I can't get my tabs (or code) to load

So I built a CNC plasma cutter out of garbage.... and since I built it out of garbage, I used a very old computer to run it.  It's a 32bit computer, so I'm stuck running Linuxcnc 2.8.  I got a base configuration working and running fairly well, but because it's made out of garbage, it really needs torch height control.  I got a THCAD and got everything wired up to my Mesa 7i96s, and ran the PlasmaC configurator.  The buttons on the bottom of the screen work, I can test the ohmic probe, and the probe cycle seems to work, but I can't get any of the GladeVCP components to load.  The tabs are there, but they're blank, and if I try to configure it with a Run panel instead of the run tab, it doesn't show up.  The other issue I have is I can't load a G-code file, it seems to get stuck "Filtering."  On top of that, I'm now having latency issues I wasn't having before.  I've been staring at and trying to troubleshoot my configurations for way too long and I can't find anything obviously wrong, so I suspect this 20+ year old Dell just isn't up to the task.  Part of the "art" of this machine was that it's made of junk, so if I can keep using this computer, I'd like to... but I'd also like the machine to work properly, so I figured I'd at least upload my configs for someone more knowledgeable to look at before I buy something more modern.