Exact hardware specifications? Which CPU socket is that? Is it Socket-478 or LGA775 type? For Windows XP, you may want to use at least 512MB or more memory especially...

First you have to tell us the motherboard brand and model, or tell us how many memory slots available (and occupied) as well. For the CMOS battery issue, can simply replace the battery...

Looks like its Socket-478, thus choices for upgrades are pretty limited especially for faster processor. Optionally can look/search for 2.8GHz to 3GHz processors with 533MHz FSB...

More RAM would be better when browsing "heavy" websites. Also if you are using integrated graphics then add a graphic card to speed things up (free up the main memory bandwidth used for sharing graphics and processor)...

This post has been edited by lex: Oct 31 2014, 12:19 AM

According to that manual, the highest processor is the Pentium 2.4GHz with Northwood core. Methinks its possible to use Pentium4 2.66GHz to 2.8GHz with the same Northwood core such as ARK | Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.66 GHz, 512K Cache, 533 MHz FSB and ARK | Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.80 GHz, 512K Cache, 533 MHz FSB. There's also the 3GHz one such as ARK | Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor supporting HT Technology 3.06 GHz, 512K Cache, 533 MHz FSB though considered strething things quite a bit as its possible that the board's VRM may not handle it (since it has much higher wattage)...

The discrete GPU can actually free up both the shared memory bandwidth and shared graphic memory space. His system uses 533MHz FSB thus every bit of memory performance can make a difference when it comes to memory intensive tasks (such as browsing heavy websites). See next paragraph...

I've ran Windows XP on an ancient Socket-478 board before, also with a 2.4GHz Pentium 4 (Northwood core) and just 512MB RAM only. Actually it runs fine for web browsing and minor stuff (including playing back videos up to 720p and some new games). The difference is that I had a discrete graphic card (had used a number of GPUs, highest was NVIDIA GeForce 6800GT) and motherboard was Intel 845E chipset (single channel memory controller). Sold off that machine already years time ago (replaced with LGA775 system)...

From the board model sounds like that processor is LGA775 type, which is easy to find boards (both brand new and used/secondhand) as well as processor upgrades (most Intel G31 chipset based boards can support up to Core 2 Quad)...

This board had an AGP slot thus you can try using an AGP graphic card. Besides tuning Windows XP (by reducing the amount of background services and programs), adding more memory would help though...

Like I've mentioned earlier, get a graphic card so that you can free up that shared memory space as well as freeing up the shared memory bandwidth. The discrete graphic card will have its own video memory. Just make sure the graphic card is at least AGP 4X type or better, for video playback performance. And if you are looking for an AGP graphic card with hardware H.264 decoder then look for those ATi Radeon 4000 series such as this example: HIS Graphic Cards: Products > Desktop graphics > AGP Edition > HIS HD 4670 IceQ Native HDMI 1GB (128bit) DDR3 AGP. Do note that GPU based H.264 hardware decoders does not support Hi10p formats (a variation on H.264 codec)...

That is quite surprising, a Socket-478 board utilising Intel G31 chipset. Due to the processor socket type, the maximum/highest processor is Pentium 4 3GHz. Nice thing about that board is the ability to use PCI Express x16 graphic cards...

That freeze and slow downs are most likely due to the swap file, that is the operating system is using the hard drive as part of the "virtual memory" system. Having more memory help to reduce this effect (less swap file operations). Generally AGP graphic cards are easy to find, just that its hard to get those higher end ones (such the that ATi Radeon HD4670 I've mentioned earlier). Generally any AGP 4X graphic card or AGP 8X graphic card will do.

That should be enough for additional memory, an AGP graphic card and possibly a faster processor. Can also opt for the package pointed out by TristanX as well...

That Pentium4 may be ancient but still faster than even those processors found in many mobile phones and phablets (using the single thread performance metric). The processor was pretty sufficient for web browsing purposes provided there is plenty of memory available. And IDE hard drives can be as fast as the first SATA hard drives. The only difference is the I/O interface speed but generally hard drives are the same. The only time the AGP graphic card can be considered slow is when using it for playing 3D intensive games and playing high resolution videos (such as those 1080p ones). Have tested various AGP graphic cards (S3, NVIDIA, ATi and SiS) many years ago and the conclusion is that for video playback (for 480p and higher) minimum would be an AGP 4X graphic card.

Didn't realise that some motherboard manufacturers used the Intel G31 chipset for a Socket-478 motherboard. Some of the areas (in web browsing) that may be a problem for Pentium4 processor would be playing non-hardware accelerated Flash Player videos (may struggle even at 480p only) and certain web-based 3D intensive Flash games...

This post has been edited by lex: Nov 1 2014, 05:49 AM