Programs keep crashing/freezing, computers being slow. Why?

[monstrosity24]

So my computer just recently started having these problems. My programs will crash with an error report or simply run at low fps and be very slow.
At first glance I thought it to be a video card problem, but I'm not so sure it isn't a RAM problem either.
I constantly run Malware Bytes so I doubt it's a virus and I've run MemTest once and it came up with 0 errors.
My specs are:
Windows 7
Intel Quad Core i5 3550k @ 3.40GHz
Nvidia Geforce GTX 550 ti
8g Crucial RAM @ 1600Mhz

My temperatures:
GPU: 51c
Cores:41-42c
Everything else:30-35c
As of right now I have Chrome, Defrag, Skype, and Malware Bytes up and it's really slow. Pleeeaasse help

 

[monstrosity24]

Update: I ran Malware Bytes again and it found 7 objects.
Things seem to be running okay as far as speed but that still doesn't solve the crashing/freezing problem.

 

[9Rune5]

Start Process Explorer (from http://sysinternals.com/) and check out the Interrupts CPU usage (basically monitor DPC activity). Should be less than 1%. You said you ran memtest? For how long? ("memtest86+"?)

Do you get any BSODs?

 

[monstrosity24]

Start Process Explorer (from http://sysinternals.com/) and check out the Interrupts CPU usage (basically monitor DPC activity). Should be less than 1%. You said you ran memtest? For how long? ("memtest86+"?)

Do you get any BSODs?

Thanks for the reply!
No I don't get any BSODs. I started process explorer: http://gyazo.com/a0950b6e827fe191ce4f08f1c2866128.png
I ran Memtest for an hour (1 test), came up 100% pass 0 Errors. MemTest86+ I'm pretty sure.

 

[9Rune5]

1 hour memtest is a bit short IMO. Leave it running overnight (at least). But, I expect faulty memory to manifest itself by crashing apps and frequent BSODs. I have never experienced it slowing down a computer significantly.

BTW: Are you using Skype at the moment? 2% CPU usage in Skype is not dramatic, but mine is idling most (if not all) of the time. (only burned 23 CPU seconds in four hours or so)

The Interrupts CPU usage shown in Procexp is a little high IMO. Not dramatic, but if your system is idling now then it is a bit high. (but with AV running, just how much idle can you get..?) At the time of the screen cap, did your system feel slow? Is it only when gaming you feel it is slow, or also when e.g. watching youtube?

Procexp has some simple charts for CPU & GPU usage. You could jump into a game, run around until you get low FPS and jump back out and have a quick peek at the charts. That way you get a feel for whether it is your CPU or your GPU that drags you down. (or so I believe -- my system is definitively GPU-limited so I've never bothered to use Procexp to confirm that)

BTW: It isn't anything simple, such as really maxing out every graphics option there is..?

 

[monstrosity24]

1 hour memtest is a bit short IMO. Leave it running overnight (at least). But, I expect faulty memory to manifest itself by crashing apps and frequent BSODs. I have never experienced it slowing down a computer significantly.

BTW: Are you using Skype at the moment? 2% CPU usage in Skype is not dramatic, but mine is idling most (if not all) of the time. (only burned 23 CPU seconds in four hours or so)

The Interrupts CPU usage shown in Procexp is a little high IMO. Not dramatic, but if your system is idling now then it is a bit high. (but with AV running, just how much idle can you get..?) At the time of the screen cap, did your system feel slow? Is it only when gaming you feel it is slow, or also when e.g. watching youtube?

Procexp has some simple charts for CPU & GPU usage. You could jump into a game, run around until you get low FPS and jump back out and have a quick peek at the charts. That way you get a feel for whether it is your CPU or your GPU that drags you down. (or so I believe -- my system is definitively GPU-limited so I've never bothered to use Procexp to confirm that)

BTW: It isn't anything simple, such as really maxing out every graphics option there is..?

Performance wise my computer seems excellent at the moment, the speed issue was resolved with Malware Bytes. Although the crashing issue may still occur, for instance I'll be running it and it'll just randomly crash (mostly when I'm Alt-tabbed). I'll run Memtest again all night to see if it comes up with anything. At that time I was running Skype and chrome. I run my games at medium graphics for the most part when my card usually should handle high to ultra. Like I said the crashing just gets annoying, I'll get dropped out of games because of it and I'm not sure as to why it crashes, Suppose it could be the game itself but it's happened with Chrome and other programs as well.

 

[9Rune5]

In that case, definitively do a long run with a memory tester.

BTW: I've seen others recommend Prime95 in the past, though I have had no experience with it detecting errors. It looks useful since it puts a massive load on your CPU cores while taxing your system memory.