Processes Running in Win 2000

Hello

I have a 6 month business PC running Win 2000. I use it for photographic editing work and have lots of graphical programs on it. It is becoming increasingly slow with a lot of “processes” running and visible in the Task Manager.

I don’t know what most of these programs are or whether I could delete them and not affect my PC.

I cannot erase the hard drive and start again so is there any problem out there that is totally reliable and I could use to go thru the programs that run in the background and remove the stuff I don’t need.

At any one time all I have running as far as I know if Nortons Anti-Virus, my external hdd, the sound control program and a windows shortcut bar.

Appreciate your help
Bruce