If you want to maximize your avialable rescources for playing say - WoW or 3D Studio max, you could try to use this little script.
It is written/collected and used by me :o)
When the script is done at my current pc, i have <18 processes, and <180 Mb RAM in use :-D
You will need to adapt it to your computers running processes and aplications but som information on this is embedded in the cmd-file!

BE AWARE, that the script MIGHT disable your Software Firewall (if you got any), and thus leave you unprotected and voulnerable to attacks from the Internet, if that was the only one between you and the bad buys !!