Windows XP Lags, Why?

[vbtester]

I am having the strangest problem with my computer. I am running Windows XP my computer is a fairly new computer Athlon XP 2600, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB HD. For some strange reason it repeatedly lags. It does not matter what programs are running, does not matter how many times I reboot my computer it always lags.

Allow me to clarify what I mean when I say it lags. It like it temporarily freezes up for 10 seconds or so. I cannot move the mouse, the keyboard does not work, nothing works for about 10 seconds, after which time it unlocks its self and continues to work as normal. And then a few minute later it lags again. I cannot figure out what the HE*L it is doing. I consider myself to be very competent with computers, I am 100% sure I do not have a virus or Trojan or Spyware, I have already eliminated those causes. I have all the latest patches from MS, yet the computer freezes up all the time, then unlocks its self, what could be happening here?

Now I had WinXP installed on this computer before and it worked fine, then I formatted the HD and Re-Installed windows. It was working great, the all of a sudden one day it just started freezing up on me. I thought okay the computer is frozen, probably I have to do a hard reboot, but then it unlocked its self and it keeps doing this over and over again. I am not getting and BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death), and my event logs show nothing abnormal. I have not connected any new hardware, or installed any new software.

What could possibly be making my computer act so strange? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[DragonNOA1]

Any problems in the device manager? Any unsigned drivers?
When my computer lagged I just switched from XP style to classic style desktop. Lagging stopped for me. Just a thought.

[glc]

Might be system restore kicking in to make restore points.

[vbtester]

DragonNOA1: Everyting in device manager is good, no dirver issues there, that was on the first things I checked. Thats for the tip thought. Also XP sytle shouldnt cause this because XP style was working fine before. Just all of a sudden it started doing this.

glc: This also seem strange to me only becase it was working fine before. Its just recently started doing this.

Thanks again for the tips, im still confused why my computer keeps doing this.

[Michael]

Is a firewall installed and running at boot up in the system tray?

[vbtester]

Yes Norton Internet Security 2004 is running. But it was also running before when everying was working fine.

Thanks again for your posts

[Michael]

try disabling it and see if the freezes cease. I was running Qwests DSL firewall and my computer would also frequently freeze up for a few seconds. I'm now using RoadRunner w/ EZ Firewall and have no such problems any longer.