Laptop plroblems: Long/endless shut down time and other dodgy stuff?

[Bonappleteet]

Hi I am having many intermittent problems with my laptop (dell inpiron).
these problems include:

very long log off/shut down times - i always get impatient and just shut it down with the button

Randomly taking a long time to do simple tasks (copying and pasting small files)

There is a green bar that i assume is a loading bar that sits at the top of the windows explorer and takes a long time to load.

File saving problems in Word documents - if i hit 'save' it saves fine but when i go 'save as' then the computer crashes and i have to reboot.

General random intermittent crashing of programs

I have had the computer for a couple of years now and it would most likely be getting rather clogged up - which could have something to do with it?
I have done a system optimization and various other fixes with Pc Tools Performance toolkit (although it tells me system health is in the orange), but i am still getting the same problems. Pctools spyware doctor doesn't tell me there are any viruses,
what could it be?

If i factory reset my computer do you think the problem would go away?
(i am going to hand the computer over to someone else soon and will reset it for that, but i do not want to leave them with any issues!)



Help would be greatly appreciated
thankyou

 

[tremmor]

If your talking about a recovery to set back or install disc that will do it.
Ive done the same and gave a laptop away. Full format, install and take all updates.
then let it go.

 

[Bonappleteet]

thanks thats reassuring

 

[claptonman]

I replied to your other thread in the desktop section before seeing this.