[Rockin Robbins]

These people are too paranoid. ALWAYS start from the simplest and most likely fixes and do the weird stuff only if that doesn't work. Chances are of this BIOS and persistent virus stuff of being present are very, very low. The vast majority of slow computers only have spyware and adware going on. If your computer handles millions of dollars in confidential transactions, is involved with international espionage or terrorism, disregard my position.

A simple MSE or other antivirus scan will find most other problems and eradicate them. Yes an atomic bomb will kill a mosquito, but does a lot of collateral damage in the process. Of all the hundreds of computers I've fixed I've only dropped the thermonuclear device a couple of times. The rest were simple fixes and remained fixed until they brought them back with newly acquired adware and spyware.

Yes, vaporizing all of creation will fix all problems. Permanently. No, it usually isn't called for. It's called minimum necessary use of force. Ask any police officer what that means. You can stop any crime by shooting the suspect dead. Assuming he needs to be dead is usually a mistake. A doctor usually doesn't amputate an arm for a hangnail.