Maybe you could put on XP, go toControl Panel/Performance and Maintenance/Adjust Visual Effects and select "Adjust for best performance." After that, right click the start button, select properties, then select Classic Start Menu. Next go to Control Panel/Add Remove Programs and select Add/Remove Windows Components. This will show you everything that is part of windows. Uninstall anything that is not necessary that she will not use, especially MSN Explorer (huge bloatware). After that, go into display properties and select a resolution that isn't as high as you might have on your gaming rig, such as 800 X 600 or 1024 X 768. This will increase performance as well as make the start menu easier for her to read (hey, respect your elders haha). Once that is done, go to Run and type in msconfig Select the Startup Tab and press the Disable All button in the lower right hand corner. Hit Apply and OK then reboot. When the machine reboots it will give some stupid message about non-normal startup or something like that. Instead of just dismissing the message, select the box that says "do not show me this again." After that, reboot again, just to make sure that annoying box doesn't show up again, otherwise you know she will constantly pester you about it, because it is a bit annoying. Since there isn't very much memory on this machine, install an antivirus/firewall program that utilizes very little system resources such as TrendMicro Internet Security. Recent versions of McAfee and Norton have just gotten to be too bloated, especially on a system with limited resources. It also goes without saying to install all windows updates and service packs to ensure the system will remain trouble free. That should have her up and running for the time being and then, being the good son you are, you can pick her up some more ram for Christmas when it is on sale. Windows 2000 is a smaller, less resource intense operating system, but the Joe Sixpacks of the world tend to prefer the ease of use and compatability of XP.