Outlook Express non-responsive

Outlook Express is frequently non-responsive when first
started. When the computer is started and Outlook
Express is opened, it does open the program but will not
download the messages.....or it will download them after
an extended period of time...say 5 minutes or so. When
the program finally does download its messages (after
canceling the program and restarting several times) it
takes much longer than normal (if at all) to open
individual messages. This problem started about 5 weeks
ago and has been getting worse with time. It is now to
the point of not working at all. I have also noticed
that other programs are now sluggish in their reaction
time....expecially my real time stock charting service.
Any idea what might be the problem here? Thanks for any
help. Windows XP, Home Edition, Version 2002, Intel
Celeron processor, 695 MHz, 504 MB Ram, 26 Gigs.

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"john" <jpainte1@midsouth.rr.com> wrote in message
news:0d9001c35766$352f2a30$a301280a@phx.gbl...

> Outlook Express is frequently non-responsive when first
> started. When the computer is started and Outlook
> Express is opened, it does open the program but will not
> download the messages.....or it will download them after
> an extended period of time...say 5 minutes or so. When
> the program finally does download its messages (after
> canceling the program and restarting several times) it
> takes much longer than normal (if at all) to open
> individual messages. This problem started about 5 weeks
> ago and has been getting worse with time. It is now to
> the point of not working at all. I have also noticed
> that other programs are now sluggish in their reaction
> time....expecially my real time stock charting service.
> Any idea what might be the problem here? Thanks for any
> help. Windows XP, Home Edition, Version 2002, Intel
> Celeron processor, 695 MHz, 504 MB Ram, 26 Gigs.