Hi, i have a dell inspiration notebook running windows xp pro sp2. the computer had a LOT of programs installed and uninstalled, and begun to run very sluggish, so i decided to reinstall my os to hopefully speed thigs up but, the exact opposet happened. after reinstalling windows xp on my notebook, it takes about a half hour to shut down(usuealy runs out of battery first), runs programs slowly, runs windows slowly, and will not bring up a webpage in my Mozilla Firefox web browser but will in internet explorer. Because i refuse to browse the web in internet explorer, this is a huge problem for me. i would gratly appreciate any help on any of my 4 problems. Thanks a bunch!!

Before you reinstalled the OS, did you format the HD? i_XpUser

Was that reinstalling a format and install, or a repair reinstall ?? Do you check for, and remove, Spyware ?? Spyware info.from Microsoft Virus and Spyware scans work better in Windows Safe-Mode. Spyware can cause sluggishness.

yes, quick format NTFS. i also defraged my HDD. after i installed my new os.

The problem could be that you performed a quick format NTFS. You should have opted for the long format. A quick format merely removes the MFT while leaving all the garbages intact whereas te long format sweep them off. i_XpUser

The problem could be that you performed a quick format NTFS. You should have opted for the long format. Fiddlesticks. A quick format is just as effective as a full format with the only difference being that the full format does a surface scan of the disk to make sure it's not damaged. Quick formats are used all the time with no ill results (for both Windows, Linux, and Mac filesystems). Because i refuse to browse the web in internet explorer... Why? Fritty: I seriously doubt that the problem is a result of your reinstall. I would first make sure you don't have any malware installed because it can cause *all* the problems you are experiencing. If scans come back clean then it's not so simple. Your problems could also be related to faulty hardware or perhaps other things. Slow shutdowns have a number of causes. Have you installed Service Pack 2 for XP? Are you using the best drivers for your chipset and video card? Are you getting any specific error messages that might point to a reason for these problems? Check the Event Viewer for Errors (red icons) and warnings (yellow icons). To do this right click My Computer and choose Manage. Now expand Event Viewer and choose System. Are there any repeated warnings or errors? The Application Log may also yield some answers. You might always try reinstalling again, but this time make sure and install Service Pack 2 before doing anything else.