There are good other answers here though 1) Throw it away and get a new computer is good, because dude, XP? Even on a good day that computer is likely to be slow and small and miserable. 2) Registry cleaning. Buy a copy of Auslogics Boost Speed (it's worth the money), and it will let you 1) clean the computer 2) do an advanced cleaning of the registry 3) wipe all the clear space, INCLUDING THE REGISTRY'S Master File Table ("MFT") (ie, the years of deleted registry entries, which don't get removed, just disabled, so they're still there slowing your computer down miserably, and then 4) DEFRAGMENT THE REGISTRY. ..................It also has a tool to optimize your internet settings, and it will let you disable programs from starting with the computer that don't need to. .........Windows itself offers a cleaner (in the Control Panel) which can help you lean it down. OTHER THINGS can happen, like if youre running low on space in the C drive (and why wouldnt you be), a little normal thing like it making restore points regularly can clog up too much of the available space (when sopace gets low bad things occur).

I once fixed a computer that all that was wrong with it was the guy NEVER did any regular maintenance (clean, registry clean, defragment, defragment).......and that was dumb because I had giovewn him Auslogics Boost Speed, but he didnt think he'd ever need to use it (Jesus, I t9old him once a week!)(Hell, I clean daily!) Anyway, I went to his house, cleaned and ran the defragmenter and voila he had a FORTY PERCENT FRAGMENTED C-DRIVE!! (it was XP....very small memory and processor) I said "why did you think I told you to clean it all the time? He said "I dont know!!"....I should have charged him money, yeesh.

Wait this is only 4 years old but it has XP? mm...you need to put Win7 in it if you at all can. (NOT Vista, NOT 8 or 10) (10 will work, but all the programs you add yourself will be obsolete and you'll be pissed). ....And if you cant get Win7, maybe change to Linux Mint. It's free, and spyware free, and there are so many helpful people online to aid you in making it do as you need.

Although Vista would be ok if you can find a copy with no ad bundle pre-installed (I got a free replacement copy right from Microsoft. it ran so nice and lean. It was almost as good as 7. That'd be ok. It'd be better than XP. Your problem is you're running an OS that's no longer supported, so you cant even get updates for it to make it work okay as things continue to change in its operating environment. ......I know XP was loved. I have a copy myself. But I'd let it go now. Just as you had to let your 8 track player go before it :)

But really, SO many things could cause this problem you have. Like once I found I had to turn off the index, because - looking in the task manager - I could see it was 100% busy all the time...and it turned out it was because it was trying to build a new index and never getting done (see if you've been re-arranging the files in your storage, or adding to a collection on an external drive you have connected, and such, it will NEVER get done trying to rebuild the index, and so I had to shut that thing off, and you know what? So searches take a little longer, so what, without a search index, it runs real nice!!~

Oh and definitely see if you can optimize your internet connection (Windows has tools, but that Auslogics BoostSpeed (maintenance programs package) I suggested buying is GOOD SHIT, and it will show you a list of tools to use in making your pc run best it can, one of which is an internet optimizer...and the point is, it will fix it 100% beautiful without you having to know how, and it does it very quick. I wouldn't be without my Auslogics maintenance programs. because without them, I'd be stuck and wondering why like you are now. *shrug* It's up to you what you want to spend though. Time can be spent instead of money. You could search the help menu and google around and see what your windows operating system will do for free, for this kind of thing. IT DOES offer the ability (but IME, it's way too confusing..you'd have to be a tech. So i get the layman's use Auslogics package and worry about using my time for other more important things, like collecting weird porn, and cursing at people who don't agree with me on forums, and...oops... *scurries away*

Also, when it comes to the possibility of your internet being slow...what browser are you using? NEVER use Internet Explorer. And CERTAINLY NEVER EVEN ONCE TURN ON WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER!! ...This is too long already so I'll skip some explaining but those POS's will SCUTTLE a perfectly good computer, and all just so some corporations can be using up all your computing ability you payed for and own for using YOUR COMPUTER as a remote-control vending machine (and spying fortress) in your home. !!!! If you haven't done it yet. Reload Windows and leave Media Player NEVER STARTED A FIRST RIME EVER, and just install these 2 freeware programs: VLC and Ashampoo burning studio. Theyre beautiful, and if this actually was a source of slowness for you, you may just start loving life again. ((......Oh and top the point, yea replace Media Player + Burner with those freewares, and then install Mozilla Firefox instea do EVER using Internet Explorer, because it has the same nasty tendency to want to monitor and control you and clog your processor to do ti. Firefox runs lean. But use the internet optimizer in Auslogics BoostSpeed, to tweak it, after you install it. Then life will be good!

*NOTE: Because your operating system is XP, your computer may be bogging down because it cannot update. TRY SHUTTING OFF AUTO-UPDATE. ................................All in all, It might cost you some money and time to do all I suggested, but once I struggled and cussed and punched the desk for years to find all this stuff, I have not had to cuss, punch or ask someone else since. And it's kind of nice to be self-sufficient and problem free for the most part. Of course, new problems get invented don't they, and yes then you do have to ask others, but I just keep a folder full of everything I learn, in case it happens again (or for when I inevitably have to reload, and will re-need the how-to i researched)

*ALSO NOTE: Being a lap top, your internet connection is intermittent? Possibly? (ie, your computer spends time on, but offline?) ......Maybe try leaving it online and running overnight. I've seen these things work themselves out, if left to ponder its situation itself! If nothing else, do leave it on for a long period regularly...like let it overnight, online if possible, once a week. or once a month anyway. And see what you have it set to do for automatic chores (like scanning and cleaning activities, and indexing). *sigh* I better stop. I kind of love this stuff, but truth is its best to usually have a customer leave their machine with me, I'll doctor it up overnight without having to explain every possibility. (And I mean you may just know most of everything I typed! LOL Anyway. Good luck with it. Knowledge is power.