Slow system, please help!

[#1]

Hi again! I shut down Zone Alarm and this is what I get:
1 alg.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
2 csrss.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Unknown Low Memory Usage Process Scan For Threats
3 ctfmon.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Autostart Scan For Errors
4 explorer.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Process Scan For Errors
5 kservice.exe Delivery Manager Running Low Memory Usage Network Service Scan For Errors
6 lsass.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Network Service Scan For Errors
7 processscanner.exe ProcessScanner Running Low Memory Usage Process Scan For Errors
8 scanningprocess.exe Running Medium Memory Usage Process Scan For Errors
9 services.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
10 smss.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Process Scan For Errors
11 spoolsv.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
12 svchost.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
13 svchost.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
14 svchost.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
15 svchost.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Medium Memory Usage LAN Service Scan For Errors
16 svchost.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
17 svchost.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
18 svchost.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
19 vsmon.exe TrueVector Service Running Medium Memory Usage Service Scan For Errors
20 winlogon.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Process Scan For Errors
21 wmiprvse.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Process Scan For Errors
22 wscntfy.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating Sys... Running Low Memory Usage Process Scan For Errors
23 zlclient.exe ZoneAlarm Client Not Running Autostart Scan For Errors
I believe scanningprocess.exe is the Process Scanner.

[#2]

Your  issue sorry to say is your lack of RAM. I understand this is in contradiction to what microsoft say, but 512Mb is really the min that XP should run with, 1Gb would be better. I recently had the same issue on a mates laptop, and inc the RAM to 1Gb, make one heck of a difference, and its a cheap and easy upgrade, if you are handy with a screwdriver should take no more than 5mins.  Also you should see what programs/services are running at startup. Use MSCONFIG from the run command. Its a but long winded to explain on a post but try these links to help you stop programs you dont really need running at startup.
http://alri.org/step2/usingmsconfig.htm
http://www.perfectdrivers.com/howto/msconfig2.html

[#3]

Hang on!
Just realized that my system is now working as crisply and smoothly as if it was new! First time in months!
I closed all my applications for the purpose of the scan and the only one that I have not turned back on is Webshots Desktop. So this is clearly the guilty one! And it makes sense because I added a whole new load of photographs after our Easter holidays, and again after our summer holidays... Which would explain why it was getting worse and worse. It's a great application which I love, but I have far too many photos on it!
Well, thank you all for your help! Much appreciated! 

[#4]

PS: Actually, XP runs extremely well on 256MB! 

[#5]

With respect to Webshots desktop I recommend ditching it and using this program which does the same job with much less overhead
Windows XP Creativity Fun Pack PowerToys Wallpaper Changer One big difference between that and Webshots is that it doesn't make a whole new store of the pictures it uses but only pulls them from a directory defined by the user,

[#6]

Cool! Will give it a try tonight.
By the way, you're absolutely right about scanningprocess.exe!
To be honest, I am tempted to remove the firewall and antivirus from my PC altogether. It's more hassle than is worth. I was running free ZA and AVG before and that was even worse than ZA Security Suite. I suppose you people are right in saying that I do not have enough RAM. Applications seem to have become hungrier and hungrier, so although my PC used to run smoothly and crisply, it does not anymore.
It's absolutely fine right now, but it takes forever to settle down after I first start it! 

[#7]

Quote from: BlueRhizome

PS: Actually, XP runs extremely well on 256MB!

But leaves next to nothing for applications to use. It all depends what you are using your PC for, but most apps these days will benefit from the extra memory.

[#8]

Good morning!
Do you think the difference between 768MB RAM and 1024MB RAM is noticeable enought to justify paying £28.18 as opposed to £14.09?
Thanks for any advice! 

[#9]

It depends on what applications you run.
Also - if you are determined to stay with Microsoft, neither 768M nor 1GB will be sufficient if
you "upgrade" to Vista.

[#10]

Well, my motherboard will not support anything above 1024 MB anyway, so an upgrade to Vista would require a major expense.
I run Firefox, Thunderbird, MSN, ZoneAlarm Security Suite, BBCiPlayer, Word, RealPlayer and Windows Media Player, Ashampoo and occasionally Nero and Skype. That's about it.

[#11]

all at once, you are lucky or do you mean occasionally 

[#12]

LOL! 
The first 4 usually run all at once, and then I often have one of the others on top!

[#13]

Do you have iPlayer uploading data even when you're not using it?
Personally, I just do do downloads - bypassing all this P2P stuff, so you don't need services choking up your memory.
See http://beebhack.wikia.com/wiki/Programs to download no time limit, none-DRM versions of BBC programs.
This works for all OS's including Linux and Mac's.

[#14]

I should think that adding 512MB to end up with 768MB will be enough for your purposes. You might be surprised at the difference it makes!

[#15]

Cool, will order it today! 
axisofevil, had a quick look, seems really complicated!