Just a quick question this one:

My laptop usually has around 90 running processes. Does this seem like a lot? I don't remember my old desktop having this many. Could all the extra processes be some sort of malicious software.

I don't consider myself to run a lot of programs, just the normal probably. I know it may be a silly question but is 90 a lot in general?

Thanks.

I don't know how anyone can answer that question, you don't list any, but I think 90 is a bit extreme most laptop users I know run around 45, but every computer is different.

Go here to check a processes: http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/pr...plore.exe.html

If you have programs running like quicktime, adobe, picture viewer, music players etc. you don't need them running until you require them, plus the fact it's using memory you can use someplace else.

I would check to see what services you have running and disable the ones you don't need.

Go To Start > Run box type: msconfig their should be a tab for services and one for startup. When you click the tab for services you can check the box to hide all Microsoft services. In my startup I only have my anti-virus and spyware unless you really need it loading when Windows boots.

Please be careful most of these services need to be running it's just they don't have to be running all the time, you can set most of them to manual and when Windows needs them Windows will start them.