black spaces in I.E.

I am running I.E. version 8 and the last few days I get black spots (seen in image below).

http://motdaugrnds.250free.com/sharing/top.jpg

The hyperlinks hidden by these black areas are still working and the icons can be seen.

Windows XP (with all service packs & updates)
Intel(R)Pentium(R)4 processor
Video card 512 MB DDR2 Nvidia GeForce6200

Have:
1,280.00 MB physical memory
759.59 MB physical memory
2.00 GB total virtual memory
1.96 GB available virtual memory

I did a disk cleaning
disk refrag
full virus scan (no problems found)

I also went to start > programs > accessories > system tools and clicked "I.E. (no add ons)", which did not fix the problem.

Went to "tools > manage add ons and found this list:
1. Adobe Systems Incorporated Shockwave Flash Objects "enabled"
2. Adobe Systems, Incorporated Adobe PDF Link Helper "enabled"

3. AVG Safe Search "enabled" (I don't even have AVG as I use Avast and have for over a year.)

4. Sun Microsystems, Inc. Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper "enabled" (Suspect this is what we use to play multiplayer games such as RuneScape.)

5. JQSIEStartDetectorImpl Class "enabled" (have no idea what this is though it is listed under Sun Microsystems)

Not available:
6. Diagnose Connection Problems
7. Windows Msg (Never want to use this.)
8. Discuss (Have no idea what this is.)
(all 3 of these "enabled" though I never use them)

Can anyone help me identify the problem and fix it?

 

wonder if it is fully loaded?

 

... and if it is not fully loaded, what do I need to do to assure it loads fully?

What is even more strange (to me at least) is that Microsoft Word and Outlook Express (essentially all other programs I use), including Mozilla Firefox browser, do not have these black areas. They "load" fine.

 

I am trying to understand what you have just said Halo.

I don't know what "theme in XP" I am using; didn't even know there was one (or options for others).

Where do I find "services" so as to scroll down the list and put the themes service from 'automatic' to 'manual' startup?

As for my graphics card drivers: My repair man put this graphic card in awhile ago and told me he updated the drivers. Is there a way I can check for sure? (I am on dial-up; so downloading drivers may not be something I can do as I have not been able to get lengthy files.)

I do so appreciate your efforts to help me. Thank you.

 

maybe there was an opt to use the 'adjust for best performance' rather than for 'Let windows decide...' or 'adjust for best appearance' in the advanced tab in System Properties?

 

Break_Da, I appreciate so much your attempts to help.

I pulled up start > programs > accessories > system tools > system information
It brought up a small window; but I could not find "system properties".
I also right-clicked desktop > properties and did not find "system properties" as any of those tabs.

How do I get to the "advanced tab" in "system properties"?

 

Right click on My Computer, then Properties.Go to Performance.

 

Thank you all for helping to make it clearer.

I went to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > I.E.(add-ons) and, after clicking the last one, I rebooted.

Then when I pulled up I.E. there were "no" black spots; however there was an I.E. window giving me the options for setting up I.E. 8. I went thru the "customize" options and chose nothing I was not familiar with. I have not rebooted yet and am actually concerned about rebooting; but will later.

I might need to return as I have no idea if I have done this correctly and the black spots may re-appear. I do now suspect some "add-on" was causing it that I was not aware was there. (Strange because my Microsoft Word and other programs which were using I.E. had "never" shown any black spots.)

 

I'm getting weird black spots in Google map and I've read that some versions of IE cause this problem.