My feeling is this.

XP with the latest service packs for your Toshiba. The Toshiba most likely will not run Vista or Windows 7 because of a graphics driver issue, i.e., lack thereof. Since you have two gigs of RAM and a 250 hard drive, XP will be okay with it.

Since you can't go over 512 on the Dell, which I find really hard to believe, then sticking with Win2K would probably work. Since it's your internet computer, and you aren't doing anything intensive on it...browsing, e-mail, word processing, etc., you *could* install XP with the latest SP and probably be okay.

I'd use Avast and Zone Alarm for protection.

I just bought an HP laptop for <$500 at WalMart. It had Vista Home Premium 32 bit on it, but now has Windows 7 32 bit on it. It does run a 64 bit CPU, and I'm probably going to install the 64 bit OS, and skip the programs that are on there, since I can replace them with something else. It does not have a CardBus slot, so audio work will have to be with USB. Windows 7 64 bit works VERY well, is very reliable, stable, and not very intrusive into the system resources. By the end of the year, I will be running it on ALL of my computers (technically, I am now, but this computer is dual boot with Vista Ultimate 64 bit, which I also find stable, reliable and fast).

You *could* get something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Compaq-Presario-sr50...93%3A1|294%3A50
from ebay, and transfer your data over to it, and use the monitors that you have. Something like this would allow you to install Windows 7 RC (free for now, but, it's a Release Candidate and you will have to buy a full version later on) to get you running.

Gary

I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!