Question how can I tell if I have Malware or system problem in my laptop?

[Novel8]

This laptop has been giving me headaches since i bought it a year or so ago from Amazon. Its refurbished Dell Latitude 5490. It came with win 10 Pro installed with the option of updating to win 11, wich I eventually did. MAinly being unaccustomed to win 10 or 11 I even limited myself during the year even using it, On rare occasions i would attempt to try to use it but there were too much distractions kept me from doing anything with it. Then I started thinking maybe i have malware or as so many readers have complained how screwed up both win 10, 11 really are. So how can I tell the differences and if it is Malware; how do i get rid of it?

 

[USAFRet]

This laptop has been giving me headaches since i bought it a year or so ago from Amazon. Its refurbished Dell Latitude 5490. It came with win 10 Pro installed withe the option of updating to win 11, wich I eventually did. MAinly being unaccustomed to win 20 or 11 I even limited myselkf during the year even using it, On rare occasions i would attempt to try to use it but too much distractions kept me from doing anything with it. Tken I started thinking maybe i have malware or as so many readers have complained how screwed up both win 10, 11 are really are. So how can I tell the differences and if it is Malware; how do i get rid of it?

Win 10 and 11 are not "screwed up".
That is people just bitching. Some people will bitch if the ice cream is too cold, or the sunshine is too bright.

They are no worse than Win 7, 8, whatever.

But, for any system where you are not the first owner (and sometimes even then) a fresh OS install is indicated.
Full wipe and reinstall.

What OS did this come with?

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

I started thinking maybe i have malware

just some form of paranoia with no reason to assume this?

either way, as @USAFRet suggested, perform a fresh OS install without all of the included bloatware from the laptop manufacturer/distributor.