If you are using a computer that is more than 4 years old, chances are that you have noticed it slowing down a bit. There are many things that can affect a computers speed. Some things are within your control, some things are not. Even though many want to believe that the solution is to run off and buy a copy of Windows Vista. That would be the last thing you want to do. Windows Vista has much higher CPU and memory requirements, meaning if you install it on your older computer it will drag it to its knees. Something to keep in mind is that foofy pretty stuff slows down your computer. Things like having a desktop background, 32 bit color graphics, and the windows XP themes are not helping you in performance. If you want your computer to be fast, then you need to forget about the eye candy.