windows xp super slow start
 

so got extra windows xp comp..its starting really slow..the start bar takes a long time to load..and internet explorer doesnt open at all..how do i fix this...i tried doing a system restore..and the system restore is not working properly...should i just reformat?

it depends. How much ram do you have? When was the last time you reformatted? Have you taken a look at what programs are starting up?

The best thing to do is to just reformat- but obviously this requires you backing your files up and pretty much a day to get it back up and running again. Other alternatives:

If you have <1gb of RAM, that is pushing it for an xp build.

If you run (Start>Run) "msconfig" and press enter, you can alter the programs which start up.

-On the first page, pick "Selective Startup"
-On the Services tab, click the "Hide Microsoft Services" box and with what's left, uncheck the non-essential programs (itunes, quicktime, adobe, etc etc)
-On the Programs tab, do the same as above.

If that doesn't help, a reformat is in your near future.