There are many Windows processes that keep running in the background, consume up the RAM thus making RAM unavailable for newer processes. The result is that your PC has to perform swapping in order to make RAM available for new application programs to run. This is the case when your RAM is around 512MB. A simple setting can help your computer avoid this. Simply avoid those processes that start up when Windows starts. One of those is the Windows Messenger, which is switched on by default whether you use it or not.

If you do not use Windows Messenger you can prevent it from running at start up. Follow these steps to do so:

1. Go to Start–>Run. Type “msmsgs.exe”. This will open Win Messenger.

2. Go to Tools Menu–>Options–>Preferences tab.

3. Untick the check boxes that say “Run Windows Messenger when Windows starts” and “Allow Windows Messenger to run in the background”. Click OK. Restart PC.

This action will free up system resources to some extent.