Solved Really slow

I am new to your forum.

Slow to many actions, but not opening IE10. Surfing is not at all slow.

Sony VAIO notebook, SVE14A27CXH

Microsoft Windows 8, 64 bit
CPU: i7-3632QM CPU @ 2.20GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 58 Stepping 9

Memory: 8064 Mb

Kaspersky Int Sec , up to date.
I am trying to help a neighbor with a personal computer issue.

The computer was purchased about 6 mon ago. The problem began about 4 mon ago. My neighbor can not relate the onset of the problem to a particular event.

W8 updates are set to automatic; most recent June 21, 2013

Shutdown takes 3 to 4 minutes. I have timed it.

Shutdown in safe mode also takes 3 to 4 minutes.

I watched an 'Intro to W8' tutorial that mentioned clicking in any corner would cause certain things to appear. Perhaps I don't wait long enough. After at least 3 min, NOTHING appears.

During troubleshooting, I tried to access safe mode [ multiple times ] by tapping the F8 key once a second. The circle of wait appeared and the computer booted to W8.

I tried to access the BIOS, but tapping the F2 key did not allow me to enter the BIOS; simply the circle of wait & a boot to Windows.

I tested in safe mode by using the system configuration utility.

I followed this tutorial [ EXCELLENT work with your tutorials! ]
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/6320-fast-startup-turn-off-windows-8-a.html, but the box to the left of "Turn on Fast Startup" is unchecked.

I scanned with NOD32 online; no malware detected.

Thanks for your advice, to resolve this problem.

If it's slowing down, download Hiren's Boot CD and boot from that, you'll see "Dos Programs" - In there, you'll see "Hard Drive Tools" - There are a number of good tools in there, what you want to do is scan your whole drive. I usually use GWscan which is on the 3rd page, open that, choose your system drive, and run the first 2 tests which are a SMART test and a short disk scan. If the short scan returns "Read Element Failure" then run the full scan, it will set itself up to run it. It will take roughly an hour to run.

Then reboot to 8 and see if it is any faster. I've had what you are describing happen to me a dozen times and it was always Read Element Failure. Eventually the system will start freezing up solid if you don't take care of it. Nothing in the Windows 8 Auto Diag and Repair can fix it.

Also, download TDSSKILLER from kaspersky, just google it, and run that. There is also an Anti Rootkit from Malwarebytes, they are both free downloads.

It may also be that you have a bunch of programs starting when the system starts, you should cut out the ones you don't absolutely need.

The fact that you are running an i7 leans me toward the Disk Scanning, no matter how fast your system is, if a drive has errors on it, it takes the system that much longer to do it's functions and eventually it will start freezing. If you've had the system for a while, it should be about time to run a full disk scan with one of those programs.

Also, to get into Safe mode, you can press F8 until the cows return to the moon, it will never happen. You have to turn off "Automatic Login" - Now, I'm not sure how to do that from Within Windows, we'll have to ask Brink. I use a 3rd Party program to do that for me, called Yamicsoft Windows Manager. Once you shut off Automatic Login, you will see your User Login, and there should be "Advanced Boot Options" below that. But you'll never see it until you shut off Auto Login.

THE HDD is a Seagate SATA something, mechanical drive.

Thanks for the advice & information about Auto Login.

W8

Update
Defrag > no issues detected; no change in status

chkdsk /r > no issues detected; no change in status

Seagate HDD diags [ brief & advanced ] > no issues detected

TDSSKiller > no issues detected

Sony's CPU & Mem diags > no issues detected

Combofix is running now

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ok, now that we have done that, we can go through your Startup Programs and see which ones may be affecting you. You can get to these from Task Manager under "Startup" - Can you take a screenshot of that? An i7 should be flying.

Which Antivirus programs (if any) - Are you running Malwarebytes, Also do you have Defender running as well? You do not need to disable it, just shut off Real Time Protection on that.

Do you have any Programs that control parts of your OS, like Biometric Devices, etc? Touchpads? Power Saving modules?

Finally, under Advanced Power Settings, under Processor Management, do you have your Processor set to run at Full Speed when plugged into AC? For AC power I set this from 25% to 100%, I have Cool & Quiet cos I use an AMD, so my speed always changes. IS there an Intel equivalent of this, narrow the parameters a little if there is, and if it is active.

No need to run through the startup programs if the issue occurs in safe mode.

Resolution:
Data backup
Sony System Recovery program run
problem persists

My friend took the computer to the merchant.

Thanks for your time.