Originally Posted by uncut

What do you mean when you say format? All you have to do is use your Recovery Disc's. If you have them use them. Follow the instructions. Defragmenting your hard drive will give you speed. Do it once a week. Do disc clean up. Do not run programs on start up. Clean drive c of unwanted vids and music. Video takes up space big time. Get rid of programs you are not using.

Originally Posted by ScaredLittleBoy

I've had the video card only a few months; not even a year. Its PCI and has been running fine til now. The graphics card is a Nvidia Geforce 6200

It's a good basic card with minimal power/display issues.

Also there is nothing on the PC except windows XP, so its not a disk space issue or a defragmentation issue. I think its the RAM running at a lower speed than it should do.

RAM may be the problem but I doubt it. You may be able to change the RAM speed in the BIOS (did you flash it?), or you could set it all to auto, or to failsafe defaults. RAM running at lower speed won't necessarily cause your machine to run much slower, though it can. Usually the problem will come if you try to run it above its rated speed. Also, it may be worth disabling all onboard power management - though this 'may' upset XP. Check that VGA pallette snoop and shadow is off.

One tip....clear the BIOS - usually there will be a three jumper near the BIOS battery, the clear it one usually shorts the two pins that are not currently shorted though this can and does vary. Wait a few seconds then replace the jumper. This will force the BIOS into a default mode. Removing the battery alone usually won't work.

As another suggested, if you have an onboard VGA then remove the PCI one and see what happens, there may be a conflict. A BIOS reset may help resolve this.

Last night, when I held the power cord next to the pins in the power supply (eg about to plug it in) there was a staticy discharge sound...does that mean its a bad power supply?

Perfectly normal.

Anyway its annoying.