Currently Windows takes 4-5 minutes or so to boot.  I bought Speed Startup hoping to make my Windows XP boot up more quickly.  However, It really hasn't helped very much.  A computer "nerd" pardon the expressions told me that over the last four years, Windows has most likely become corrupted and nothing will help other than reformatting my HD and reloading Windows.  He said that I would then have to re-add all the service releases as well not to mention all my programs and so forth. Oh, and backing up all manner of data files from Outlook to My Doc's Then, he suggested I just buy Windows 7.  Why not buy a new computer???

I have a Toshiba laptop with an Intel T2400 1.83 gHz and 2G RAM.  Can anyone give me GOOD advice?

   My suggestions would be:  Make sure you have plenty of free space on C drive.  Defrag.  Make sure your computer is not infected by any viruses.  Run A1Click and RegVac.

   The computer nerd you talked to was right except when he said that Windows becomes corrupt.  If Windows were corrupt, you would be getting errors all of the time.  The registry in Windows could be overloaded with junk (RegVac can help clean that up) and Windows could be loading and performing a lot of tasks that it does not have to do (Speed Startup tries to help with some of them) but Windows itself usually does not get corrupted.  Doing what he said to do could work but it is a big time-comsuming hassle to perform.

   I personally prefer the new computer option.  It is a lot easier.