Hi,

I would like to answer your questions in the order.

There are many issues which may cause low system performance.  The first
step while troubleshooting low system performance is to perform the
following procedures:

*  Remove programs from startup using MSConfig
*  Delete the Temporary files
*  Perform Hard disk maintenance.

=== Removing programs from startup using MSConfig ===

MSConfig is a utility that allows you to configure the programs that you
need when you start up the computer.  By eliminating  programs from startup,
your computer will have more resources for multitasking.  You can still run
the programs by accessing them from the Start menu.

To run MSConfig, perform the following steps:

1.  Click Start and select Run.
2.  Type MSConfig and press Enter.
3.  Click the Startup tab.
4.  From the list, deselect all the programs except the following
   programs:

   systray
   scanregistry

5.  Click OK.
6.  Restart the system.

    NOTE:  To restore any of the removed items, repeat the above-
           mentioned steps and select the checkboxes for the
           designated applications.

The desktop may look different and you may lose some functionality depending
on the programs that you have deselected.  You can either run the programs
from the Start menu or run MSConfig again and add the programs back until
you have a balance between running applications, and enough resources to
smoothly operate your computer.

=== Deleting Temporary files ===

Temporary files are normally deleted when the program is closed. Usually the
temporary files are created in C:\Windows\Temp directory. Ensure that you
delete the Temporary files regularly.

To delete the Temporary files, perform these steps:

1.  Double-click the My Computer icon on the Desktop.
2.  Double-click the C: drive icon.
3.  Double-click the Windows folder.
4.  Double-click the Temp folder.
5.  Select the Edit menu on the menu bar and click Select All option.
   All the files in this folder should now be highlighted.
6.  Press the Delete key on the keyboard.
7.  Answer Yes to any prompts about deleting files.

    NOTE:  If you receive a message stating that a particular file
           cannot be deleted, continue deleting the remaining files
           until most of the files are deleted.

=== Hard disk maintenance ===

ScanDisk and Disk Defragmenter are the two utilities that should be run on a
regular basis.  ScanDisk checks for errors on the hard disk drive and the
Disk Defragmenter rearranges the data in contiguous clusters.

To access the ScanDisk and Disk Defragmenter utilities, perform these steps:

1.  Click Start and select Programs.
2.  Select Accessories.
3.  Select System Tools.

If the ScanDisk and Disk Defragmenter utilities do not respond, then run the
utilities in Safe mode.  To restart in Safe mode, perform these steps:

1.  Restart the computer.
2.  Press F8 during Startup to access the Startup menu. Ignore any
   error messages that occur.
3.  Choose Safe mode from the Startup menu and press Enter.
4.  Click Start and select Programs.
5.  Click Accessories and select System Tools.
6.  Choose either ScanDisk or Disk Defragmenter.

This will run ScanDisk or Disk Defragmenter in Safe mode.

Let's continue to next.

Regarding the hard drive sound issue, it generall happens when read/write
operation happens. However, if the sound is abnormal, then the issue you are
experiencing requires a detailed onsiste diagnosis, I recommend you contact
the nearest service center.

--
Regards,
R.S.Manikandan.