I seem to accumulate new files in Startup and have to clean house periodically. Spysweeper, Windows firewall, and AVG anti-virus run in the background and I scan with Ad-Aware periodically. All are updated regularly and I have never uncovered any significant bugs. But the longer I use the computer, the slower it has become.

Two problems: The first involves startup files of unknown function and I don't know whether I can remove them because I can find no reference to them on Sysinfo.org or a Google search. One is ihkcmd and another is SMIBG. There is even one occupying a slot with no name or command and only the location of HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\run. Anyone know anything about these?

The next issue is the overall slowing when opening programs and hestitations switching between programs. There have been shutdown failures occasionally requiring physical shut down. I've kept the startup list as short as possible, but then it takes 45-60 seconds each time to open major programs like Firefox or Word 2003. It appears you either wait to boot at startup or you wait when you need them. I have a Gateway M520 laptop w/ 2.66GHz Celeron and 480 mb RAM which is at only about 30% capacity. Is it all the security software that is slowing program loading or are there just more decisions the CPU has to make over time with more programs on board? Would a registry fix program be of benefit or do I just need to add more RAM?