Mike's got it right! I think you know that any app that renders (digital video, 3D, etc) wants as much of your machine as it can get. There is a huge class of products out there, utilities of all sorts, that perform periodic functions -- either scheduled or whenever very little or no activity is taking place (your screensaver is like this). Rendering apps are in a perpetual "don't bother me man, I'm rendering..." way of working, which is very contrary to apps that love to sit in your system tray and "optimize" your system. Norton works this way by its very nature of being a utility. Norton also has a, um, track record of stomping about where it isnt wanted. You may not be having problems with draft grade renderings. But those really long, high resolution ones are probably choking. Do some research into Norton to see if you can deactivate it completely when you are ready for a long render. Also, check out Task Manager to see if there are any other sneaky applets doing their thing. You might be surprised. A lot of printer installers install applets that ding your system now and then to remind it that there is a printer attached. We have an HP OfficeJet on the wireless portion of our network we had to unplug for this very reason. Best regards, Lynn Fredricks e-on sofware US Business Unit