Author Topic: Word error message:insufficient memory (Read 24884 times)

denisaf · « **on:** June 22, 2008, 10:02:28 PM »

I am now getting a Word error message to the effect that there is insufficient memory to undo the requested save action. It ends with do you want to continue? clicking on Yes or No has no effect Word is frozen and I have to reboot to continue.

DarkMSTie · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2008, 10:20:24 PM »

Are you dealing with a great deal of media in word? video/3d imaging etc? Did this start happening after you installed some other software? (as in do you have a background process that is taking up a lot of your memory?) Is all your memory showing up correctly when you boot up? (as in it didn't get knocked loose somehow)

denisaf · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2008, 10:46:02 PM »

I do not do any media work. It seems to have started when I began using Excel in conjunction with Word. I have had previous problems will the memory allocation on this computer. For example, I cannot do a Scandisk or Defrag. I have been through a number of recommended methods to deal with memory size without success. This lates one is really causing operational problems.

kuszmania9999 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2008, 10:52:47 PM »

Your computer spec please?how much memory (RAM) do you have?
Have you tried uninstall & install it back?
Maybe you can try open office
http://www.openoffice.org/
and how much more free space do you have in HDD?

denisaf · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2008, 11:41:32 PM »

SYSTEM PROPERTIES Performance tab says 192.0 MB of RAM
Windows manages Virtual Memory
C: 74.5 GB with 14.5 GB used
I will learn about what OpenOffice does
Office2000 was reinstalled recently

Broni · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2008, 04:38:28 PM »

If this is Windows XP, you won't go far with this:

Quote

SYSTEM PROPERTIES Performance tab says 192.0 MB of RAM

You have 256MB of RAM - 64 MB taken by video card = 192 MB
XP needs at least 512MB of RAM to operate correctly.

denisaf · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2008, 05:41:40 PM »

Sorry. It would have made it easier to explain that Windows 98SE is installed.

Broni · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2008, 06:27:18 PM »

Search your computer for Normal.dot file and rename it to OldNormal.dot. Word will create a new one upon starting.

denisaf · « **Reply #8 on:** June 23, 2008, 07:01:42 PM »

I found 3 normal.dot files. All were in Templates folders. One was from Office in the previous computer and copied into c-old on this one. It would not normally be used. One was in programs\microsoft office and the other in Windows\applications data\microsoft.
I could not rename the latter until I closed Wood. It looks as though that is the one that is used. I have opened Word and no new normal.dot has been created as yet. I will report on what happens in a day or so. Hopefully the problem has been resolved. Thanks for the advice.

Broni · « **Reply #9 on:** June 23, 2008, 07:23:43 PM »

Quote

I closed Wood

Never close Wood, knock on it.....LOL

Keep us posted.

denisaf · « **Reply #10 on:** June 24, 2008, 05:05:23 PM »

On start up today I tried to load the Word (right this time!) document that is linked to the Excel spreadsheet. It got near to the end of updating fields the froze with the message that there was not enough memory to run Excel.
I then rebooted, loaded the Excel spreadsheet then the Word doc successfully. I checked and found that there is now one normal.dot file. It seems possible that the first gliche of the day was because a new normal.dot file had not been set up by Excel.

Broni · « **Reply #11 on:** June 24, 2008, 07:46:57 PM »

Keep us posted...

denisaf · « **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2008, 04:05:36 AM »

I loaded Excel then the Word .doc and did some updating in Excel. I linked an updated cell value back to Word - OK. When I tired updating an existing link the original error message came up again and Word froze. I clicked on the Office Assistant and this caused blinking for about ten seconds and when it stopped the error message had gone and the links had been updated. I did some more work on Excel, without linking to Word, but Word has now seized again with the error message. I will now re-boot so Word will work.

denisaf · « **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2008, 04:32:15 AM »

Tried to save Excel and got message about wanting to save changes then a persistent wineglass. Word was frozen and I could not do a proper shut down. Consequently there was a Scandisk start up. Excel is now loaded and I will work on that without linking to the Word.doc. There is still the one normal.dot file.

Broni · « **Reply #14 on:** June 25, 2008, 09:39:39 AM »

What is virtual memory set to?
What security programs do you have installed?

BC_Programmer · « **Reply #15 on:** June 25, 2008, 12:58:04 PM »

Quote from: denisaf on June 22, 2008, 10:46:02 PM

I cannot do a Scandisk or Defrag.

Are we talking about Memory or Disk space? Because a save operation, surprisingly, requires free space on the disk.

denisaf · « **Reply #16 on:** June 25, 2008, 04:27:19 PM »

There is no problem with disk space. memory is supposedly the problem, according to the error messages.
quote author=denisaf link=topic=59876.msg378484#msg378484 date=1214199692]
SYSTEM PROPERTIES Performance tab says 192.0 MB of RAM
Windows manages Virtual Memory
disk C:\ 74.5 GB with 14.5 GB used

[/quote]
Virtual memory is set to 'Let windows manage my virtual memory settings'

I have also had this memory problem when trying to run some DOS Basic application programs

RegCure
XoftSpySE
Ad-AwareSE are installed

Broni · « **Reply #17 on:** June 25, 2008, 06:53:20 PM »

Try setting virtual memory to fixed number: 384MB. Set min, and max to the same number.

BTW, BC_Programmer...good question, and another example of M$ not even understanding a difference between hard drive space, and RAM. I've seen some M$ errors, complaining about low memory, and the solution ended up with low disk space.

denisaf · « **Reply #18 on:** June 25, 2008, 07:25:38 PM »

Disk space is clearly not a problem on this PC. I did have that problem on my previous PC some years ago. I have set virtual memory min max to 384 MB. I notice the tab had hard disk c:\-4199 MB free. Is that indicative of the problem? After rebooting with the new virtual memory settings, I tried a ScanDisk and got the usual error message about not enough available memory.

Broni · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2008, 07:58:31 PM »

You say:

Quote

disk C:\ 74.5 GB with 14.5 GB used

then:

Quote

I notice the tab had hard disk c:\-4199 MB free

Which one is it?
Open My Computer, right click on C, and click "Properties". What does it say?

denisaf · « **Reply #20 on:** June 25, 2008, 08:20:50 PM »

Properties gives the figures in the first quote, which conflicts with the figures in the second quote. I have no idea where the second figure comes from. The people who provided me with this PC copied all the files from the old PC onto this one. Is it possible that Windows is looking at the file relating to the small disk on the old PC rather than the much larger disk on the current PC. There was a normal.dot file for both the current PC and from the old PC.

Broni · « **Reply #21 on:** June 25, 2008, 08:22:40 PM »

Quote

I have no idea where the second figure comes from

Where can you see it?

denisaf · « **Reply #22 on:** June 25, 2008, 08:31:42 PM »

System Properties box Performance tab click Virtual memory Hard disk window reads
C:\ -4088MB Free

denisaf · « **Reply #23 on:** June 26, 2008, 03:43:21 AM »

I have another PC with windows 98SE. I went through the same routine with that one and got the Hard Disk window message 'C:\ 6117 MB Free'. This seems to confirm that PC1 is accessing the wrong file to find out what the free memory is.

Broni · « **Reply #24 on:** June 26, 2008, 05:13:13 PM »

What Word version is it? All updates applied?

denisaf · « **Reply #25 on:** June 26, 2008, 05:29:44 PM »

It is Word 2000. I recently reinstalled Office 2000 after a file corruption made Word inoperable. I have looked at what folders are in old-c (the set of files copied from the disk of the old PC). It has Office and Windows folders. Is it possible that files in these old folders are being use instead of in the current ones? Should I send the old Windows to the recycle bin?

Broni · « **Reply #26 on:** June 26, 2008, 06:48:07 PM »

Possible. Get rid of those folders.
After that, you may reinstall Office again. This time, remember to manually remove Office folder, before reinstalling it again.

BC_Programmer · « **Reply #27 on:** June 26, 2008, 09:54:13 PM »

the reason the two free space calculations are different is because the "correct" one is using the GetDiskFreeSpaceEx function, which returns a 64-bit value. for some reason the other one is calling GetDiskFreeSpace, which is a single 32-bit value, when used on a drive that contains too much free space, the first bit (the sign bit) is set, and the entire upper 32-bits of the value is lost. Thus the negative and the seemingly unrelated number afterwards.

I just figured it might be disk space because that would prevent defrag from running, and would lead to problems saving files.

Quote from: denisaf on June 26, 2008, 05:29:44 PM

It is Word 2000. I recently reinstalled Office 2000 after a file corruption made Word inoperable. I have looked at what folders are in old-c (the set of files copied from the disk of the old PC). It has Office and Windows folders. Is it possible that files in these old folders are being use instead of in the current ones? Should I send the old Windows to the recycle bin?

If at some point you accidentally started one of the office applications from the executable on that disk, it might have rewritten some registry settings to point to it's new location on the old C drive (now D: or some other letter I'm guessing? or a separate folder on your current C:?

This seems to be a problem "deeper" then office... especially when scandisk and defrag won't run, but give Broni's suggestion a shot. who knows?

denisaf · « **Reply #28 on:** June 29, 2008, 05:39:25 PM »

I removed Windows and Office from the old-c folder and then rebooted. The Hard disk box in Virtual Memory tab gave c:\-3666MB Free. I noted that the figure was slightly different. My Computer says c: has 60.3GB free. I tried a DiskScan and got the usual error message of not enough free memory. I have had this problem for years when I was not using Office so it seems that the operational Windows has been corrupted by having the old Windows.

denisaf · « **Reply #29 on:** June 29, 2008, 08:29:53 PM »

There is one other point I should mention in relation to the long term problem. I have been unable to manually organize a ScanDisk for years (as I have mentioned) but it did not worry me too much because on occasions the PC froze and I have to do an unusual Windows shutdown. This was recognized in the reboot by automatically doing a Scandisk.

Broni · « **Reply #30 on:** June 29, 2008, 09:03:27 PM »

Your best option may be clean reinstall...

denisaf · « **Reply #31 on:** June 29, 2008, 09:28:45 PM »

Broni
I have the CD copy of Windows 98SE provided with the PC. I presume you are saying I should use this. Will this CD give instructions, like uninstalling Windows. Does this have to be done in DOS mode?

BC_Programmer · « **Reply #32 on:** June 29, 2008, 10:20:34 PM »

So then this is Windows 98 your working with now? Or is that just the only CD you have?

denisaf · « **Reply #33 on:** June 29, 2008, 10:28:28 PM »

The CD is the Windows 98SE that was installed in this PC when I got it years ago. This is the Windows that I have been using since then.

Broni · « **Reply #34 on:** June 30, 2008, 09:32:34 PM »

Pretty good manual from Micro$oft here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221829
Print it out before you start.

denisaf · « **Reply #35 on:** June 30, 2008, 10:28:29 PM »

I have looked at the manual. There are some questions that I cannot answer and I cannot go to the hardware supplier. It is years since I did things like partition the hard disk. There is the risk that I would delete the data on the hard disk so I would need to do a disk backup before I started. The learning process, the time and the risk hardly seem worthwhile in view of the fact that I was able to use the current set up for years for emails and writing (with Word) without problems. I would like to get around the problem of linking Excel to Word.

Broni · « **Reply #36 on:** June 30, 2008, 10:58:00 PM »

Quote

I would need to do a disk backup before I started

You definitely do. All data will be lost.

denisaf · « **Reply #37 on:** June 30, 2008, 11:36:46 PM »

Windows Backup is not installed on this PC and it is not in Windows Setup of Add/Remove Programs. I do have Nero 7 which has Disk Backup which I have used but the restore did not work. Nero sent me a disk to make it work but I have not tried it. Excel just closed down with an error message even though Word was not loaded.

Broni · « **Reply #38 on:** July 01, 2008, 10:26:58 PM »

Do manual backup. Save your important data on CDs.

denisaf · « **Reply #39 on:** July 03, 2008, 06:15:52 PM »

Broni
Thank you for your advice. It appears that the people who copied all the C: files from my old PC (including Windows) onto the C: disk of this PC caused a conflict between the two Windows, so causing problems with the one wwhen using Word and Excel together being the worst. I gather the only way to get over this is to reinstall Windows after backing up all the folders and files I want. I gather it will also entail reinstalling the various drivers. I will have to use Nero for the backing up to CDs because backing up to floppies is not really a practical proposition. I had hoped to avoid such a major task ny learning hope to find and fix the corrupted file.

Broni · « **Reply #40 on:** July 03, 2008, 08:39:46 PM »

Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any free program for backing up drivers, which works with Win 98, but some of them should be reinstalled with fresh Windows installation, and you can get rest of them from your computer maker web site.
If any problem, post back.

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Author Topic: Word error message:insufficient memory (Read 24884 times)

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