I hope you don't mind me jumping in and I am not sure if this will help, but it won't hurt either...

Awhile back a program got in to my computer system and it was running about 25 programs silently in the background and it totally messed up the speed and functioning of my computer, what I did is:

Print this out ahead of time.......(you also might want to "write down" what you are "unchecking" in case you want to go back and "recheck them", this won't harm your computer.

Click: start on system tray
Click: run in popup
Type: msconfig
Click: ok
System Configuration Utility will pop up
Click: on startup
UNCLICK on everything that is marked with a "check mark" except:

.........ScanRegistry
.........SystemTray
.........HidServ
.........Keyboard Manager
.........*StateMgr

Click: apply
Click: ok
Restart computer
Screen will pop up saying "Using selective startup"
Click: Don't show me this again

What this does is close everything but what you really need to start up, and as you use programs then they will start up, but not "all at once" upon start up, which can put a drain on your system, and there is no need to have them running if your not using them.

Edit: I am assuming your using Microsoft, if your not, this won't work.