Strange Happenings

Thanks Daz on the XML problem.
After a restore to factory settings on my Compaq, I am experiencing some
strange happenings.
Clicking my mouse pointer sometimes takes forever to load window.
My Display Properties functions no matter what I want to change, gives me
a "not responding" on the appearance tab.
A startup function shows running in systray, but Ctrl-Alt-Del shows "not
responding ".
None of these are permanent, but fluctuate throughout my PC ontime.
Very strange.