Install windows XP pro for Dell laptop

Do you have an antivirus on there?? and a firewall?? Maybe, a defrag and a scan with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (www.malwarebytes.org) is all that your PC needs at this moment.

Also check MSCONFIG and see what is loading.

I would suggest going into the Internet Options for IE, and making the default page the browser loads blank. Alot of times I notice the default page (www.msn.com) is a major P.I.T.A to load and takes IE a considerable amount of time to load compared to a blank page. Also you can check what BGTSLLC suggested, but theres a 95% chance if its a new install and you havnt put any new programs on it theres going to be nothing there but maybe half a dozen entries. As well depending on how old the hardware is that it could be age kicking in. But usually if your wanting speed, having 512mbs of ram will give you nothing of the sort.(the laptop I'm writing this from has about the same specs and his atrocious at load times. As well have you updated the machine? Sometimes I've noticed after installing a hodgepodge of hotfixes and updates the machine will slow down a little. All in all if your page file is using quite a bit of memory I would suggest more RAM in the machine, as the paging file is used to extend the pysical storage capabilities of the PC/Notebook. But HD's search time for the blocks of memory is much longer than the search time of RAM installed, which could also be the cause of your computers slowness.

SJCA, any feedback?