Thanks for the link to the ini file and the tip.
I have to see if leaving it on manual updates works. I haven't turned the computer on enough times to see if it's the fix.
You posted that you don't avast! is hanging the book, but every time this has happened, the avast! icon in the system tray has the little red "not" symbol on it.
[At least I think it's a "not" symbol. The netbook display is already so small, and the icon is correspondingly small, so whatever red symbol that is is tiny!]
Will "AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds" take a value of over 60 if I decide to try that?
Interesting that the [program setting choices are only 'dial up' and 'always connected.' Neither of those describes my connection!