[PaulFXH]

Hi
My computer is a Dell Desktop 2.53GHz/512MB RAM running on WinXP SP2 which is fully updated and protected. I have two HDs with a total of 240 GB space of which 155 GB is currently free.
While the machine runs well and is certainly not slow, it can display an annoying delay when I click on a desktop icon to bring up a web page.
This typically takes 10-15 seconds rather than the expected 1-2 seconds.
The delay seems to me to be primarily an IE6-related issue. When I click on the icon, I immediately get a blank white page which persists for 7-12 seconds before the green "progress indicator" appears on the taskbar. Thereafter, the webpage will appear in typically 1-2 seconds.
However, Quick Launch icons will bring up the VERY SAME webpages in about 1 second.
Furthermore, the Desktop icon problem did dissappear for about one week but has today returned. Unfortunately, I just cannot figure out what is causing this delay nor what I did to reverse it, if only temporarily.
I had already posted this to a different newsgroup and though I had the problem solved. However, the changes I thought had eliminated this delay are still there but the problem has returned.
So, can anybody help me resolve this one?


I provide here below some additional relevant information:
1. I use DSL broadband with 190 KB/s download speed
2. My computer is entirely virus and spyware-free. I use a rigorous regime of scanning for all malware and continuosly operate AVG-free, Spyware Guard, SpywareBlaster as well as IE-Spyad.
3. I regularly remove TIF files, cookies and history.
4. My TIF cache size is 50MB
5. I have disabled Third party Browser Extensions


Thanks in advance for any comments, ideas or suggestions,
Paul