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General discussion

Insufficient MSWorks memory

Dec 3, 2003 12:03AM PST

Darn, why is it I have a number of problems at once?

I use MS Works to store memos and other information I want to keep. In the past, I've had a lot more material in there than I have recently. Yet, it was only recently that, when I wanted to put something new in Works, I started getting a Works message: "works cannot complete the task because there is not enough memory on your computer. Try closing some programs or restarting Windows." That can happen even though I have a minimum of programs opened; if I do have a number of programs open, and I close all of them but the essentials, I still get the message. The other day I wanted to save something with only 650 words but couldn't. Sometimes, if I delete cookies and temporaries, I can then save something new in Works, but not always. Sometimes, I end up having to restart, and sometimes even that doesn't work.

I use Windows 98SE. I just recently had the speed increased from 450 to 1000 and the Ram increased from 175 to 375. MS System Info shows available space on Drive C as 4432MB of 6169MB. I thought things would get better instead of worse.

I don't know if this info is relevant but here it is:
That webroot site shows this in system audit results:
Performance finding:
Recoverable disk space: 2.83 MB
IE Cache: 628 KB
IE cookies 38 KB
IE hostory 72 KB
Windows Temp files: 2.11 KB

From AIDA32:
Physical memory
Total 375 MB
Used 180 MB
Free 194 MB

Virtual memory:
Total 2044 MB
Used 65 MB
Free 1978 MB
Utilization 3%

AIDA32 under Processes shows I have 23 program files with about 48,000KB memory used.

One thing I don't understand is that when I ran AIDA32 a couple of months ago, it didn't include these items which showed up yestterday:

MSWORKS 9,664 KB
QTTASK 19,784 kb
WKSWP: 12,216 k
WKGDCACH 6,,020 KB
AOL 1060 KB
WAOL 24,712 KB

These items were in the old log but not in this new one:
AVGCC32 10,284 kb
HPZSTATX 2,728 KB

I have had AOL, MSWorks and AVG all along.

If anyone has any thoughts about why I keep getting the memory full message for MS Works, please let me know.

The above is the only time I have gotten any kind of not enough memory message.

Discussion is locked

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Grandpaw, This Should Help (Part 1)
Dec 3, 2003 12:32AM PST

Try this: Restart your computer. Wait for it to load completely then, right click on My Computer, choose "Properties", then the "Performance" tab. The System Resources should be at about 90% or more at startup. So let's fix it. Click on Start-Programs-Start Up. If there are any listings in the Start Up area, you need to delete as many as you can.(Right click the listing and choose "Delete". Please remember that these are just shortcuts to programs and not actual program files, so its safe to delete them.

Then click on Start-Run, in the typing area put "msconfig" (without the quotes), press Ok. When the System Configuration Utiltiy box opens, click on the Start Up tab. You will see a number of listings with boxes and check marks in them. These are programs that run at start up. You can safely uncheck many of the boxes. Don't uncheck System Tray, Scan Registry, or your Virus Scan startup programs. After you?re done, click ?Apply?, then 0K, and the computer will ask you to restart. Do it and then check your resources again. Hopefully they are much higher.(Don't worry too much, if you make a mistake you can always go back to this box and put a check back in any of the listings you want)

If you have any questions about which programs to UNCHECK in "msconfig", post back, or check for yourself at these sites: http://ww2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Uncheck.htm or http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm. At this second site, which is probably the most comprehensive, wait for the page to load completely, then scroll down to the "The Programs" section and click on the "Full List" link. You should be able to find most programs you have questions about.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Grandpaw, This Should Help (Part 2)
Dec 3, 2003 12:40AM PST

After following the above procedures, clean out the computer by doing this:

Clean out ALL the files from your Temporary Internet Files folder, Cookies folder, etc. After that, close all programs and delete all .tmp files on the computer as they aren't necessary. At this time, empty your Recycle Bin of all files.

Next, double click on the Temp folder within Windows. There may be a bunch of files in this folder that were placed there by various program installations and uninstallations. Normally, these all should be safe to delete, UNLESS you have "saved" any personal documents here. Just to be careful, highlight a small group of files and delete them to the Recycle Bin. Restart the computer, run the programs, and generally test to make sure that any necessary files haven't been removed. If you don't experience any problems, and you shouldn't, then remove that bunch from the Recycle Bin, then choose another group of files from the C\Windows\Temp folder and delete them to the Recycle Bin.

At this time run Scandisk and Defrag to correct and align the file system to its optimum. Do the Scandisk first, then the Defrag. After opening Scandisk, place a CHECK mark in ?Automatically Fix Errors. Click on the "Advanced" button, then make sure the settings look like this:
Display Summary=Always
Log File=Replace Log
Cross-linked File=Delete
Lost File Fragments=Free
Check Valid Files For=Place a check in ALL of the options
Check Host Drive First


Hope this helps.

Grif

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Grif, what a great guy
Dec 4, 2003 4:16AM PST

Such clear instructions; even I could follow them. I've done all those good things and now I'll wait to see how things go. I did the thorough ScanDisk and it said it found and fixed some problems. (Grif, I might mention that I do periodically clear out cookies, history and temps so there wasn't much there, though there was quite a bit in Recycle.)

A self-proclaimed compute buff said he didn't understand why I was using 180 of 375 RAM and thought I had too many programs running. But I usually just run PrintKeyPro, YankeeClipper, CallWave, AVG, and YankeeClipper which I wouldn't think would take up too much RAM. When Crtl-Alt-Del showed only Explorer and Systray, and I connected to AIDA32, the RAM showed126 one time and 155 another. I tell you this just in case it might be important.

Thanks, Grif.

Jerry Lyons

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(NT) Message has been deleted.
Dec 4, 2003 7:51AM PST
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(NT) Duplicate Message Deleted-Grif Thomas
Dec 4, 2003 7:54AM PST

.

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Jerry, UNCHECK Most Of Those Items In "Msconfig".
Dec 4, 2003 7:53AM PST

It sounds like things are getting better, but you don't need MSWorks running in the background. You don't need "Qttask.exe" (Quicktime) running in the background. Unchecking almost all the items, except for "Scanregistry", "Systray", maybe "Callwave" and your antivirus program in "msconfig" will help things a lot. If Yankee Clipper can be run from the Start Menu, it would be better.

Restart the computer and check the resource percentage immediately after restart. (RIGHT click "My Computer", choose "Properties", then click on the "Performance" tab.) It should be 85-90 % or more, if possible. The "memory" error will usually be the result of low resources or a lack of space in the C\Windows\Temp folder.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Re:Jerry, UNCHECK Most Of Those Items In
Dec 5, 2003 1:42AM PST

Startup showed SysTray, ScanReg, Quicktime, Call Wave, Yankee Clipper, and Calendar Reminder. I don't why Quicktime keeps creeping back on there but I've X'd it out again. I have a terrible memory problem, so I keep CallWave in Startup because I so often forget to open it when I go to the Internet, and YC because I otherwise find myself copying stuff (which I do a lot of) without realizing that I forgot to open it, and CalReminder for the same kind of reason.

I might mention that I have had those programs on startup for a long time without having any memory problem in MS Works. I can't remember whether I said this before or not, but I recently increased RAM from 175 to 350 or so, and speed from 450 to 1000. This Works memory problem started up after that. Of course, I though that increasing RAM would be an improvement so I am surprised that instead I am having the is memory problem that I never had before. I just wonder if those changes might have messed up my computer memory in some way.

Thanks again for your help. I can't tell exactly what the conditions are that result in the not enough memory message in Works; it doesn't seem to correlate with how much is in Works, or anything else that I can figure out. So at this point I'll just ride along and see if I can bumped off again.

However, I do have one question. I use the programs I keep at Startup a lot. So I wonder whether it makes any difference whether they open automatically at startup or whether I open them manually after boot up?

Again, Thanks. Jerry


and YC at startup because I so often forget to start them up when

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Jerry, Remember...'Memory' and 'Resources' Aren't the Same
Dec 5, 2003 3:00AM PST

As I asked you before, it would help if you knew the resource percentage at start up. Restart the computer, then immediately check your resources by RIGHT clicking on "My Computer", choose "Properties", then click on the "Performance" tab. Look at the resources and they should be 85-90% or more.

More "Memory/RAM" is nice because it allows data to be stored and used quickly. On the other hand, "Resources" are more a reflection of the amount of programs running in the background and their ability to release resources when opened and closed. The error you are getting is actually a "resource" issue and not a "memory" issue. If your resources are low, by having a bad program installed which "leaks" memory/resources, or by having too many unnecessary programs running in the background, it can cause the "memory errors" that you are experiencing.

Almost all of the programs you have described should be running at start up, IF you use them frequently. Callwave needs to be running so you can answer the calls when connected to the internet, although you could disable it when not connected. Yankee Clipper also would be necessary because you can use it at any time..

QuickTime Task DOES NOT need to be running, but it will freqeuntly re-Check the box in 'msconfig' after running the Quicktime program. It is possible to stop the icon from loading on new versions of Quicktime by accessing the "Preferences" section and UNCHECKING the box to "Load Tray Icon", but the versions 5 and earlier don't have that.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Grif, sorry you had to remind me
Dec 5, 2003 11:04PM PST

When I have only CallWave, YC, and CalReminder running at startup, the resources just now showed 88%, but they have at other times showed as low as 84%.

When I have only SysTray and Explorer at startup, the resources are at 98%, at least they were just now.

I sometimes see where people say they do okay when resources get pretty low, it seems sometimes they might say as low as 20% or so. So I have a hard time understanding why they should be so high at startup. For example, I find myself wondering if there is some advantage in having only SysTray and Explorer at startup and then opening such programs as CallWave, CalReminder and YC, rather than having them open automatically at startup.

Anyhow, since my resources seem okay at startup, I'll monitor things to see how putting stuff in MSWorks goes, and what the resources are if I get a not enough memory message again.

I sometimes can't get over the kind of help people like you provide for free. It just seems unAmerican (joke). Thanks, Jerry