Help!!! Problems with RAM (512RAM)

I am not sure if there is a free good software to free up some RAM space. I have T43 2687 DDU (512RAM) and read all the free software threads but seems like nothing for RAM. My biggest problem with my laptop is my system slows down (bugs) after an about three days. I use my laptop everyday for over 12 hours, mostly surfing on the internet and such without shutting down the system but after a coulple days, I notice the system excessively slows and freezes sometime. I run the Antivirus, Antispyware, and CCleaner and Defragent and everything but still the same result. So after all, I am forced to reformat the whole system to bring back to the normal speed. and my NHC says the CPU load is over 80% and RAM free is 8% now. I just reformated the system two days ago and reinstalled the programs. Can anyone help me to fix my problem and tell me why my laptop slows down without installing any new programs by surfing on the internet? Any comments on FreeRAM XP PRO or RAMBOOSTER or FREE RAM optimizer??? I am tired of reformatting the system every three days and reinstalling the whole programs. thanks guys
MEMEJO

 

FireFox is kind of a memory hog if thats what you are using. When you are running the CPU at 80%, what does task manager say is using the CPU. You could kill some of the background services you are not using.

 

Zaz makes a great point, firefox is a ram hog, I'd imagine restarting more often could help, and if you can afford it, another 512mb of ram will go a very long way to helping performance!

 

i remember there was an article (i think from tweakhound) that had one of the core designer of windows say those free ram programs are gimmicks and don't really help


let me try to find

EDIT: link

from tweak hound : http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/xptweaks/supertweaks11.htm

link from tweakhound: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=41095&DisplayTab=Article

as they say, memory optimizers are a hoax

 

Sorry about posting the same thread twice, didn't know where to put it. Anyways mostly the task manager says iexplore, avg and system idle process. Is it normal for NHC" CPU load to be over 80% with two internet explores?

 

No, I run up to 6 IE's and still no 80% load occurs.

 

Like stated Firefox indeed uses a lot of memory. Norton Antivirus is also known to use a lot of memory. You can also set your page file higher, that will help too. Formatting is also an option but it will take a long time.

Charlie