Well, after two days of painfully slow boot times, the next day it returned to normal, about 30 seconds to the password screen from power-up. Can't explain it. Didn't drop back to a restore point.

What did Microsoft do to my system? Before the last batch of security patches, I use to be able to go from power-up to password entry in about 30 seconds.

After installing the security patches...

I've had that mouse problem on XP... it was the mouse (which was optical). You might check for new drivers for your mouse or just flat replace it with a new one. My current optical mouse works...

Perhaps one of the new 8600 GTS, 8600 GT, or 8500GT (these are brand new) from Nvidia.
They're DX10, less expensive than the 8800 ones. I read a review somewhere (might
have been theinquirer.net)...

Since it's not a DX10 capabable card, no. But it certainly works for all the games I play
(Battlefield 1942/2/2142).

I'm running a desktop with the 7950 gt, and
I'm using the beta drivers (101.41) without any
problems.

Wait a second, it only goes up to 5.9.

Ok, at home... here are the "raw" numbers

Calculations/sec: 5.3
Memory: 5.2
Graphics: 5.9
3D: 5.8
HDD: 5.4

In my experience (I have Vista Ultimate on my machine) and I'll
answer only those I've messed around with:

No more defragging: No, still have to defrag.

15 sec. or under boot time: No, mine...

I'm getting a 5.2 (memory). I'll have to look at what
it says when I'm home tonight.