A few questions

[queon.8160e02f0]

Hey all!
Have a little question well, maybe two, which has been bothering me for sometime.
I have a Raider GE76 Core i9 @2.9MHz.
I also know that it has thermal metal pad.
My first question is:
IF my notebook is on a 20 degree inclination from the back, can this affect the efficacy of the metal paste once it has tuned to liquid metal.
In other words, will the inclination of the notebook harm the metal liquid's ability to transfer heat and/or, make it slid to one side?

My second question is:
This Raider (full name) MSI Raider GE76 033CA, has a 2.9Mhz CPU and a 3070Ti GPU.
I can't find it or reviews for it anywhere.
Has anyone seen this on reviews anywhere and could you please let me know where.

Thanks for your time.
Mike.

 

[drek4]

Hey all!
Have a little question well, maybe two, which has been bothering me for sometime.
I have a Raider GE76 Core i9 @2.9MHz.
I also know that it has thermal metal pad.
My first question is:
IF my notebook is on a 20 degree inclination from the back, can this affect the efficacy of the metal paste once it has tuned to liquid metal.
In other words, will the inclination of the notebook harm the metal liquid's ability to transfer heat and/or, make it slid to one side?

My second question is:
This Raider (full name) MSI Raider GE76 033CA, has a 2.9Mhz CPU and a 3070Ti GPU.
I can't find it or reviews for it anywhere.
Has anyone seen this on reviews anywhere and could you please let me know where.

Thanks for your time.
Mike.

Well the liquid metal applied at the factory is a thin coat with a foam barrier around the CPU and/or GPU, so that should not be an issue.
But you most likely will have to re do it in 1 or 2 years depending on how hot your CPU runs (if you're an all day/night gamer 1 year).
Liquid metal doesn't dry as per se, but it bonds by seeping into materials.
What's tricky, is when comes time to repaste, how well will it be done then.

As for reviews, for the i9 CPU and laptop itself use this one.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/MSI-GE76-Raider-Laptop-Review-With-Alder-Lake-and-RTX-3080-Ti-to-gaming-heaven.595391.0.html

For your GPU performance, use this one.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/MSI-Vector-GP66-12UGS-laptop-review-150-W-TGP-GeForce-RTX-3070-Ti-sweet-spot.600875.0.html

 

[badboy2k]

Hey all!
Have a little question well, maybe two, which has been bothering me for sometime.
I have a Raider GE76 Core i9 @2.9MHz.
I also know that it has thermal metal pad.
My first question is:
IF my notebook is on a 20 degree inclination from the back, can this affect the efficacy of the metal paste once it has tuned to liquid metal.
In other words, will the inclination of the notebook harm the metal liquid's ability to transfer heat and/or, make it slid to one side?

My second question is:
This Raider (full name) MSI Raider GE76 033CA, has a 2.9Mhz CPU and a 3070Ti GPU.
I can't find it or reviews for it anywhere.
Has anyone seen this on reviews anywhere and could you please let me know where.

Thanks for your time.
Mike.

most of the Liquid Metal Issues with it moving to one side is mainly on PS5 and Desktops as they are mounted vertically but a laptop spend all its time its on on its back Flat so much less of a chance for it to move.

 

[queon.8160e02f0]

Thank you both for your quick and concise replies.

These questions have been bothering me for a while now seeing that, we have liquid
metal rolling around the mother-board but, if you think that having a small incline on the back
of the notebook is fine then, I will take it as said.
I must say though that, this new way of cooling the CPU is not an attribute to MSI
if we have to have it re pasted every few years. I spend lots of time on these machines
and haven't had to have any work on them done.
I also have a Titan GT 73 bought in 2017 and that machine is a real work horse.

So again , thank you for your insights and info.

Mike.

 

[badboy2k]

Thank you both for your quick and concise replies.

These questions have been bothering me for a while now seeing that, we have liquid
metal rolling around the mother-board but, if you think that having a small incline on the back
of the notebook is fine then, I will take it as said.
I must say though that, this new way of cooling the CPU is not an attribute to MSI
if we have to have it re pasted every few years. I spend lots of time on these machines
and haven't had to have any work on them done.
I also have a Titan GT 73 bought in 2017 and that machine is a real work horse.

So again , thank you for your insights and info.

Mike.

Liquid Metal is a new thing and has mainly been used as its less likely to dry out just slowly Creep out and if you get a metal Syringe to pull it up and put it back on.

the Foam Dam is to stop it leaking out and hold it in a area it cant short things out.

with the old paste it was more about how hard you used them as if you do nothing other then game on them all day it would dry it out fast as its basically cooking the paste and drying it out. if you only game occasionally it will last a long time as its not being held at 90C for 8-12 hours a day.

 

[queon.8160e02f0]

If this is the way do it here badboy2K then, you can mark this thread as solved and thanks again.
Mike.

 

[Grieverokami]

He

Hey all!
Have a little question well, maybe two, which has been bothering me for sometime.
I have a Raider GE76 Core i9 @2.9MHz.
I also know that it has thermal metal pad.
My first question is:
IF my notebook is on a 20 degree inclination from the back, can this affect the efficacy of the metal paste once it has tuned to liquid metal.
In other words, will the inclination of the notebook harm the metal liquid's ability to transfer heat and/or, make it slid to one side?

My second question is:
This Raider (full name) MSI Raider GE76 033CA, has a 2.9Mhz CPU and a 3070Ti GPU.
I can't find it or reviews for it anywhere.
Has anyone seen this on reviews anywhere and could you please let me know where.

Thanks for your time.
Mike.

Hey wait a second. i have a similar laptop to yours as far as im aware. Same GPU (RTX 3070 Ti) and CPU (Core i9 12900H)
Yet mine only comes with stock Thermal Paste and temps do run up to 90c. If i want to reduce the temps even further is liquid Metal or metal paste a possible option in the near future? Bearing in mind the layout looks like this.

 

[badboy2k]

He

Hey wait a second. i have a similar laptop to yours as far as im aware. Same GPU (RTX 3070 Ti) and CPU (Core i9 12900H)
Yet mine only comes with stock Thermal Paste and temps do run up to 90c. If i want to reduce the temps even further is liquid Metal or metal paste a possible option in the near future? Bearing in mind the layout looks like this.
View attachment 174927

if you do try to use Liquid Metal you need to make a foam Dam around the Chips that fit Tightly especially on the GPU especially as its surrounded by SMD Capacitors and you need to keep it away from them as get any on them it will kill the GPU.

 

[Grieverokami]

if you do try to use Liquid Metal you need to make a foam Dam around the Chips that fit Tightly especially on the GPU especially as its surrounded by SMD Capacitors and you need to keep it away from them as get any on them it will kill the GPU.

Thanks for feedback. Sounds pretty risky. Maybe one day id be brave enough to try it

 

[queon.8160e02f0]

Well I guess the Crosshair is similar to the GE76 Raider. I haven't seen the inside of one and going by the screen you provided
it might be. Here's mine with the coolers still attached.
You were asking about the temps here's mine at rest and playing:
I always have the back-end elevated about 15 degrees and the fans on boost.

 

[Grieverokami]

Well I guess the Crosshair is similar to the GE76 Raider. I haven't seen the inside of one and going by the screen you provided
it might be. Here's mine with the coolers still attached.
You were asking about the temps here's mine at rest and playing:
I always have the back-end elevated about 15 degrees and the fans on boost.

Thanks mate this is really helpful. Ive been fretting about temperatures ever since i got this machine. Because in my head, 90c = Bad and would shut down the program whenever CPU temps hit 90. i guess because this is my first real gaming laptop, im scared of damaging it in some way. It seems your Raider seems way more advanced and better in build quality. Not that i was expecting a 1-1 comparison but yout temps look pretty low compared to mine.

This is my current idle temps with only browser running, no cooler boost. Im still not sure what is considered safe idle temperature and what's considered unusually hot. Think you can make sense of this for me? That would really help.

EDIT
Added GPU Temps Idle no programs or cooler boost

 

[Deleted member 976596]

Mine crosshair 15 does hit 90c when gaming. So did my 5 year old acer predator G9-793 gaming laptop for 5 years without cleaning and it still works like a dream. Dont worry about it.

 

[queon.8160e02f0]

Thanks mate this is really helpful. Ive been fretting about temperatures ever since i got this machine. Because in my head, 90c = Bad and would shut down the program whenever CPU temps hit 90. i guess because this is my first real gaming laptop, im scared of damaging it in some way. It seems your Raider seems way more advanced and better in build quality. Not that i was expecting a 1-1 comparison but yout temps look pretty low compared to mine.

This is my current idle temps with only browser running, no cooler boost. Im still not sure what is considered safe idle temperature and what's considered unusually hot. Think you can make sense of this for me? That would really help.

EDIT
Added GPU Temps Idle no programs or cooler boost

OK, so, at idle anything between 40*C ~ 45*C is normal for i9s. Your GPU is in a very nice place.
Have you set a wave table for your fans in MSI Center?
If not, I would recommend you do.
I have mine on Extreme Performance and then adjust the fans to rotate at about 2600 RPM for the CPU
and about 2400 RPM for the GPU.
This should keep both running cool enough when you're just fooling around on the notebook.
When gaming, I manually turn on the Boost from the keyboard and keep them going for about
five minutes after I finish gaming. This will cool down all components faster and keep you happy.
This is what MSI Center is reporting right now: First on the left
(It might say Balanced for Power Plan but it's not. It's actually on Extreme all the time.)
and the second is the wave table I have set : second on the right

As for the CPU while gaming, depending on how demanding the game is, It will hit 96*C ~ 97*C
but, not for a long time. As you can see from my screens, when gaming it will hit 98*C but, this will
only be passages when the game pushes the CPU and then when the games slows down, so will the
temps. Keep an eye out if more than two and sometimes three Pcores keep hitting above 98* for more
time than the game requires then, you might want to look at more breathing room for the CPU like
a notebook cooling pad with a single large fan but, not rotating too fast. Otherwise, the notebook's
fans will be overwhelmed and not cool effectively.

I know you are using HWInfo but, i would also recommend you take a look at Core-Temp for the CPU.
Just download the .exe or portable version that way , no install. Minimize it and it will report on
all individual Cores. It's easier to see which ones are problematic if any.

Core Temp

Core Temp is a compact, no fuss, small footprint, yet powerful program to monitor processor temperature and other vital information.

www.techspot.com

OK, that's all I have so , if you need more info then, just ask.

Nice to have met you.
I'm from Canada BTW so , our times might not always match.

Mike.

 

[Grieverokami]

OK, so, at idle anything between 40*C ~ 45*C is normal for i9s. Your GPU is in a very nice place.
Have you set a wave table for your fans in MSI Center?
If not, I would recommend you do.
I have mine on Extreme Performance and then adjust the fans to rotate at about 2600 RPM for the CPU
and about 2400 RPM for the GPU.
This should keep both running cool enough when you're just fooling around on the notebook.
When gaming, I manually turn on the Boost from the keyboard and keep them going for about
five minutes after I finish gaming. This will cool down all components faster and keep you happy.
This is what MSI Center is reporting right now: First on the left
(It might say Balanced for Power Plan but it's not. It's actually on Extreme all the time.)
and the second is the wave table I have set : second on the right

As for the CPU while gaming, depending on how demanding the game is, It will hit 96*C ~ 97*C
but, not for a long time. As you can see from my screens, when gaming it will hit 98*C but, this will
only be passages when the game pushes the CPU and then when the games slows down, so will the
temps. Keep an eye out if more than two and sometimes three Pcores keep hitting above 98* for more
time than the game requires then, you might want to look at more breathing room for the CPU like
a notebook cooling pad with a single large fan but, not rotating too fast. Otherwise, the notebook's
fans will be overwhelmed and not cool effectively.

I know you are using HWInfo but, i would also recommend you take a look at Core-Temp for the CPU.
Just download the .exe or portable version that way , no install. Minimize it and it will report on
all individual Cores. It's easier to see which ones are problematic if any.

Core Temp

Core Temp is a compact, no fuss, small footprint, yet powerful program to monitor processor temperature and other vital information.

www.techspot.com

OK, that's all I have so , if you need more info then, just ask.

Nice to have met you.
I'm from Canada BTW so , our times might not always match.

Mike.

Hi Mike

That's a very thorough breakdown. I havent actually tried MSI profiles yet. I just keep it on Balanced because that's apparently whats recommended my the MSI panel. Right so based on those screenshots, ill set the fan as you've recommended and see what happens.
Ive also attached the core temp screenshot as recommended. honestly as a novice i cant make heads or tails of it yet but looks slightly more useful than HWinfo.

As far as habits go so far. I usually try and game for 1 hour sessions all the while having Afterburner running to monitor temps on the CPU and FPS. i dont even mess around with the options much because on this platform its like some titles default to 1080p Ultra from Startup. ill tell you one thing, the fan does alternate between quiet and ludicrously loud on occasions. But i guess that's to be expected.

Apologies for the late response. Its great to have met you too. i believe we have a nine hour time difference cause i reside in Southern Africa.

PS
I was wondering, is there anything i should do with sliders in the extreme performance screen? the one with GPU clock and VRAM?
EDIT
Uuuh should i be worried about the (!) marks? ive uploaded a current reading on idle

Cheers

 

[queon.8160e02f0]

Ive also attached the core temp screenshot as recommended. honestly as a novice i cant make heads or tails of it yet but looks slightly more useful than HWinfo.

Hey grieverokam!

OK , so , the Core-temp is simply another tool in your tool box and not as informative as HWInfo but, for me, easier to understand and no install.
It is not very complicated to use and there are other options to choose from but, I mostly use the main page. The first line on the left is the actual temp of the CPU, what it is running at as you look at it. Above the temps is the actual wattage it is pulling from the power supply. The N/A
MIN. line which is after the blank space, is the temp it recorded the CPU's lowest temp. The next one to the right is the MAX line. Those numbers wont change unless the CPU is pushed pass those numbers. The last one on the far right is the LOAD line. This one will record which CPUs are being used by the programs that you have running plus the background ones you can't see or don't know that are running to keep you happy on the desktop and surfing the web. This is a bit more complicated but, suffice to say that these numbers will sometimes be useful to people who are keeping tabs on programs to monitor their power draw. Hope this wasn't too overwhelming.

Apologies for the late response. Its great to have met you too. i believe we have a nine hour time difference cause i reside in Southern Africa.

Can you imagine the plane ride??

I was wondering, is there anything i should do with sliders in the extreme performance screen? the one with GPU clock and VRAM?

I wouldn't touch those. I have a fear of overclocking and the app will tell you that this could reduce the life of the actual component.
Now, whether this is enough to actually reduce the life of this component I don't know. Maybe someone else who is familiar with it can provide more info.

Uuuh should i be worried about the (!) marks? ive uploaded a current reading on idle

If you take a look at my screens, you will probably see that I too have those little (I)s. This is just to (i)nform you that this core is near or at TjMax.
On the i9s the TjMax is 100*C. But, as you can see from the Actual temp that the CPU is running at , at this moment, it is not overheating.
IF the CPU were to run the TjMax temp for a period of time then, the CPU's protection would kick in and would reduce the power to this core in order for it to reduce it's temp. This again is a little complicated but, you can read about it by asking Google to help you understand better what
the CPU protection is all about.

OK, so, if any of this doesn't make sense then, ask again and i'll try to explain further or maybe I can find a read for you.

Mike.

 

[Grieverokami]

Hello Mike

Thanks for the response. It seems complicated, but i get the gist of it. i guess im just fretting over temperatures. Also i left the profile on Extreme Performance when i took that screenshot so that must explain all the (!) marks. i still haven't tried your recommended fan profile yet but ill give it a go soon if it leads to cooler temps. Even with the new fan profile, do i still need to manually switch on cooler boost and leave it running? I did not realize how loud the fan noise is after 20min sessions and its quite the discomfort on my sensitive ears.

I really appreciate the time you took to help me mate. Anything happens i will update this thread.

Take care and have a good day

 

[queon.8160e02f0]

Hello Mike

Thanks for the response. It seems complicated, but i get the gist of it. i guess im just fretting over temperatures. Also i left the profile on Extreme Performance when i took that screenshot so that must explain all the (!) marks. i still haven't tried your recommended fan profile yet but ill give it a go soon if it leads to cooler temps. Even with the new fan profile, do i still need to manually switch on cooler boost and leave it running? I did not realize how loud the fan noise is after 20min sessions and its quite the discomfort on my sensitive ears.

I really appreciate the time you took to help me mate. Anything happens i will update this thread.

Take care and have a good day

Hey grieverokam!
Your welcome and if I can be of service then, the better.
Now, remember that this is my wave table for the fans on this notebook. What I'm giving you is a guide so you can try things out and see what works for you. I always have the fans on boost when playing. This is for the benefit of keeping my CPU as cool as I can get it while playing. I keep the fans going for about five minutes after playing so that it cools off faster especially when the ambient temp is summer like, well, here in Canada. I guess you do not have winters as we do so, it must be hot almost all of the time where you live.
Yes, the fans are Very loud when on Boost. I play with headphones so, it doesn't bother me but, if you rely on the notebooks speakers then, yes , I guess that would also annoy me as well.
The fan profile is to keep the CPU and GPU as low as possible when only surfing or doing work. You will have to fiddle around with the speed of the fans to see what works for you.
You could also let the "AI" set the fan speed but, this will mean (in my case) that the fans for the GPU will not engage and this will lead to the GPU getting a bit more hot than I like it.
OK, so, I will take a screen of my fan profile and show you what I did. Don't forget, this is for this notebook, you will have to find out what works for yours:
So, you will have to fiddle with the sliders to find the right settings for you and to keep the notebook as cool as you can bear the fan noise.
Right now here in Canada we have outside temps of 30~34*C. Yes, it's hot and humid.This profile keeps my notebook at around 38*C for the CPU and 35*C for the GPU with the fans pretty quite.
From the screen, you can see the number 1 & 2. These are the actual sliders to control the fan speed. The other sliders are when the temps get to a certain degree the fans will rotate faster and will also make more noise but, only when the temps exceed what you have calibrated them to be. So, to see what works for you and the notebook, you will have adjust those slides until you are satisfied with the temps and the noise.

OK, this should cover most of it. If you have other questions, I'll try to answer as best I can.

Take care and stay safe.

Mike.

 

[queon.8160e02f0]

Even with the new fan profile, do i still need to manually switch on cooler boost and leave it running? I did not realize how loud the fan noise is after 20min sessions and its quite the discomfort on my sensitive ears.

Hey grieverokam!
Well this is what you will have to find out. I can only tell you what works for me. The boost is only on when playing demanding games as this wave table works well when I play low demanding games. If the games demand a higher CPU count or CPU power then, the fans will ramp up by themselves without me having to turn on Boost manually and only for as long as the CPU or GPU are being taxed with higher power demand.
Once that passage in the game has gone, the fans will slow down again until the next time the game asks for more power.

Now, I don't know which browser you use or which programs you enjoy working with but, I have a few suggestions that you might want to look at that might peek your interest.
Here are the web sites so you can take a look at for yourself: (these are free programs)

Download – KeyScrambler by QFX Software Corp.

www.qfxsoftware.com

TreeSize – Official Download

TreeSize is a disk space analyzer for Windows with customizable file search and several exporting and reporting possibilities. Download for free today!

www.jam-software.com

Download

Monitors Boot Time and Detects Slow Startup Programs

greatis.com

Global Potplayer

potplayer.daum.net

Download BurnAware 19.1

Download free burning software or try free trial of commercial extended version. Download BurnAware Free, Premium and Professional.

www.burnaware.com

https://www.screenpresso.com/download/

https://www.screenpresso.com/

The next ones are for your browser (which ever one you use)

uBlock Origin - Free, open-source ad blocker extension

uBlock Origin is a free, open-source ad blocker extension and content blocker. Block ads on YouTube, Twitch, and across the web with low CPU and memory usage. Available for Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Chrome via uBlock Origin Lite.

ublockorigin.com

Privacy Badger

privacybadger.org

As for security,(I hope you have some)
Windows Defender is pretty good as a daily driver.
To supplement this (second opinion) I would suggest:
MalwareBytes'

Free Antivirus 2026 | Download Free Antivirus & Virus Scan | 100% Free & Easy Install

Download free antivirus: easy install for all devices. Remove unwanted malware like viruses, ransomware, spyware & more.

www.malwarebytes.com

lite and fast and free for second opinion scans.

Don't forget to clean out Temps files once in a while as they can take some space from your SSD.
You can use the integrated file cleaner in Windows

Free up drive space in Windows | Microsoft Support

Learn how you can free up drive space in Windows. Keep your PC running smoothly and up to date by increasing the disk space.

support.microsoft.com

I use CCleaner but, you can find more on the web.

Download CCleaner | Clean, optimize & tune up your PC, free!

Download CCleaner for FREE. Clean your PC of temporary files, tracking cookies, browser junk and more! Get the latest version today.

www.ccleaner.com

IF you intend on using the CCleaner app Only use the BROOM option on the left hand side.
The rest should be left for users that are familiar with the other options.

Also, clean out the Shellbags:

Download - Shellbags AnalyZer + Cleaner

Download - Shellnags AnalyZer + Cleaner

privazer.com

OK, so , you can visit in your free time and if some peek your interest read on or maybe none at all.
These are just suggestions and if you have questions on any of them, just ask.

Take care and be well.

Mike.

 

[Grieverokami]

Wow thank

Hey grieverokam!
Well this is what you will have to find out. I can only tell you what works for me. The boost is only on when playing demanding games as this wave table works well when I play low demanding games. If the games demand a higher CPU count or CPU power then, the fans will ramp up by themselves without me having to turn on Boost manually and only for as long as the CPU or GPU are being taxed with higher power demand.
Once that passage in the game has gone, the fans will slow down again until the next time the game asks for more power.

Now, I don't know which browser you use or which programs you enjoy working with but, I have a few suggestions that you might want to look at that might peek your interest.
Here are the web sites so you can take a look at for yourself: (these are free programs)

Download – KeyScrambler by QFX Software Corp.

www.qfxsoftware.com

TreeSize – Official Download

TreeSize is a disk space analyzer for Windows with customizable file search and several exporting and reporting possibilities. Download for free today!

www.jam-software.com

Download

Monitors Boot Time and Detects Slow Startup Programs

greatis.com

Global Potplayer

potplayer.daum.net

Download BurnAware 19.1

Download free burning software or try free trial of commercial extended version. Download BurnAware Free, Premium and Professional.

www.burnaware.com

https://www.screenpresso.com/download/

https://www.screenpresso.com/

The next ones are for your browser (which ever one you use)

uBlock Origin - Free, open-source ad blocker extension

uBlock Origin is a free, open-source ad blocker extension and content blocker. Block ads on YouTube, Twitch, and across the web with low CPU and memory usage. Available for Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Chrome via uBlock Origin Lite.

ublockorigin.com

Privacy Badger

privacybadger.org

As for security,(I hope you have some)
Windows Defender is pretty good as a daily driver.
To supplement this (second opinion) I would suggest:
MalwareBytes'

Free Antivirus 2026 | Download Free Antivirus & Virus Scan | 100% Free & Easy Install

Download free antivirus: easy install for all devices. Remove unwanted malware like viruses, ransomware, spyware & more.

www.malwarebytes.com

lite and fast and free for second opinion scans.

Don't forget to clean out Temps files once in a while as they can take some space from your SSD.
You can use the integrated file cleaner in Windows

Free up drive space in Windows | Microsoft Support

Learn how you can free up drive space in Windows. Keep your PC running smoothly and up to date by increasing the disk space.

support.microsoft.com

I use CCleaner but, you can find more on the web.

Download CCleaner | Clean, optimize & tune up your PC, free!

Download CCleaner for FREE. Clean your PC of temporary files, tracking cookies, browser junk and more! Get the latest version today.

www.ccleaner.com

IF you intend on using the CCleaner app Only use the BROOM option on the left hand side.
The rest should be left for users that are familiar with the other options.

Also, clean out the Shellbags:

Download - Shellbags AnalyZer + Cleaner

Download - Shellnags AnalyZer + Cleaner

privazer.com

OK, so , you can visit in your free time and if some peek your interest read on or maybe none at all.
These are just suggestions and if you have questions on any of them, just ask.

Take care and be well.

Mike.

Wow. that's an overwhelming amount of programs to consider. TBH the boot time one seems really handy. i might give that a try.

Do i really need Malwarebytes? iv'e read mixed reactions about it. I just came off using AVAST Free Antivirus and seems Win Defender does a decent job anyway. At least its not noisy.

Really appreciate the time you took point all these out. You really didn't have to do that mate.

i might have more questions down the line as i still get to grips with the machine.

Take care and have a good day

Grieverokami

 

[queon.8160e02f0]

TBH the boot time one seems really handy

That little app is very useful when starting up a PC (notebook). If the times are way off of usual times then, something is holding the startup back. Time to investigate. OTH if you're just off updating Windows then, you will definitely see longer booting times.

Do i really need Malwarebytes?

No, I said these are just recommendations but, as good a daily driver as is Defender, it is always prudent to have a second opinion.
Another way to have a second opinion is to do an online scan. I use a few even though I still have the paid version of MalwareBytes'
which I have been using since it's Beta days. The ones I use are :

Online Virus Scanner | Free virus scan | F‑Secure

F‑Secure Online Scanner finds and removes viruses, malware and spyware on your Windows PC. Run a virus scan for free!

www.f-secure.com

Download the .exe (no install) and click on the start button and let it do it's thing. Once done, simply X out (close the program) and keep it
for the next time.

Free Virus Scan | Online Virus Scan from ESET

Scan your computer for malware for free with the ESET Online Scanner. Checks for any type of virus and helps you remove it. Download for free today.

www.eset.com

Same thing as the first. Download .exe (no install) . This one however is a bit more intense and will deep dive your files. I only use it occasionally.
Most Anti-Malware forums will ask for the log file(s) that this scanner produces. That's why I said it is more of a deep dive scanner.

Really appreciate the time you took point all these out. You really didn't have to do that mate.

You're welcome and at my age , I do what I want to do LOL!

Other little security tips for you:

Data Execution Prevention - Win32 apps

Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a system-level memory protection feature that is built into the operating system starting with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

learn.microsoft.com

I have this ON, on all my PCs. It is ON for Windows but, there is an option to have it protect all your programs. Just read about it.

Check your Firewall's vulnerability :
Click on the Proceed button and let it do it's work. GRC has been around for ages and is a well trusted source.

GRC | ShieldsUP! — Internet Vulnerability Profiling

GRC Internet Security Detection System

www.grc.com

Remove arrow overlay on Desktop Icons:
I hate these little arrows on the shortcuts on the desktop.
This little program will remove them. There are other ways to do it but, this , I find, is the simplest way.

Download ShortcutArrow Changer

Download ShortcutArrow Changer 1.3 - Quickly stylize your desktop shortcuts by removing the small arrow symbol on their icons or by replacing it with a custom picture

www.softpedia.com

And , finally, if like me, you really want the task bar at the top of your screen then, I suggest this little program. Unfortunately,
this one is not free. It's Five dollars US. It can do allot more than just restore the taskbar.

StartAllBack to fix all Windows 11 deal-breaking UI issues

StartAllBack restores taskbar, start menu, context menus, explorer, sanity, style and order!

www.startallback.com

OK, so , that's all I have for now. IF any of these are of interest and you have questions then, don't hesitate to ask.

Mike.