BleepingComputer.com: Memory

How can I tell how much memory I have left on my PC. I have a Dell Dim. 3000, Pentium 4 2.8 GHz 2.79 GHz, 512 MB of RAM with Windows XP 2002 service pack 3. My PC has been running very slow and I can't figure our why. I've taken all my photos off, and I ran the startup inspector to take off things that seem to be running in the background (what I understand enough about, which is very little). I use my PC for work every day, all day, and speed is a big issue for me in my job; however, I am not, unfortunately, technology savvy. So, I'm thinking maybe I need to increase my memory, or perhaps just buy a new PC? I appreciate your help. Thanks in advance.

As you stated, you have 512 MB of RAM [that is your memory]
Maximum memory for that computer is 2 gig @ $80.00 [a definite improvement]
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp...imension%203000

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That means you are freeing up hard drive space, not memory
Open My Computer and right-click on your C drive
Select Properties and that will show you how much free space you have left

You can also stop unneeded programs that run at startup
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/Starter.html
You can check to see what the entries are and whether or not it is safe to turn off by searching with Google and using our database
At the top of the forum page you will see different tabs. One is marked Startup List

Thank you so much for the help. I actually have 51.6 GB of free space, so it would seem I have plenty of free space. I have used the startup inspector to see what is running at startup, but I have not utilized your start up list. I will give that another try, and possibly the upgrade. It seems my computer slows way down at around the same time each day, which is weird. It did it today. I am running McAfee, however it is supposed to be set for manual updates. It does not show on the McAfee icon that it is running an update when my computer slows. Is there a way I can tell what is running when that happens? I did the Alt+Ctl+delete and looked at the processes, but I really don't understand what that is telling me, except what is running. Thanks again for your help.

Is your AV set to run scheduled scans?

Any other programs scheduled to run at a given time?

Louis

Yes McAfee is supposed to run a scan at 6 p.m. each day, but that is the only one.

well is 6 p.m. when it slows down? antivirus scans can take a lot off speed, i only have my computer scanned weekly.

No it slows down around 10 or 11 a.m. I go to a lot of websites doing research during the day so that is why I have a scan every day; however, I don't really think McAfee is that great because it has never found anything. I did the Windows Live One Care scan and that did not find anything either, so I'm not sure if it is my computer or my internet provider. I am on BellSouth (now AT&T) with the mid-grade service (as far as speed goes), so I'm thinking maybe it is my provider, just don't know. It is very frustrating though. Thanks for your help.

Id get more RAM, and what other programs are you running?