foot-dragging

How much RAM is in the sytem?

What speed is the processor?

What other services are running?

What Internet browser are you using?

What is the speed of the Internet connection?

What anti-virus, malware and trojans have you scanned for?

I've found with optical mice is that they are surprisingly sensitive to the surface they're on. On a bad surface they'll often have exactly as you describe. They seem to not only stop responding, but occasionally mis-read movement and dart off in completely unexpected directions ... like a mouse scurrying for cover.

The best surfaces for the mouse would be something with a slight texture, and a constant surface. Make sure there's no high contrast text or images as well.

After not using mouse pads for a long time, I've found that they're typically the best solution, and very helpful in keeping my optical mice behaving.

To find out what services are running give it the MS 3 finger salute Ctrl, ALT & Delete all pushed at the same time this will bring up the Windows Task Manager and if you then click on the Process Tab you'll see exactly what is currently running.

But for starters the RAM that you mentioned should be 256 MEG so I'm taking it that you have On Board Video as there is some RAM Missing so you are not only using system RAM but the CPU to produce video so really you should have more RAM loaded onto the M'Board and you'll get slightly better performance.

Although with On Board Video things will always be much slower than if you had a dedicated Video Card which has much faster RAM and it's own Graphic Processing Unit to generate the video.

Col

What could be happening here is that there is no set MAX Page File Size and after a few hours of inactivity the page file is shrinking down to the Minimum allowable and it is taking time for the Page File to regain the size that it needs to act as the Virtual RAM that is required because of your low RAM loading.

Generally the Page File size should be 1.5 to 2 times the actual RAM Load but with these very low RAM Loads available the system builder quite often leaves the upper limit open ended for the Page File. If you where to go into My Computer in the Start Menu right click on it and chose Proprieties Then Advanced, then Left Click on Settings under the Performance Tab and chose Advanced and Virtual Memory you can set the Page File size to about 500 MEG min and 1 GIG Max and see if that improves things don't forget to OK the changes or they will not take effect of course if the minimum is way above the 512 MEG lower limit leave it there and just double the upper limit.

That may cure your problem but honestly more Physical RAM is really the answer. According to MS XP will run on 128 MEG but this is really not realistic and I find that for decent performance 512 is about the minimum that you should consider using. It is always a case of the more available the better the system will work until you start talking the several GIG Ranges.

Col