four minute wait

[#1]

My  start up is much quicker I tried to put a active desktop on my screen and it changed the apperance of my icons on my desktop and it slowed my start up it is ok now since I got rid of this problem,however  it still takes three to four mins befor I can use the internet I can hear some application going on in the background and I just wondered if I can find out what it is.

[#2]

msconfig.exe will show you what starts up when the machine boots.
netstat -ano will show you what your machine is trying to connect to.
The Task Manager should show you what applications are running, or which processes are monopolising the CPU/memory.  If it is a trojan/malware it could well be hidden from the task manager process list.  Try Adaware to see if it finds anything.  Otherwise try Highjack This and post in the forums with the results.
Good luck.

[#3]

Thanks Mick for your reply I am almost sure that I have no trojan/malware I run Adaware and Spyare Terminator every week with no problems I also have Spybot and when I go into settings and system startup it has a list of programs which are colour coded, the the yellow coded ones are unkown and uneeded green is legitimate and red is malicious.I just wondered if it is safe taking out the ticks of the yellow coded programs.

[#4]

Sorry Valart, I can't help with this I'm afraid (I don't have MSWindows at home and don't run Spybot at work) - but someone else may be able to.  Your question can be answered by msconfig.exe anyway.  Google for the names of the programs and if they reveal something that you don't want starting at boot, then disable it.
Good luck.