Regina, I presume you run virus scans and spyware software? Those little nasties can cause a PC to slow down quite a bit.

Also, if you have moved important files off to an external drive, be sure to back them up onto CD, DVD or a second external drive - all drives can fail, and extra disks with tons of storage are very cheap these days.

I've spent way too much time trying to keep elderly PCs running over the years, and have finally realized it's a case of severe diminishing returns! These days, when you can buy a brand new PC box for well under $500 (I bought one a few months ago for $187!) your time is worth more.

My one caution - if you get a PC, DON'T GET VISTA! In my opinion, it is not ready for prime time yet!