XP=Fast - Browsers Slow?

my pc is moving much like a baby slug. So after downloading "Accelerators"
and the like. I have seen NOTHING that will improve speed... just a bunch of
3rd party programs that dont work. So after spending hundreds of dollars I
decided to stop being lazy and actually figure this out.

first thing I did was run a defrag and scan.(I think it was 60% fragmented)
then deleted all the not used programs from control panel.
then a registry clean up.

now these 3 things have really made my pc MOVE.
however.
my browser(s)
IE and firefox... /sigh

I click on either and they MIGHT load up in 3-5 minutes.
my home screen in google.com... so there isnt any load there.

that is my confusion. I wonder if I have a virus or spyware or malware or
something but all the scans I do; show nothing out of the ordinary.

PLEASE HELP