A up-to-dated hareware and clean OS software is needed. 

To make the system faster an investment into a SSD would not hurt 

Some questions: Windows7 Aero is turned on or off; or does it use the windows standart skin ?
Keep in mind windows8 is a lot lighter... 
I wanted to review the specs of the GFX card /mem of the GFX and so but cant find any specs of it.
Another question: did you install board specific drivers and the gfx drivers - i only ask this since i assume you use windows7 without service pack...
I had this on a laptop before the systems reaction was slow since the gfx driver was missing everything build up slowly explorer desktop and so on. 

Kona can you get more specs together of the card and the HDD in use ?
is it a 5400rpm or is it 7200rpm also cache size would be nice to know...


 

@Gaspershooters - I can't update the hardware, with the exception of installing a SSD. It's a laptop.

@Roloccolor - No money for a SSD at this time. Windows Areo is turned on, transparency is turned off, drop shadows turned off, using the default skin, turned the color to black.

GFX card is the Radeon 7310M, it is built in to the CPU, it has 384 MB to work with. Plays Command and Conquer really well. 

Hard drive is a Seagate. 320 GB, 5400 RPM, 8 MB cache. Not the best drive. 

I have a Windows 8 disk with clean COA at my disposal, wondering if it would make any difference. Keep in mind the CPU is really wimpy. Here is the details on the CPU:

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Bobcat/AMD-E%20Series%20E1-1200.html

The CPU should be good enough for windows8 since it runs on tablets smoothly

*My guess would be the HDD..
 i believe its not the integraded GPU that is holding back since normaly windows7 uses round about 100-130mb video memory and that is with aero enabled.

 If you have nothing to loose i would say go and install plate eight its worth a try.
 Windows8 Manages resources better and more efficient and you might be able to get a bit boost out of it.

Could be a dying hd. I have a compaq6710

1.5 gigddr2

20gig hd

T7100 core 2 duo 1.8 gh.No glass or Aero effects due to video, but, run seven like a dream. No lagging or crashing,runs apps quickly.

Try a hd , even if just temporary from another laptop perhaps.

How about programs or running services. Background quiet loading of programs readying for use at boot and such.
windows search disabled?

You might run some of windows performance and information tools to see if a specific app or setting is holding up performance also.

On my above spec, integrated graphics, not sure what.Sucky anyhow, but runs still.So not your issue.

I don't think it's the hard drive. I really think it's that crappy CPU. I have a decent video card so it runs Areo just fine. It just seems the system lags. 

Eight will run faster on it than 7 does, unless it's a hard drive problem.

Well I tried 8 on the machine. It runs really fast on the notebook. Problem was the product key is being used on another machine so we had to put 7 back on the notebook. This time I used a barebones copy of 7, activated the copy with the COA on the notebook so it's all legit and legal, and installed drivers. Guess what? It's running quicker than it was. I'm happy so far. Wish we could have keep 8 on the machine. None of us can afford a windows 8 license at this time. 

sounds like it was the JUNK(toolbars 'free' games 'free' utilities etc) that the manufacturers like to fill up a computer with, that was slowing the comp down.

harpo

Yeah it was something along those lines. The computer still isn't as fast as I want it to be, nor is it as fast as it was using 8, but I can work with it. 

I use window 7 too and i feel its good. Maybe your friend install too many large programs? I want update for windows 8

Well Kona if - you had grabbed the oppertunity on release instead of kicking it with boots at the time the license would have been quite affordable 
 Damn now i feel bad - sorry Kona i appologize for my dark humor... IM sorry

Still if you are lucky you may can grab a license for thirty bucks on ebay they sell them sealed and unused ( if you want to try look for systembuilder )

Ah no worries. After all it's not my system. Thanks anyhow. 

How long will Windows 8.1 preview be good? It works great for me in a VM.

Your friend could install and run that until they could obtain a copy of Windows 8.