MS DOS Window Warning – Not Enough Memory

Well, the exact title on Dos Window when trying to run Defrag is: Finished-Defrag; and message within the Dos Window field:
Not Enough Memory.
This is what I get trying to Start Defragmenter.
I get similar result, also in DOS, attempting to run Nokia Monitor Test (only From Nokia exe) which I need to keep the monitor calibrated.

It started few days ago, following the crash one of the programs I was working in and WMP 7 that was on at the time. After re-boot Windows came on normally but SFC reported corrupted WMVCORE.dll (wmp playback/authoring component, not part of Windows). Adaptech CD Creator also failed to start since it uses WMVCORE.dll for burning. So I couldn’t back up my data first.
Finally, and only in Safe Mode, I was able to replace the bad DLL with the known correct one from my original backed-up System folder.
I do not experience (as yet) other problems now, except with Defrag and Monitor Test utilities described above.
However, my other Defrag, part of McAfee Utilities Suite, works in every possible mode.
I checked and scanned the system thoroughly and did not find any anomalies. For various reasons Reg /restore is not possible now. On Boot System Memory, Sys resources are same as they’ve always been.

So far, searching through many posts on this forum did not help to resolve the problem.
I’d be very grateful for suggestion and advice.
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Acer Power SE P3/700/128/30 Win98se OEM

Some tweaks I used when running Win9x can be read here:
http://www.boomspeed.com/snarfll/Win98FE-SE_tweaks.txt

Pay particular attention to the 'set minimum stack pages' entry. Memory errors can occur if this is set too low and at times,it may not even exist in System Ini screen...

edit: Some of the entries may no longer apply to particular software you run,such as ZA vers. 2.6, so just ignore those...

Ridgerunr, I apologize for my tardiness but it was very busy time at work today.
I very much appreciate your advice and quick reply. Nevertheless, I do not have paragraph titled [386Enh] in my-autoexec.bat- as suggested in your attachment. Being unfamiliar with DOS I have no idea of how to create the right syntax for - MinSPs=8 – and its correct sequence.

Bellow is the copy of all that I have listed in my Sys Config Editor.

REM [Header]
@ECHO OFF




REM [CD-ROM Drive]

REM [Miscellaneous]

REM [Display]

REM [Sound, MIDI, or Video Capture Card]

REM [Mouse]

____________
I’d be much obliged if you could help me with that.

Thanks a million. Will look for your next post.

I copied mine and post it here.

[386Enh]
ebios=*ebios
woafont=dosapp.fon
mouse=*vmouse, msmouse.vxd
device=*dynapage
device=*vcd
device=*vpd
device=*int13
device=*enable
keyboard=*vkd
display=*vdd,*vflatd
EMMExclude=C000-CFFF
WPSLPT1=0
PagingDrive=C:
MinPagingFileSize=153600
MinSPs=8


All I did was to type in the MinSPs=8 at the bottom. Then went to the menu , clicked File and selected Save.

Now in the "Sys Config Editor" everything has a REM in front of it which disable it. Nothing there now to bother anything.

You have to pardon my inexperience but since I do not have any reference to [ 386Enh ] (my last post), then does it mean that my last line should look as follows(?):

(1) REM [386Enh]

MinSPs=8

Or should I remove “REM” in front of [ 386Enh ] and make the last line read like this?:

(2) [386Enh]

MinSPs=8

Which is the correct example-(1) Or (2) ?

Also, should there be one blank line separation?

Please post back.

Thank you.

Let us start over.
Go start, Run [type in] system.ini and hit OK

Scroll down to the [386Enh] section
Place the cursor behind the last lin. Hit enter.

Add in the MinSPS=8 line

Go to file in the menu and select SAVE. Not SaveAs

Apparently there is a misprint in the original attachment “TXT” file.

Since I should have “run” SYSEDIT and not “sys.ini” as in your last post and so I did.

Quote from the attachment: Set minimum stack pages: Go to Start>run>type: sysedit <enter>

Therefore, I’ve only looked in “sysedit”. And my SYSEDIT Looks exactly as in my previous post.

The rest of the procedure does not present a problem.

Please advise, post back.

Thanks for your patience.

SYSEDIT opens multiple windows, one of which is SYSTEM.INI

You can edit that file from here, or do as Train indicated via Start > Run > System.ini

Then, follow the rest of Train's post.

Thanks for the explanation, WhitFil.
Since the MS DOS "Insufficient Memory" warning also opens in like cascading, multiple fashion before settling on the top window, I thought that multiple SYSEDIT was due to my original problem. Therefore, I only focused the Top SYSEDIT window, failing to check SYS.INI window title hidden behind it-as described in the “tweaks.txt”.

Finally, found SYS.INI window, added only “MinSPs=8” as per instructions (MinSPs=<number> was not present), saved, rebooted.

Tried Both: Defrag and Monitor Test – Resulted in the same DOS warning window “ Insufficient Memory”.

Very much appreciate everyone’s advice.
Still looking for help to get Defrag and Monitor Test working.

Have you completed all that was in Ridge's link?

Post what is in the Autoexec.bat.
Sysedit and it is the top one
and Config.sys which is the second one.

Below is the list of files Train requested in above post. Thanks, Train.

P III - Autoexec.bat Contents - 7-17-04 ( copy of original )
-------------------------
REM [CD-ROM Drive]

REM [Miscellaneous]

REM [Display]

REM [Sound, MIDI, or Video Capture Card]

REM [Mouse]
______________________________________________

P III – SYSEDIT - 7-17-04 ( copy of original )
-------------------

REM [Header]
@ECHO OFF




REM [CD-ROM Drive]

REM [Miscellaneous]

REM [Display]

REM [Sound, MIDI, or Video Capture Card]

REM [Mouse]
_____________________________________________

P III - Config.Sys Contents - 7-17-04 ( copy of original )
----------------------------------

REM [Header]



REM [CD-ROM Drive]

REM [Miscellaneous]

REM [SCSI Controllers]

REM [Display]

REM [Sound, MIDI, or Video Capture Card]

REM [Mouse]
REM ------------------

DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE
______________________________________________

P III SYS.INI Contents (Partial) - 7-17-04 ( copy of original )
---------------------------------------

[386Enh]
ebios=*ebios
woafont=dosapp.fon
mouse=*vmouse, msmouse.vxd
device=*dynapage
device=*VCD
device=*vpd
device=*int13
keyboard=*vkd
EMMExclude=C000-CFFF
display=*vdd,*vflatd
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1
MinSPs=8
-----------------
END
_____________________________________________

I think I completed the instructions in Ridge's link correctly. Please take a look at the portion related to [386Enh] as it reads in my SYS.INI now.

Today I also had a couple of OLEOUT32.dll (both easily resolved) Page Faults from a couple of applications on launch. Not that it didn’t happen before.
Thanks again.

You have the minSPs in [386Enh] looking OK.

Now why are you using the ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 ?

Add this;
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
before this line:
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE
in the Config.Sys

HIMEM is an extended-memory manager--a program that coordinates the use of
your computer's extended memory, including the high memory area (HMA), so
that no two applications or device drivers use the same memory at the same
time.

See if that helps out.

This is an interesting thread.

I have a bad stick of ram that failed five of six passes of MemTest. Occasionally, I get Memory related errors, two of which refered to 016f:bff76840 and 016f:7b9f5.

My question is this:

Can I exclude a range of memory addresses through the [386EnCH], EMMExclude= section of System.ini?

Hi, Train:
I use “CacheMan” optimizing the Swap File (Min/Max Size, etc) and the Global setting are for “ Power User”.
Also, it sets itself in “ Intended use of this computer” under “performance\Files system” tab within Device Manager to read “ cacheman optimized” instead of Home PC or Server. It allows me to have Swap File optimized for various uses, including “average system” settings. However, I’ve always have it set to “power”.
I’ve had this little program on PC for several years, since new, without a single problem.

This is the copy of my Config.sys after Reboot:
______________________________

REM [Header]



REM [CD-ROM Drive]

REM [Miscellaneous]

REM [SCSI Controllers]

REM [Display]

REM [Sound, MIDI, or Video Capture Card]

REM [Mouse]
REM ------------------

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS

DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE
_________________________________________________

Very sorry to say, but it did not help.

I will leave this line in to test the overall performance.

Still hoping…

Let's go back to square one.

You say you get the error in a DOS window when running Defrag.

Exactly how are you starting the Defrag. Defrag does NOT run in DOS, so tis strange you are getting a DOS window.

Also, what have you changed since the last time you ran a successful defrag?

Sorry, had to get away from this thing for a while.

I access Defrag in most conventional way-Start >…> System Tools > Disc Defrag.

All began from the crash (1st post) that took out my Adaptec CD creator along with WMPlayer and corrupted WMVCORE.dll to the point where it, the DLL, changed its size from the original 1.08mb to only 56kb. Windows wouldn’t let me access it even in Safe mode. To free up the grip any program could’ve had on it I began uninstalling (one at a time) all related applications. One ASF authoring program was very stubborn, leaving few components behind for manual deletion. After re-start (and I rebooted almost after every uninstallation) Windows Reg. Checker found the Registry to be corrupted and automatically, without allowing to cancel at least by CAD, replaced it with the previous one, naturally, with the one dated prior to when this last program was uninstalled. After more clean-up remnants of that program and dead reg. keys I repeatedly scanned for errors-none was found. I think I even Defragged after that, just to overwrite freed space. To have done that would’ve been a normal event for me. Rebuilt IE (mine’s 5.01 SP2), scanreg /fix’ed-nothing.
In attempt to overwrite corrupted WMVCORE.dll, which is part of installation package, I re-installed WMP 7 over itself. Didn’t work. Now I was unable to uninstall it either.
I did the same with Adaptec ECDC, resulting in same effect, yet didn’t try uninstalling it.

Here is why I went through all above manipulations while having perfectly usable, fresh, original copy of required DLL backed up to a CD. The entire copy of Sys Folder dates few years back to when my PC was new, clean with almost nothing on it. It’s my nature to back up things important to me, which in the future might come in handy.
Wish could’ve done it with the wife, when she was new, fresh “coming out of the box”.
Since then, naturally, many components were updated and/or modified as compared to the copy on CD. Thus, I was cautious letting Windows read its own folder, causing conflicts/confusion. I’ve had similar experience in the past in the different area but easily recovered.

Left with the single choice, CD was loaded and soon as I opened the (renamed, of course) SYS folder on it monitor flickered momentarily as if refreshing itself. I new it wasn’t good yet, continued since the choice had been made.

Copied the DLL from CD to a newly created folder on C:, removed CD and went to check corrupted WMVCORE.dll. While still corrupt (SFC Checked), now its size matched the original and I could access it to rename/replace. Note, I did not do anything to it. Renamed it to WMVCORE.dllOLD, copied the new one to SYSTEM folder on C:, restarted PC to register DLL. Now Adaptec ECDC and WMP worked.
Could not get to Defrag for a couple of days.
You know the rest.

Because of the above I tend to think that REM may not be the only possible cause. If Windows got “confused” and did refresh the system as described before (mon.flicker), then it might have changed some settings of the component(s) responsible for creating visuals.

1. This may explain several OLEOUT.dll page faults.
2. If Windows unable to create a visual object, then it can only give warning through WinDOC interface. Note: not real DOC.

These are my thoughts.

Thanks much for taking the time reading.

What do you think?

Just an addendum to my last post.

3. Earlier I mentioned that despite all the McAfee Defrag works in every mode. It means that it accesses the system’s REM to move/rearrange files without failure. Perhaps it uses its own module(s) to build visual interface, bypassing Windows component(s) but Windows must use those built into it.

You may have files that are not properly registered. I've used this tip from axcel many times to solve these kind of problems. You might want to give it a shot:
http://www.mdgx.com/newtip13.htm

Many other good tips n' tweaks on his site too...:)

Ridge, your last suggestion and link may be The solution. Not that I discount anyone’s advice, help and patience with this matter. I deeply appreciate everybody’s help.
While familiar with the site I, somehow, never had the time to really study it in detail.
Re-registering DLLs described in the AXCEL page reminded me of the Registry and, most importantly, *.OLE’s I cleaned after Windows Automatically re-inserted the Registry predated removal some of the programs, it’s in my previous post. That completely escaped me until your last post. I went through the back up folder created by RegCleaner I used then and found many Class Keys in Root that were removed. I’m certain that among them there are those responsible for my trouble now. Thinking my system’s clean, I ran RegCleaner looking for “dead” keys and deep OLE scan again. As before, it came up with a sea of both. The choice now is to either restore all from the back up or re-register only those DLL’s that are not self-registering. Either way, it’ll take a while to restore and clean again but will be done.
If curious, I used quite simple, older version - RegCleaner 4.3 by Jouni Vuorio. To register/unregister DLL’s I have a single Executable with Win Interface called RegSvr32.

While working at it I’ll keep watching the thread anyway and post result when done.

Thank you all again.

These past couple of days I‘ve looked into the possibility of restoring some of the deleted Reg. Keys. So far, I’ve restored some of, maybe, pertinent keys but other then getting back functionality some of the minor apps, which I was unaware of not working, WinDefrag still doesn’t work. Unfortunately, copy of registry I had made prior to cleaning somehow got corrupt and had to be deleted.

If copy of Registry is initially Exported from within Registry Utility and later restored, then it should simply merge into existing registry without altering existing keys.
If this kind of logic is sound, then merging any “good” registry ( made at the time when Defrag worked ) into existing one should restore missing or removed keys.

Other then some cleanable “dead” entries, how conflicting could this procedure turn out to be?

I’d be interested in your opinions.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Train
Now why are you using the ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 ?

---

Good question.

I thougth you should onyl use that when you are not letting windows control virtual memory ie you specify wher and how much you want to use.

But you are not doing that or you would have entries similar to what Train had:

Quote:

---

PagingDrive=C:
MinPagingFileSize=153600

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by odysseus79
then it should simply merge into existing registry without altering existing keys.

---

NO.

It will replace missing / deleted keys, but any key that already exists will be overwritten with the value from the backup.

Nix, in reference to Conservative Swap file Usage I can only offer a guess: In addition to Swap file CacheMan controls, thru appropriate interface, either manually or automatically: Minimal /Maximal Disc Cash-2,048kb-12,288; Chunk Size-512; Name Cash, Path Cash etc., all within its own modules, without writing into the System’s Properties where it could be seen. Undoubtedly, it works during light and, especially, heavy loads s.a. graphic work. My sys.monitor’s always on and on rare occasion would it indicate REM’s need to unload. Without CacheMan CPU and HD never have idle time. That’s the area of my expertise on this issue. Sorry.

Much appreciate your tip on Reg. Restore. Having to uninstall ALL applications in order to use old (but good) back up would probably be my very last resort, but at least it’s a chance, while not very elegant.

In RegCleaner’s back up I just found 3 interestingly looking keys that I should try restoring. One is for McAffee Utilities’ Task Master, removed from start menu.
The other two are also from start menu:

1. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"Whet"="C:\\WINDOWS\\Application Data\\olpl.exe"

2. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"Wnsc"="C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\wnsintsv.exe"

While the Task Master is the most attractive variant, since it controls many Windows functions and should’ve been removed from Start through MSConfig or own option,
the 1 and 2 may not even be part of the system. Need to try.

Thanks for keeping an eye on the thread.

Found this
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Taskl...tasklist_w.htm
Task which is dropped onto your PC when you run the free “hidden pornography” scanner from PuritySCAN.com. At the time of writing, 9‑May‑2004,


It is listed in the Winservn box as a alias and seems to be one mean one.

Thanks for posting about wnsintsv.exe, Train. Now I recall removing this thing that came in bundled with another application I planned on testing. I do not think I ever ran the EXE, but even if it did automatically, I certainly didn’t allow it delete anything. I ran Spybot, Stinger, Trojan Scanner and VScan before and after removal. In second instance all came up negative.
Thank you.

Task Mastered restored. Still No Defrag.

RegScan shows many dead keys in ROOT under CLASSID. OLE scan brings too many of the same, including Interface references. So it must be that proper reg link(s) where removed.

Must go on searching.

BTW, following Ridge’s tip on re-registering DLLs, OLEAUT32.dll for me, eliminated page faults, thus far.

Let me throw another wrinkle into this thread. odysseus79 your post of the contents of your config.sys file showed:
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE
Question: Is your C drive compressed?
If you open My Computer and right click on C drive and select Properties, you should see a header for compression.

If you are not running any compressed drives, having compression turned on wastes conventional memory. That could cause memory problems, especially in DOS windows.

I am running my Windows 98 on a compressed drive. And it could be normal on your system. However, if you have accessed a compressed disk, Windows will often create a DRVSPACE.INI file which loads Drivespace at boot. That is not necessary if you are not booting from a compressed drive.

Just another thing to check.

------------------
My
Two Cents
Dennis
Visit Politalk

Thanks for taking the time replying, Eeyore.
No, my C: isn’t compressed. In fact, in my C>Properties there is no mention of compression anywhere. Still, I appreciate everyone’s advice.
Meantime, from RegBack up I’ve restored some promising-looking entries, but without any luck.

I may be wrong, but I continue to think that problem, somehow, has to do with Windows object creating process. If you remember, the entire “saga” began with an application crash taking down WMP, corrupting WMVCORE.dll. Then, quite frequent OLEAUT32.dll page fault, until I re-registered it. Monitor Test-Visual application also can’t start. All visual interface related. Monitor Test could probably be fixed by deleting its INI file, but don’t want to do it yet.

Finally, reason “insufficient memory” shown by MSDOS may be attributed to the fact that Defrag must run Scandisk first, which may be carried out in DOS. However, since Defrag is not DOS-based, Scandisk needs to create Graphic Interface, but can’t. Something’s missing. A link?
Lastly.
On or about the day many apps were deleted, File/Folder utility found (among few DLLs, VXDs…) these also where modified:

1. Scpthdr.dll
2. Msihook.dll
3. Knlwrap.exe
All in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Install Shield\engine\6\Intel32

Please note, that on start Defrag’s Dialog asking which drive you want to defragment is overlapped by Intel Logo.
My be a connection…

Quote:

---

Finally, reason “insufficient memory” shown by MSDOS may be attributed to the fact that Defrag must run Scandisk first, which may be carried out in DOS.

---

There are two scandisks: SCANDISK.EXE which is DOS based, normally used before WIndows starts, and SCANDSKW.EXE which is what you normally use in Windows. DEFRAG.EXE runs exclusively in Windows.

You might run SFC (Sytem File Checker). This can restore original files and report changes.

As to the compression, at the DOS prompt type:
cd c:\
attrib -r -s -h drvspace.ini
copy drvspace.ini drvspace.in_
attrib -r -s -h dblspace.ini
copy drvspace.ini dblspace.in_
del drvspace.ini
del dblspace.ini

When you reboot compression will no longer be loaded. You can delete these if all is well, or copy them back as they were originally if the compression is needed. This should free up about 50kb of memory.

------------------
My
Two Cents
Dennis
Visit Politalk

After searching trough hundreds of Internet pages this entire time still can’t initialize either Defrag no Monitor test. Even checked the cluster size, to make sure nothing changed it.
Reset Conservative Swap file to normal and had Cacheman boot for Low Memory system – No result.
Run SFC and Scandisk regularly-all normal.
BTW, I have no compression installed on C, somehow, missed it the first time.
More ideas will be most welcomed.

Several days ago I noticed that I no longer have been able to compress drive A - get that same MS Dos “insufficient memory” window. Trying to Defrag already compressed 3.5 floppy with McAfee defragmenter, which still works otherwise, results in a blue screen Windows warning: Insert disc in drive A. Closing this window, gives second message: Unable to read contents of drive A. Closing this box brings Windows back to normal.

McAfee VS, that I had to re-install and update the engine prior to this entire deal, seems to work. However, I suspect the install is somewhat crooked. But then, one never knows for sure with their applications.

Perhaps, this will give someone a clue.
Thanks.