Euc1id wrote:
When I drag & drop files with Windows Explorer (XP Home) on my new
Compaq S4200NX computer (just had it a few days), frequently they go
into the wrong folder. It's always one folder above or below the
intended folder on the screen. In one case when I dragged a group of
files, it transferred all except one of them, so I had to drag it a
second time. I'm also getting some very sluggish behaviour in Windows
Explorer. There aren't any permanent freezes, but frequently it hangs
for a long time just by clicking on a folder, perhaps for a minute or
so, usually with an hourglass or intermittent hourglass, but
occasionally without the hourglass. This slow response isn't limited
to Windows Explorer, although it's most noticable in Windows
Explorer. In one case Outlook Express hung for several minutes after
first opening it. Moral: have patience, I guess, and just wait...
(:

Note: I first noticed this drag & drop problem after getting all of
the updates from Windows Update last night. I didn't notice it before
that. This box apparently came with software that's about a year old
and there were a LOT of updates! The security updates alone came to
45 MB. Then there were a couple of drivers and a dozen XP updates,
and I selected almost all except the big .NET one.

I'm guessing video/graphics driver problems. Guess I'll have to go
looking. Hope it's not an overclocked processor or motherboard
problem. Any suggestions how to narrow it down?
Euc1id

Before anything try a cycle of maintenance, even if it is a new
computer: Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disk Cleanup.
Clean out everything but do not compress old files.

Start/Run/type: msconfig/Startup Tab. Examine each file in the startup
list and disable everything that is not necessary for your use. Use
this site as a guide to the filenames:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm#Select

Lastly, from System Tools select Defragmenter. It might tell you that
you do not need to defrag; ignore it. It might take some time this
first time.

Additionally, you can improve performance greatly by ridding the
computer of visual effects. Start/Control Panel/System/Advanced
Tab/Performance Settings Button. As a trial, select the Adjust for best
performance button. This will remove all of the visual effects but you
will then experience the performance improvements possible. I use
Custom with Smooth edges of screen fonts, common tasks in folders,
visual styles on windows and butttons. You can select what you like,
but will know the performance hit you can expect.

Q