"Network Connection" dialog box extremely slow

I am running WinXP Pro SP2 - all patches, etc. up to date.

Everything runs nromally - except when I open the “Network Connections” dialog box. [Start/Control Panel/Network Connections - in the classic view]

Right click on an enabled or a disabled Network connection icon to get Properties can take up to 3 minutes. Then to make a choice, like Status or Properties takes minutes to open. Even the Tabs within those sections take minutes to open.

Any ideas? suggestions? Should I buy a Mac? (yeah, yeah, yeah… next machine is an Apple, I promise)