Bennettoid:
Thanks for the reply. Yes, Internet Explorer was already on the machine, but it was on a trial basis after which you had to purchase it. I ocassionally try to download it but can't as halfway through it informs me that I already have a newer edition and cuts me off.
I gave up on Lunux. Bought a Slackware Kit containing 4 disks and a book and could get everything to work except sound. Had a real problem with my dial-up ISP who seemed to think I wanted codes etc to hack their system, but I finally got it all together in spite of being told it couldn't be done. Then one of the Slackware disks apparently corrupted and I couldn't load it at all.
Robo:
Thanks for the reply. The "background running" is probably the trouble. About being slower. Me will cold start my other computer and be ready for business in close to 30 seconds. This one takes 76 seconds in "diagnostic startup" and a little over a minute in "normal startup" mode.
Understudy:
Thanks for the reply. I am no fan of ME either, and I do appreciiate XP. especially the feature that permits old programs to run from 95, 98, and Me.
I have already gotten rid of everything on the startup tab that Windows will allow. There is lots of games, CAD programs, stuff like Microsoft Money etc etc which I can easily live without. I defrag occasionally, although it usually claims that there is no need to.
I will strip out some of the unused programs, and see how it effects the startup speed.
I am sure you are wondering why I don't have DSL, but believe it or not there are locations in "darkest Indiana" where it is unavailable, and I am at the far reaches or a little more where wireless is possible. There is exactly one dialup provider that doesn't add long distance telephone charges. Even our "rural electrical cooperative" wont serve my area although they are big on being an isp.
Thanks again.
AllenJ: Thanks for the reply. As for the security featues, I never put anything on my computer which I consider private, and won't use a credit card. (which makes it impossible to donate money to Beemaster) I already get several hundred spams a day, which Thunderbird does a good job of getting rid of.
Are these millions of addresses which Thunderbird considers trash one of the things slowing my computer down? It doesn't seem to take Thunderbird very long to sort after they are downloaded.
ayyon 2157