A collection of tips for improving the performance of your PC.
Temporary Internet Files
Dumping your browser cache should speed things up.
In IE, select Tools > Internet Options > Delete Files… will clear the cache.
Then you can limit the size the cache will grow to by selecting Tools > Internet Options > Settings… and limiting the cache to 100 mb or so.
Slow Browser Performance
The Java cache setting defaults to 1,000 Mb, far larger then needed. A setting of 100mb would be sufficient for most users.
To fix this: Start > Control Panel > Programs (if necessary) > Java. Under Disk Space, change the space allotment from 1000mb to 100mb.