Can you please help before I throw my computer out the window?

I've asked this before but nobody has told me how to fix this. After I've been online a few minutes, the blinking computer icons in the systems tray stop blinking and go dark, as if they've been turned off. Then I can't click on links, access websites, open email, etc. Sometimes I can wait a few minutes, they start blinking again and I can keep going but more often, I have to disconnect/reconnect to get it going again. I know that when the icons go dark it means that data is not being transferred but what's causing it to stop? And how do I fix it? A guaranteed Best Answer to anybody who can help.

If it matters, I'm running Windows 98 on a pc. And please don't suggest I upgrade to XP. That's just not an option right now.

Nope, it's dialup. and I've already run Spybot and Adaware.

I would guess you have a connection problem. Unfortunately most websites nowadays expect you to have a broadband connection. Dialup is not fast enough to support the data rate needed to download and connect properly. So what is happening is things are just dropping out. It might even be just your ISP's servers. Or it could be the physical connection of your modem. Have you checked out all the connections, the plugs, etc.?

Do you see anything else odd happening on your computer besides the internet-related problems? If your computer is fine when you are NOT on the internet, it is most likely one of the things I suggested above. If you are seeing other problems when you are offline, you are probably infected despite running Ad-Aware etc. Or there could be something physically wrong with the computer, an intermittent failure or something similar. One other thought: if you see problems when not on the Internet, after a few minutes of running the computer, do they get worse over time? That could indicate that some component inside the computer is starting to fail. How old is the computer itself? If it is more than 5 years old, that becomes more of a possibility.

Hope this helps.

I'm assuming you use broadband... In any case, make sure you have the latest updates for 98. Download Spybot Search & Destroy as well as Ad-Aware, update them and run full scans - spyware could be the culprit. It would be a good idea to upgrade to 98SE or maybe even Windows 2000 if you have the option. As you've mentioned, any PC running 98 should not, and in many cases, cannot be upgraded to XP. Good luck!

well for a start win98 has a lot of loop holes for spyware/malware/adware etc to easilly infect ur comp. have u got the original win98 disk? if u have, u cud try backing up the important stuff on ur comp, then formatting in by right clicking on ur c drive in my computer n then clicking format. or if u use torrents u could download (for free) windows xp home/pro - with the serial. any help???