Hi, I have a fairly new T400 (see specs in signature line) that should be performing much much better than it is. Windows explorer boxes can take about 5-10 seconds to open, I have frequent freezes, I have the typical problems with sleep mode (i.e. to get out of sleep mode I often have to do a force shutdown). I've run diagnostic tests and there are no hardware problems. Windows Vista 32-bit has most recent updates and so do the drivers.

At idle I have about 90 processes running, and this is after I tried disabling some things using blackviper.com, which is what the Lenovo customer support guy told me to do.

My physical memory is at 49% which is confusing because I have a ton of memory and not that many files on the computer. It is telling me my Q: drive is low on space, and I can't figure out how to do this.

My question is whether I should try a clean install after fixing the drive space issue. I'm an intermediate user and could follow step by step directions to do this, but I don't know things like - will this cause me to lose the programs I installed after receiving the system? I did make the start recovery, product recovery, and rescue and recovery discs using the Rescue and Recovery program.

If you need more information in order to help with this issue, let me know and I'll gladly provide it. Many thanks!!

 

Just a few ideas if they can be of any help .....

Have you run an Anti-Virus & Spyware scan using reputable AV software ?

Have you removed all preinstalled unwanted applications & programs (bloatware) and then done a defrag ?

90 Processes "At idle" (I'm assuming you mean without any applications running) is an awful lot. 60-75 maybe, but 95 - There's an awful lot going on there that you don't know about that needn't be going on.

also....

Did you disable any windows services in an attempt to improve system performance BEFORE the big slow down occured ? - There are many guides reccomending disabling certain services, but they can infact do more harm than good.

 

Hi, thanks for your thoughts. I ran a McAfee virus scan yesterday, with nothing detected.

I removed a bunch of bloatware out of the box but I suspect there is still some. Do I really need Intel Proset Wireless AND Access Connections, for example? How about Lenovo Welcome?

How do I get rid of things like games that come preinstalled that I'll never use? They don't show up in the "uninstall or change a program" explorer window.

I haven't done a defrag, it sounds like I should work on removing some more bloatware and then do a defrag - how do I do a defrag?

The problems definitely started before disabling the windows services.

 

All those extras are optional, but some people find them useful. Things that don't show up in that add/remove window are usually part of the os. They can still be removed, just a little more involved and usually not necessary to remove unless you really don't want them there.

Click start button, type defrag to get to Window's defrag, but I can't see a lot of need if you have a new system.

 

I got to keep reminding myself I don't like Vista. I was just was putting on my desktop cause it lures me in the looks, which have to say is it's best feature. I stopped about half way through cause it was irritating me to no end with the lagginess. My desktops not too shabby with 3GHz Athlon x2 and 3GB of memory. I was never using less than 1GB of memory, even at idle.

I always prefer a clean install, but you'd need a disc to do it. Check out the SuperGuide if you get a chance.

 

I still can't figure out why in the task manager my physical memory is always between 50 and 55%. What does this mean - is it normal or high? It shouldn't be high because I don't have that much on the computer. Are there steps to fix this?

Thanks!!

 

Its normal. Vista takes the ram that is not being used and loads commonly used files into it, in an attempt to speed up everything.

 

My t400 became slower when I updated switchable graphics driver. CPU load is >55% on idle. I found that the problem is with intel graphic driver, intel graphic chip processes are using a lot of CPU and thus draining battery. Intel graphic chip services will remain running even if I switch to ATI.
For now I use ATI graphic chip and kill intel grapich processes in task manager. CPU load is back to its normal 10 -15%.
My currently installed video drivers from Lenovo are 7vd537ww. With 7vd535ww I didn’t have this problem.

I hope it will be helpfull for you.

And my ram is also always loaded more than 45%. its ok, its vista superfetch service which loads stuff in your memory to speed up everything, but you can disable it if you want.