Vertual memory low

The applications you are running are taking not only more memory than the system has (SDRAM, DDR or such) but more memory than can reasonably be swapped out to the hard drive (which is making it noisier and overused as well!)

It happens to everyone.

The solution is to max out the real memory your system has (the limit is set by the CPU and motherboard models in use) so that it doesn't have to use the disk; but I find on some systems that even then, I have to scale back what applications I have going. It is impossible to efficiently browse 100 web pages (in tabs, for example) and also run spreadsheets, watch animation, etc.; especially in Windows (any version.) If you choose Linux or another OS and select applications carefully for efficient use of memory, you may be able to do more with the same machine. It depends on what you demand be done, of course; but if you learn shells like bash and tcsh you can certainly get more done.

In an extension of your problem to a general case; the solution is utility computing or virtualization, where you farm your computing out to a computer someplace, adequate to do the job, and thus having a setup specialized wherever you are is moot; it has been done once.

Your last paragraph made little sense and you have not indicated what kind of system you have, so it is hard to advise on that. What I do know is that hard drives fail over time, and that you need to keep them cool (26 degrees C.;) very clean and dry; and isolated from shock.
I would have to do a lot to make that happen in equatorial climes. The good news is that DVD drives like similar care and that you don't have to use metal to conduct heat to the evaporator. Just mount the drives with some chunky ceramic (or metal) heatsinks and isolate it with rubber mounting or bungees. More good news: Drives that are new and not about to fail are nearly silent.
I also think it would be instructive for you to try a LiveCD; that is an instance of an OS which runs from the CD or DVD drive and never touches the hard drive except as told, makes copying files from your old disk easy, and gives a chance to try all kinds of OS. Knoppix is probably the oldest one. (See also OSNews.com, OS Galaxy, old issues of LWN.net (which are free,) etc.)
Solid-state drives are a good option for some things too.