Something's wrong with my new computer, what can it be?

Factual Questions
1

I order a customized computer off a website. It should be a powerhouse of a gaming PC, but for some reason, the thing keeps freezing up. I just hooked it up yesterday and the problem is very annoying. A couple examples;

When I click on the Start button, it freezes for about 20 seconds.

When I press the Start button again, it works fine. But if I click on an option from the ** Start** menu, it freezes there.

When I click on an option from the Start menu the second time, it works fine, but if the option goes to a drop down menu, then it freezes again.

If I click on something from the Desktop, it freezes up, but not as long as the Start menu.

When I click on something from the lower right-hand side Menus, (you know the ones that have your AIM or volume control), it freezes up.

Thats only a couple instances of when it freezes up. Its a brand new computer, just hooked it up yesterday. It has an AMD Athlon 3200 processor and is supposed to run at 2.2 Ghz, it was made by Systemax. Anybody know whats up?

2

One more thing; my computer was working fine until I began to install my Antivirus software. Almost as soon as the install disk was put it, the above mentioned problems sprang up. I just did a full system restore and its working perfectly. But I would still like to know why it was going through what it was.

3

Wouldn’t happen to have been Norton’s you were trying to install?

4

Yup, its Norton’s AntiVirus 2005. Problem?

5

Norton AV has been known to cause quite a few problems. I have seen more computers messed up by Norton AV than I have by actual viruses. I reccomened using some other anti-virus software, like AVG (which is free for personal use).

6

Thanks for the help, I’m glad (and hoping) that it was just a small problem like that.

7

Oops. RandomLetters beat me to it.
Exactly what I was going to say.

8

It almost sounds like a memory problem but since restore has cured it then I guess it isn’t.

Norton starts up a lot of services when you pc is turned on.

Try disabling some, there is an automatic update checker, and then there is a feature called auto protect.

I personally don’t have the auto protect running, the firewall is there to prevent -problems and the anti virus is there to deal with infections if they get throught the firewall.There is definately an option on Norton antivirus ‘load when windows starts’ checkbox, which you could do with clearing.

Turn off the auto update feature too.

I would be inclined before installing Norton AV do do a spware and bot scan first, and then run the virus check from the CD.