As you're having problems with Windows Malignant Edition . . . my advice is quite blunt . . .

Back up all the most important data you wish to keep, on to CD-R or to another HDD.

Go to a computer retail store and buy a copy of Windows XP or Windows 2000.

Completely re-format the Windows partition on your PC's hard drive.

Install your newly purchased version of Windows XP or 2000.

Get all the latest updates, patches and service packs.

Then,
disable IE, and
get Mozilla instead!
As your PC has a 1GHz CPU with 256MB RAM, It should easily accomodate Windows XP.
Better still (if you can afford it) ditch your PC altogether and get yourself a Mac instead!
UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X Mach-O; en-US; rv:1.6) Gecko/20040113
SeaMonkey = Swiss Army Knife: It's versatile, reliable, and contains useful tools.
Windows Internet Explorer = Old Swiss Cheese: Full of holes, and it stinks!