Aurora ALX startup/game issues

Hi everyone, I am having several performance issues with my new alienware aurora ALX, and Im hoping the big brains of the community can sort me out. 

Boot up is quite slow, and takes approx 5 mins just to get into windows.  Once in, several things appear wierd for such a powerful computer:

1 - windows remains frozen for 45 seconds while startup programs begin (circle next to mouce arrow does not move nor can I even move the mouse)

2 - games such as Battlefield 2 - Bad Company take up to 5 mins to load up, and once finally in, reconfiguring keys takes 1 minute per button, due to some freezing action which I can not determine the origin of. 

In total - the system seems extraordinarily slow for a powerful gaming computer - and it freezes or is very slow when trying to work hard.  I am wondering if this has anything to do with the fact that my system was purchased as overclocked by Dell - or if it has something to do with software (ie McCafee antivirus or Command Center etc).  I am not the most savey with computers so if you do know what he problem is pls let me know in laymens terms haha.

System:

Intel i7 920 2.67 Ghz overclocked to 3.2 Ghz by Dell

11 GB DDR3 RAM at 1333 Mhz

NVidia GeForce GTX 480

Windows 7 (64-Bit)

1 TB HD

Thank you in advance.