Does having multiple versions of Photoshop installed effect performance in any?

Question

I have a laptop with 8 gigs of RAM, Windows 7, i3 Intel processor, but Photoshop is very slow in responding and often I have to wait three minutes from the time I click the text entry tool until I can type, then each additional step, tool selection, whatever freezes Photoshop for several minutes. This is unacceptable, of course. Other software works normally.
I recently bought a new laptop with an i7 Intel processor, 12 gigs of RAM, and a GeForce graphics processor and the problem is even worse! CS6 locks up so long and so often I usually just load the Task Manager and end the process!
I have lots of fonts but doubt they could cause a problem this severe. Since the new laptop has a high definition screen, I need my font preview size to be at the largest size to see them clearly.
Now, I have 32 and 64 bit versions of CS6, CS5, and Photoshop Elements 10 and 12 installed. I don't use them at the same time, but I'm beginning to wonder whether they might cause some performance problems. (Photoshop installed both versions when I set up this computer in January, both CS5 & CS6. I downloaded CS5 because I was afraid that if CS6 got problematic, I could switch to CS5 and use that instead but the problem is terrible.) If the 64 bit version is giving me too much trouble, I'll switch to the 32 in hopes it will work better. But especially in the new computer, Photoshop never works well.
I bought the new laptop with the extra RAM and heavier duty processor to solve this problem in my old computer, which also has those versions of Photoshop installed. I don't use large files and do light graphic design work for my own use. The most resources intense thing I do is use smart object product mockups I buy online. I'm afraid the problem might be too many fonts but I don't want to get rid of any of them. I've too much invested in them.
Thanks to anyone who can help.

Answer 1

I did transfer all my fonts from the Windows 7 computer to the new Windows 8 laptop. I use different external HDs on the computers but I do occasionally connect any of them to the other computer to transfer large sets of files.
No, Photoshop is on Drive C, the main internal drive on each.
Last night I turned off font file previews in the font menu. I got much better performance. Photoshop worked much better, other than when I made a block of text and wanted to click on it and move it. It froze up for about thirty seconds before letting me do that.
If this is a font management problem, should I get font management software? I don't know anything about such software. Do they allow you to load only the fonts you want to use, on the fly? I see one, Fusion 6, which has a CS6 plug-in, leading me to think I might be able to preview and use fonts without the drain on Photoshop's performance.
Do you have any opinions or advice in that regard?