Background app/Processes cleaner?

[86 IROC-Z]

Hi guys

My laptop has been running a bit slow recently. It's not a big deal, just hanging for a few seconds every now and then when I'm multitasking.

Normally I would just do the normal backup->format->reinstall OS, but being that I run my business from my laptop, and the fact that I'm away at school without my OS + driver packages, it's not really an option at this point. I'm currently doing the simple stuff like removing start up programs, uninstalling unneeded apps, defraging, etc.

The question I have is whether anyone knows any good programs to remove unneeded background applications or items on the processes list, and to stop them from reoccurring on either start up or spontaneously. It's been a while since my last format on the laptop so I have all the small things that like to hide there after a long period of using lots of different applications. A program that actively detects and alerts of new processes and their importance would be even better.

Thanks for the help

P.S. System is free of Viruses, spyware, etc.

[Blown Interceptor]

I have used tune up Utilities 2009 with pretty good success...now that I am running Windows 7, I have switched to Glary Utilities.

[86 IROC-Z]

Thanks, I'll give it a try