Disk performance

[rob@xxxxxxxxx]

When I first fire up my laptop it takes quite awhile to start.  I have the 
usual virus stuff that starts and what not.  My startup group fires up one 
browser session, a notepad session and the Sametime Connect client.  After 
logging in to windows I go get my cup of coffee, stop and read a coworkers 
calendar of the day on his desk, exchange the usual pleasantries and head 
back to my desk.  A few minutes later (with time to check voice mail, etc) 
it's done.  During this time the disk drive light is on constant.  I fire 
up task manager and CPU percentage and memory percentage is insignificant. 
 Soon as that disk drive light slows down they shoot up.

How can I tell what is thrashing the disk?  If I could tell it was this or 
that I might remove it from startup.  Be really bizarre to find out there 
was something like "let's fire off the network backup when you first 
connect" or "virus pattern file on the server is newer than what you have 
on your PC, we're going to update you and scan your whole disk before we 
let you connect".  (There was talk of initiating something like the 
second.)

Rob Berendt