"Browser Address Error Redirect" That looks like a pre-installed program from Dell or Gateway "Google has partnerships with computer hardware makers like Dell or Gateway to set the default search and the homepage to Google on new computers. By default, if you type a non-existent address in Internet Explorer's address bar, you're sent to a special Microsoft homepage that suggests some related links. Google decided this is a lucrative feature, so they install a Browser Address Error Redirector that replaces Microsoft's redirects." See here http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2007/05/googles-browser-address-error.html Unless it causes some issue, not to worry.

Sure, you should be able to remove Google Desktop and still have your Google toolbar. They are 2 different and separate things.

Tracking cookies are old news really. Yes you are tracked but what harm does it do other than be annoying if you allow it to annoy you. This is not Google specific, they are all into this stuff. Remember not so long ago that Sony and Lexmark used keyloggers to spy on those who used their equipment? There is far too much good about computers for us to allow these things to mar our enjoyment. As long as we try to prevent blatant abuse that is about as much as we can do. In life we now get asked for phone number, post codes, driver's license number when they are not any part of the transaction and the weak kneed hand over that information. These are far more invasive than tracking cookies if you really consider it even for a few seconds. Companies have and will abuse at every opportunity.

Do Ctrl-Alt-Del to bring up your Task Manager, click on the Processes tab, and click once or twice on the CPU tab at the top of the listings: this will show what process is chewing up the most resources (which will probably be the culprit). Also, look at the CPU Usage line at the bottom of Task Manager and see what the % Usage is. Then report back here on what you found out.