pcbuilder98 wrote:

Problems:
Long delay before form fields would accept input in Internet Explorer 6.
Long delay when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before splash screen appears in Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before inbox appears when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay before dial up dialog appears when starting Outlook Express 6.
Long delay when opening messages the first time after starting Outlook
Express 6.

Action taken by me just before problems appeared:
Clicked the "Clear" button for "Documents" in the "Start Menu Programs" tab
of the Taskbar properties.

Complete solution to all the above problems:
Restored registry from the day before the problems with Internet Explorer 6
and Outlook Express 6 occurred.

Before I found the above fix I tried every solution suggested at the
Microsoft web site and every suggestion I could find in search engines. It
took six hours of continuous work for me to arrive at a final and complete
solution to the problems I was having with Outlook Express 6 and Internet
Explorer 6.

IMHO this problem was caused by damaged "Protected Storage System
Provider" registry key. That's where IE & OE saves passwords and some
other data. I've met this issue some time ago especially using Windows
98/98SE. When it's not possible to restore registry from backup deleting
IE & OE sub keys from Protected Storage System Provider is the cure.
Disadvantage is that all saved passwords are deleted too.

--
Regards
Arkadiusz 'Black Fox' Artyszuk