Sonds like you need to start using my start up procedure. Everytime before starting up,
1) restart modem (unhook modem cable and touch end for 10+ seconds with finger tip, reconnect)
2) defrag hard drive (disk defragmenter, start*all programs*accessories*system tools*disk defragmenter) most folks say it takes too long, but not if you do it everytime you start (maybe 30 seconds.
3) Disk cleanup.(found in the same place as the defragmenter) Mine runs a little better that way.
Hope this helps. And sometimes while I am running longer than normal, I will Disk cleanup again if it slows down. ( so every couple to three hours)
And the "Also, where abouts are you from?" was as to distance from the server here, it sometimes has a factor in speeds.