According to maya's official documentation it is because of how windows xp carries its tasks out. Right mouse click your Maya shortcut and choose properties. Select the tab that says compatability, change it to run in windows 2000 compatability. When it renders, it will no longer turn white, but it will be slow switching between tasks.
Aside from that, is this a normal rendering time for this type of scene with my hardware specs?
"We don't actually need to know that the main character has a past. All we need to know is that he has an objective and a lot of people are going to die and a lot of innocent inanimate objects are going to be destroyed and blown up before he can complete that objective."