- Ah, starting (too much) programs upon start up could be the problem. Because then the OS is VERY busy doing multiple things. Then things can get messed up (comparatively) easy. Your Vista system seems to create/creates a System Restore Point upon start up. But Piriform's Defraggler also somehow triggers the VSS sub-system. Well, then there're, upon start up, two pieces of software that are competing to use VSS. Yes, that indeed could "break" VSS. (Xilolee ???)
- I have a number of programs that also start when I start my system. Using Task Scheduler to run those programs with a 3, 4 or 5 minute or any other time delay after start up makes that those programs no longer show "irregular"/unwanted behaviour (e.g. VERY high CPU).