I'm running a computer with a 233MHz processor on a standard 440BX
motherboard, with 256MB of RAM, and two IDE hard drives making up 12GB in
four partitions altogether; I'm using an external modem, an old Hayes Accura
33.6k/bps (though I've used various other modems).

The operating system I'm using is Windows 98, and I'm running Internet
Explorer 5 or 5.1 (I downloaded and installed 5.1, but it's still calling
itself 5.0 on the About IE tab in IE Help); Outlook Express; Eudora;
Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint; Conseal; PGP; Netscape
Communicator; Winamp; RealPlayer; Norton AntiVirus; Opera; mIRC; Easy CD
Creator; Adobe Acrobat; Audio Catalyst; Iomegaware; Winzip; Microsoft
MapPoint, and The Sims.

When I got the computer it was overclocked to 400MHz; I have now restored it
to its former speed.

I don't, of course, use all of these all the time - some I'd only use every
few months. The reason that I list them all is that they may be apposite to
my problem. Typically I'd use Eudora, Internet Explorer, Dial-Up Networking,
Word and perhaps Excel. I've been playing The Sims recently, and think it
*may* have caused my current problem, but it's seldom open when the problems
happen, which are:

When I start up the computer things go fine. I log on and get my email,
browse some webpages (I use the web in my work and well as play), mooching
back and forth between IE and Eudora, sending and receiving mail and looking
at webpages opened from Eudora or through the address bar of the browser.

Then the computer starts slowing disastrously. When I type each letter takes
a fraction longer to arrive; when i mouse the cursor moves slowly and
jerkily. When I alt-tab back and forth between programs or ctrl+F6 between
windows there's a perceptible pause between act and response.

It's as if there's something massive eating up the memory - though with
256MB I should have plenty.

I'm wondering if it could be some setting in Norton AntiVirus or Conseal or
Internet Explorer - IE seems to be the program that is open when this
happens, and the one that slows the computer most noticeably.

The computer also loses exactly an hour sometimes when this happens. I look
at the clock and am surprised that it's so early, and go and check another
clock and find it is an hour later.

I have looked at the obvious things: FindFast isn't turned on; I've
defragged and done a Thorough Scandisk.

I can't find the resource monitor that should be in System Tools, so I can't
track what's happening. (Incidentally, I can't find Task Manager either - I
thought it operated from the taskbar, but it's not there).

I'd be very happy to solve this. At the moment I just turn off everything
for 15 minutes and go and have a cup of tea while the computer cools down,
and when I boot up again it's whizzing along - but it's a nuisance.

Regards and thanks - Conor

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