I get mouse freezes, slow to no opening of programs, programs closing without my permission and it thinks too much now.. I have zone alarm security paid version but I keep it off because it bothers me.
With 128 mbs of ram and 480 whateverbites processor i have no room for hogs, my virus scanner picks up nothing, could zone alarm be too much? if so what is a non-system-hog replacement?

my hijack log...

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 2:38:29 PM, on 8/23/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZONELABS\vsmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Game Accelerator\gamexl.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://runonce.msn.com/?v=msgrv75
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [GameXL] "C:\Program Files\Game Accelerator\gamexl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [!AVG Anti-Spyware] "C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\avgas.exe" /minimized
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {B516CA4E-A5BA-405C-AFCF-A97F08CC7429} (GoBit Games Player) - http://www.shockwave.com/content/bur...sPlayer_v5.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{A9D679B4-54E1-42A4-B957-307253E610F3}: NameServer = 199.166.6.2 209.239.11.98
O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.dll
O23 - Service: AVG Anti-Spyware Guard - GRISOFT s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZONELABS\vsmon.exe

--
End of file - 3027 bytes

Hello, Erin... I would not go on the web without a firewall of some description; I cannot tell if you have Windows Firewall activated. I use ZoneAlarm, and it is not a sys hog for me, in fact vsmon.exe hardly ever stirs as far as processor time goes. May I suggest that you restart Zonealarm then got into Task Manager, Processes tab, and check how much CPU time vsmon.exe uses. It pretty much should show 00.
Is your version up-to-date?
I notice that you have AVG AS, SAS [superantispyware] and SpyBot... actually, is AVG still providing updates for AVG AS 7.5?
I would cut that down to just one spyware scanner; actually, for the longest time I ran no resident spyware scanner at all, just had an on-demand one or two waiting in the wings. But now I use Avast, and one is incorporated with the AV scanner, so... actually, I have Spybot ready and updated, but I seem to be able to stay clean so I have only run one scan recently. Just to see. Look, try being sensible with online link-clicking, and run no active AS. Just keep Spybot updated in case.
Tea-timer is not a load, though, it just monitors for attempts to mod your registry.
"128 mbs of ram and 480 whateverbites processor"... I do see what you mean... 480 whateverbites is very slow buy today's stds, and 128 mbs of RAM is not much. If you took the time to wander into your local computer wrecker/reseller shop I bet you could get a 500MB stick for not much more than a smile. Okay, ten bucks. And that would speed up your sys more than any other thing. You see, your log is clean...
Frankly, though, you do need an AV service.... Avast? and then you could ditch AVG AS, and shut off SAS.
Finally, a cleanup. I bet you don't have many Gigawhats on your hard disk, either. Open My Computer, rclick your C: drive, choose Properties. See the Disk Cleanup button? -hit it. Do you have much free space? Under a Gig and Windows is going to spend time looking for places to write stuff. Empower yourself and delete files you don't use, photos you dld from the web cos they were cute 3 years ago, but now... See the Tools tab? Press Defragment Now. Repeat this for any other drives you have, D: etc.

http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
Consider....