Macbook running slow

Question

Hi,
A few people have asked this question, my macbook is running very slow and the mouse spinning circle comes up quite a lot. I am unsure of why it is doing this.
I have attached a copy of the EtreCheck I have done on my system.
Can you please have a look and see if you can see if there is anything wrong, as I am unsure of what I am looking at.
Thanks for your help
Problem description:
Macbook running slow
EtreCheck version: 2.0.11 (98)
Report generated 25 November 2014 11:54:22 GMT
Hardware Information: ℹ️
    MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011) (Verified)
    MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1
    1 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core
    4 GB RAM Upgradeable
        BANK 0/DIMM0
            2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
        BANK 1/DIMM0
            2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
    Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
    Wireless:  en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Video Information: ℹ️
    Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB
        Color LCD 1280 x 800
System Software: ℹ️
    OS X 10.10.1 (14B25) - Uptime: 2 days 14:34:42
Disk Information: ℹ️
    ST9500325ASG disk0 : (500.11 GB)
    S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified
        EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
        Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>  [Recovery]: 650 MB
        Macintosh HD (disk1) /  [Startup]: 498.88 GB (170.58 GB free)
            Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked
            Core Storage: disk0s2 499.25 GB Online
    MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-8A8 
USB Information: ℹ️
    Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
    Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
    Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
        Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
    Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️
    Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
Gatekeeper: ℹ️
    Mac App Store and identified developers
Kernel Extensions: ℹ️
        /Library/Extensions
    [not loaded]    foo.tap (1.0) Support
    [not loaded]    foo.tun (1.0) Support
        /System/Library/Extensions
    [not loaded]    com.novatelwireless.driver.3G (2.2.9) Support
    [not loaded]    com.novatelwireless.driver.DisableAutoInstall (1.2) Support
    [not loaded]    com.option.driver.OptionMSD (1.11.0) Support
    [not loaded]    com.seagate.driver.PowSecDriverCore (5.2.3 - SDK 10.4) Support
    [not loaded]    com.sierrawireless.driver.SierraDIPSupport (1.0.0) Support
    [not loaded]    com.sierrawireless.driver.SierraFSRSupport (3.0.0 - SDK 10.6) Support
    [not loaded]    com.sierrawireless.driver.SierraHSRSupport (3.0.0 - SDK 10.6) Support
    [not loaded]    com.sierrawireless.driver.SierraIPDirect (1.1.5) Support
    [not loaded]    com.sierrawireless.driver.SierraQMISupport (1.0.1 - SDK 10.6) Support
    [loaded]    com.sierrawireless.driver.SierraVSP (1.0.0) Support
    [not loaded]    com.sierrawireless.driver.qmiNetDriver (1.0.3 - SDK 10.6) Support
        /System/Library/Extensions/NovatelWireless3G.kext/Contents/PlugIns
    [not loaded]    com.novatelwireless.driver.3GData (2.2.9) Support
        /System/Library/Extensions/Seagate Storage Driver.kext/Contents/PlugIns
    [not loaded]    com.seagate.driver.PowSecLeafDriver_10_4 (5.2.3 - SDK 10.4) Support
    [not loaded]    com.seagate.driver.PowSecLeafDriver_10_5 (5.2.3 - SDK 10.5) Support
    [not loaded]    com.seagate.driver.SeagateDriveIcons (5.2.3 - SDK 10.4) Support
Startup Items: ℹ️
    HW_CreateNetwork: Path: /Library/StartupItems/HW_CreateNetwork
    HWNetMgr: Path: /Library/StartupItems/HWNetMgr
    HWPortDetect: Path: /Library/StartupItems/HWPortDetect
    HWPortDetect_driver: Path: /Library/StartupItems/HWPortDetect_driver
    StartOuc: Path: /Library/StartupItems/StartOuc
    tap: Path: /Library/StartupItems/tap
    tun: Path: /Library/StartupItems/tun
    Startup items are obsolete and will not work in future versions of OS X
Problem System Launch Agents: ℹ️
    [running]    com.paragon.NTFS.notify.plist Support
Launch Agents: ℹ️
    [running]    com.epson.epw.agent.plist Support
    [running]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist Support
    [loaded]    com.paragon.updater.plist Support
    [running]    com.sierrawireless.SwitchTool.plist Support
    [failed]    de.novamedia.VodafoneDeviceObserver.plist Support
Launch Daemons: ℹ️
    [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
    [loaded]    com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist Support
    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist Support
    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist Support
User Launch Agents: ℹ️
    [loaded]    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist Support
    [failed]    com.facebook.videochat.[redacted].plist Support
    [loaded]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
    [loaded]    com.valvesoftware.steamclean.plist Support
User Login Items: ℹ️
    Steam    Application (/Applications/Steam.app)
    iTunesHelper    ApplicationHidden (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)
    VMCStatusMenu    UNKNOWN (missing value)
    AutoLaunchApp    Application (/Applications/3Connect/3Connect.app/Contents/Resources/AutoLaunchApp.app)
    uTorrent    UNKNOWN (missing value)
    AdobeResourceSynchronizer    ApplicationHidden (/Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/Support/AdobeResourceSynchronizer.app)
    Android File Transfer Agent    Application (/Users/[redacted]/Library/Application Support/Google/Android File Transfer/Android File Transfer Agent.app)
    LexmarkNetworkServices    ApplicationHidden (/Library/Application Support/Lexmark/LexmarkNetworkServices.app)
    3500-4500 Series Button Monitor    ApplicationHidden (/Library/Application Support/Lexmark/3500-4500 Series Scanner.bundle/Contents/SharedSupport/3500-4500 Series Button Monitor.app)
Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
    FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 15.0.0.223 - SDK 10.6 Support
    QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
    AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.12 Support
    AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.12 Support
    Flash Player: Version: 15.0.0.223 - SDK 10.6 Mismatch! Adobe recommends 15.0.0.239
    Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10
    SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.6 - SDK 10.6 Support
    Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
    JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 7 Update 51 Check version
3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
    Flash Player  Support
    Java  Support
    Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X  Support
Time Machine: ℹ️
    Skip System Files: NO
    Mobile backups: ON
    Auto backup: YES
    Volumes being backed up:
        Macintosh HD: Disk size: 498.88 GB Disk used: 328.30 GB
    Destinations:
        Seagate Backup Plus Drive [Local]
        Total size: 0 B
        Total number of backups: 0
        Oldest backup: -
        Last backup: -
        Size of backup disk: Too small
            Backup size 0 B < (Disk used 328.30 GB X 3)
        Seagate Backup Plus Drive [Local]
        Total size: 1.00 TB
        Total number of backups: 10
        Oldest backup: 2013-05-29 18:19:48 +0000
        Last backup: 2013-12-03 06:32:04 +0000
        Size of backup disk: Adequate
            Backup size 1.00 TB > (Disk used 328.30 GB X 3)
Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
        23%    firefox
         8%    WindowServer
         2%    hidd
         2%    mds_stores
         1%    com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
    387 MB    firefox
    180 MB    com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
    146 MB    com.apple.MediaLibraryService
    125 MB    Finder
    107 MB    iTunes
Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
    48 MB    Free RAM
    1.60 GB    Active RAM
    1.53 GB    Inactive RAM
    1.04 GB    Wired RAM
    5.95 GB    Page-ins
    63 MB    Page-outs

Answer 1

Either update or remove the Vodafone software and see whether there's an improvement.
Any third-party software that doesn't install by drag-and-drop into the Applications folder, and uninstall by drag-and-drop to the Trash, is a system modification.
Whenever you remove system modifications, they must be removed completely, and the only way to do that is to use the uninstallation tool, if any, provided by the developers, or to follow their instructions. If the software has been incompletely removed, you may have to re-download or even reinstall it in order to finish the job.
I never install system modifications myself, and except as stated in this comment, I don't know how to uninstall them. You'll have to do your own research to find that information.
Here are some general guidelines to get you started. Suppose you want to remove something called “BrickMyMac” (a hypothetical example.) First, consult the product's Help menu, if there is one, for instructions. Finding none there, look on the developer's website, say www.brickmymac.com. (That may not be the actual name of the site; if necessary, search the Web for the product name.) If you don’t find anything on the website or in your search, contact the developer. While you're waiting for a response, download BrickMyMac.dmg and open it. There may be an application in there such as “Uninstall BrickMyMac.” If not, open “BrickMyMac.pkg” and look for an Uninstall button. The uninstaller might also be accessed by clicking the Customize button, if there is one.
Back up all data before making any changes.
You will generally have to restart the computer in order to complete an uninstallation. Until you do that, there may be no effect, or unpredictable effects.
If you can’t remove software in any other way, you’ll have to erase and install OS X. Never install any third-party software unless you're sure you know how to uninstall it; otherwise you may create problems that are very hard to solve.
Trying to remove complex system modifications by hunting for files by name often will not work and may make the problem worse. The same goes for "utilities" such as "AppCleaner" and the like that purport to remove software.