New computer and it seems to be running slow?

With those computer specs it would seem nearly impossible for your computer to run slow but with those specs you need a good cooling system, your system may be overheating, or dusty, or your hardware could be damaged. Norton is a resource hog but should not slow that system down very much. Here is my copy/paste answer with some good freeware programs and tips:

Their are a few things that can cause a computer to run slow: dust, poor ventilation, insufficient hardware, damaged hardware, registry errors, disk fragmentation, malware, too many start-up programs, insufficient disk space, and junk files.

All the following are FREE (Downloads can be found at Download.com)

A cool program I like to run before performing system slowing tasks - SmartClose

This program closes out of most unnecessary running tasks and programs, you can add tasks you want to keep running to a list. Programs can be restored upon request or at the next computer boot.

Change system settings, especially in Windows Vista, to best performance for lighter use of the hardware (cpu, processer and video card).

--Start> Control Panel> System> Advanced Tab> Under "Performance"> Settings> Click on the "Adjust for best performance" option then "Ok"

Uninstall unused programs, update your computer regularly, update obsolete or old programs.

Run Disk Cleanup - Start> All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Disk Cleanup

Run Disk Defragmenter - Start> All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Disk Deframenter

Remove Programs from Startup - Start> Run> msconfig

--Click on the Startup tab and uncheck the boxes of programs unnecessary to run at startup

Install and Run ONE Antivirus Program (Can cause system to slow down if the shield is active)

--AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition http://www.grisoft.com/

*--Avast Anti-Virus Home Edition http://www.avast.com/

--Avira Anti-Virus http://www.free-av.com/

Install and Run Anti-Spyware (Can cause system to slow down if the shield is active)

*--Spybot Search and Destroy http://www.safer-networking.org/

*--Spyware Terminator http://www.spywareterminator.com/

--AdAware http://www.lavasoft.com/

*--Spyware Blaster

Install and Run System Optimization tool

*--Ccleaner (Strongly Recommended) http://www.ccleaner.com/

*--Advanced WindowsCare http://www.iobit.com/

--Glary Utilities http://www.glaryutilities.com/

*--Auslogics Registry Defrag http://www.auslogics.com/

Internet Browsers

*--Firefox

--Opera

--Avant

To Maintain Your Systems Safety a Firewall is Recommended (Can cause system to slow down if the shield is active)

*--Comodo

--Zonealarm

* = Favorites

If all this fails then you need new hardware/upgrades or you need to format/reinstall your hard drive/operating system.

If your virus/spyware free, there are a couple things you can do get your computer working faster. If you using your computer for normal stuff and not gaming. You don't always need more RAM you just need to perform a few maintenance task.

First, if you haven't cleaned your registry in a while. This is necessary. Your registry holds all the information regarding updates, installs, un-installs etc. Each one of those events produces a key. That key needs your PC's resources and free space. So, if you clean your registry, you make more resources available for speed. Do a registry scan if you got more than 20 errors you should clean it.

http://www.delete-computer-history.com/what-is-the...

2. Clear your Windows cache files, this is your temporary file. It can grow up to a large volume and stop your computer from using RAM properly. In a sense slow it down by preventing it from using free space.Here is how:

1. Quit Internet Explorer, Firefox, or any other web browser

2. Click Start, click "Control Panel", and then double-click "Internet Options".

3. On the General tab, click "Delete Files" under Temporary Internet Files.

4. In the Delete Files dialog box, click to select the "Delete all offline content" check box , and then click OK.

5. Click OK.

3. Manage your startups. Your excess CPU usage is due to too many programs running in the background. You can cut these to barebones by alter your msconfig. Here is how:

1. Open your Start menu.

2. Click Run

3. In the command screen type "msconfig.exe"

4. In the "system configuration utility",click either "service" or "startup" tab

5. Uncheck all programs that your are no longer using.

6. Click "OK"

Yes I would uninstall the norton trial. You might need this link to do so

http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf...

Then I would run a registry cleaner. When you do not have one, you can install this one ford free. It is trustworthy and safe to use

Comodo Registry Cleaner

http://registry-cleaner.comodo.com/

You can protect your computer very well with freeware.

You need a combination of anti virus and anit spyware programs

Here is a sugestion

Anti virus and firewall pro

http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/download_fi...

or

http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html

in combination with

http://www.pctools.com/firewall/

Threatfire is an anti virus, that can be installed next to any other anti virus program on the same computer

http://www.threatfire.com/

This is a very good program, that completely runs in the background

http://www.comodo.com/boclean/boclean.html

Anti spyware

http://www.spywareterminator.com/

http://en.kioskea.net/telecharger/telecharger-105-...

http://www.download.com/Advanced-System-Protector-...

Installing these programs, will not use any extra RAM or CPU usage.

I don't know much about Vista but it could be you don't have enough RAM but I don't think that is likely. Do you have a firewall installed? If you do you should check to see if the port permissions are set properly. Should be some sort of options clickable the firewall settings are important because there is worm protection it would make it so programs are not run unless you give it permission.

Uninstall Norton 360 using the Norton Removal Tool here: http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf...

Only this tool will completely remove Norton 360 from your computer

A good free anti-virus can be found here http://free.avg.com/

Norton is definitely a resource hog.

I advise you to uninstall it and install avast

yea norton is so crappy

and its true it is a memory hog

i'd say use linux if your running microsoft vista