Is 256MB or RAM enough for XP?  I have been working to resolve some performance issues on my in laws Dimension.

 

2.8Ghz Celeron

256MB RAM

40GB drive

DSL connection.

XP Home SP2

 

I know a Celeron will open apps slow, but there is definitely something wrong with this system since they first received it.  I know it's the OS chewing up a ton of memory, but it's abnormally slow and 80% memory utilization with one app open is common on their system now.  Don't know what it was before, but it's definitely slower.  System idle is constantly running too.  I'm thinking about reloading the OS, but would like to avoid it.  My old P3 with the same amount of memory was much faster than this system.  

 

By the way...it's not a virus.  I've gone to the Hijack this thread here at dell.com.  It's clean now. 

 

Any suggestions other than defrag or clearing the temp internet files?