those graphics progs are some heavy shiite, mang...bets that's what's messing wit your settings...
no kidding! try rendering with formz with an inspiron1000...
but, i believe i just fixed the avatar issue by simply erasing all tracks on my browsers. i use mozilla and IE. i also use ad-aware and microsoft antispyware... i think adaware is good for tracking down the spyware while i use the microsoft beta1 version to make adjustments to my system that are otherwise... well, difficult (or, at least not in one generalized location)
so, now that this has turned into a computer "what should i buy thread"... DELL SUCKS! when i first bought this computer one verticle pixle line on the screen was reading as if it was a few lines over (weird, i know)... i knew what was going on i told customer service on the phone what was going on but, of course they don't speak friggin english very well (very well is putting it nicely) and I #$%* YOU NOT... they kept me on the phone for 5 hours one day and 4 hours the next, only to come to the conclusion that i should send it back.
since then, the computer has worked fine... but, fine simply does not cut it. taking 30 seconds or more to open a browser is ridiculous, taking up to 3 or 4 minutes to open adobe programs is RIDICULOUS... and so on and so on.
i've heard that i can buy external ram... i never thought the day would come. might this be my fix? i know i don't have viruses or spyware (i am decently computer savvy) but, am stumped as to why it is running ridiculously slow from the day i bought it.