BleepingComputer.com: Computer Slow. Depending On

HP model 6735.windows ME. Get this one. The computer was gradually slowing down. Tried many things to speed it up but couldn't find out why. Accidently, i found that while playing spider solitare(which had slowed down considerably) if i opened an internet window and then hid it while playing solitare the game speed increased back to the full speed it used to run at. So, i tried it while surfing the net and it also improved the speed. Why does having an internet window open and hidden improve the speed of my game and surfing the web?
Have run adaware/spybot/and virus check, no change. Also, erased hard drive and reloaded orig. software. Still the same.

What are the specfication for your computer? RAM, proccessor, HD (used/unused/total),..?

It sounds like a ram leak to me... Usually the only way to fix that (to my limited knowledge) is to not use a program that causes it... do you use a file sharing program?

A slow computer can be caused by many things, the most common of which are listed in the troubleshooting checklist below:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic44690.html

By 'gradually slowing down" do you mean over the last months, or each time you use it?

Regards,
John

i do not use any file sharing programs. let's forget about the gradually slowing down part. let's just say that it runs slower when an IE window is not open when playing spider solitare and when surfing.

Are you on dial-up or high-speed connection? I have an inkling it might be malware . . .

high speed