XP resource q: No more windows can be opened

[danr_18]

I have Windows XP Pro, with 2 GB of RAM... about 1.15 MB physical RAM
used...(swap file set to max at 4 MB) yet, at a certain point, I can't
open any more new windows. Any idea what resource may be holding it
up and how to resolve the issue?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

I have Windows XP Pro, with 2 GB of RAM... about 1.15 MB physical RAM
used...(swap file set to max at 4 MB) yet, at a certain point, I can't
open any more new windows. Any idea what resource may be holding it
up and how to resolve the issue?

Thanks

Pagefile (swap file?) is regenerated at each boot and may eventually "be
filled" in case a computer is not rebooted once in a while. Take a look at
the Task Manager (ctrl+alt+del) where you can monitor active applications,
processes, Commit Charge, CPU usage etc on your computer.

The "Process Explorer v11.04" By Mark Russinovich,

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processexplorer.mspx

may as well be helpful.

The problem can be caused by many (sets of) reasons, normally when the
workload exceeds the specifications. However may malware, lack of "regular
maintenance" (disk cleanup, disk fragment etc), lack of disk capacity etc,
reduce the performance of the PC.

Regards,
Ka2H

 

[HowardG]

Pagefile (swap file?) is regenerated at each boot and may eventually "be
filled" in case a computer is not rebooted once in a while. Take a look at
the Task Manager (ctrl+alt+del) where you can monitor active applications,
processes, Commit Charge, CPU usage etc on your computer.

Isn't a paging file size of 4 MB (max) a little small?
Allowing Windows to manage the size of the paging file might cure the
problem.

 

[David B.]

4MB is way too small for your page file, set it to system managed.

 

[Guest]

Isn't a paging file size of 4 MB (max) a little small?
Allowing Windows to manage the size of the paging file might cure the
problem.

You're of course perfectly right - I didn't pay attention to the 4 MB, took
it for 4 GB, more as an overkill with regard to needed size/capacity.

Tanks,
Ka2H

 

[danr_18]

Of course, the swap file is 4 GB and not 4 MB!

Nothing looks above spec in Task Manager... swap nowhere close
to full.. physical ram nowhere close to full, cpu very low...

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Of course, the swap file is 4 GB and not 4 MB!

Nothing looks above spec in Task Manager... swap nowhere close
to full.. physical ram nowhere close to full, cpu very low...

Thanks

Looks good. I assume you have checked the Event Viewer, Application - and
System logs, for any error reports (or anything else), timed to the instant
when you try to open the first window which fails.

Given that this problem raised lately, you may have a restore point for a
System Restore to time before the problem. Just to eliminate any added
programs, applications, drivers updates etc causing the problem.

Regards,
Ka2H

 

[danr_18]

I found out why I wasn't able to open more applications/windows, even
though I had plenty of RAM and swap.
It was the Desktop Heap. I made the below registry change and I no
longer have the issue.

Take a look at these links for reference:

http://blogs.msdn.com/tonyschr/archive/2005/05/25/desktop-heap-limitatio
ns.aspx

http://www.w-tweaks.com/html/xp-desktop-heap-tuning.html

(meant for a specific case -- but it's still the same issue)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;184802