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5111
August 22nd, 2004 18:00
Software developed with Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications won't run with more than 512MB of RAM. Suggestions?
Hello!
Sorry for the length of this post--I just want to provide as much info as possible...
Here's the problem:
The following error message appears every time I attempt to open a particular piece of software. This is an exact copy, including all punctuation:
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Run-time error '2004':
Out of memory.
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The software in question is titled:
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Reparaturanleitung
BMW 628csi-M635i, Baujahr 75-89
Repair Manual
BMW 628csi-M635i, Model 75-89
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It was published by BMW Mobile Tradition, printed 1/2002.
The CD-ROM is marked with the following, which appears to be a product identification number:
D-80788
The software is a BMW repair manual on CD-ROM, with both English language and German language formats. Although the illustrations used are PDF format, they are not organized or numbered in any particular order. Also the text is not PDF, so although a picture is worth a thousand words, it's hard to diagnose or repair a car without written instructions...
The software is organized as a some sort of database, which links the technical information, illustrations, etc. by a system which resembles internet hot-links (for lack of a better description), based upon the topic of interest selected from various menus.
The back cover has the following requirements/compatibility list:
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Operating System:
Windows 95, Windows 98,
Windows NT 4.0, Windows NT 2000
Windows ME, Windows XP
RAM:
32MB
Graphic:
High Color (mind. 32768)
CD-ROM Drive:
8-x Geschwindigkeit / Speed
-------------------------------
This is my computer's current configuration info* (taken from msinfo32):
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OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 1 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name [XXXXXXX]
System Manufacturer Dell Computer Corporation
System Model Dimension 4550
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~2524 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Dell Computer Corporation A08, 9/23/2003
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\System32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskDmVolumes\[XXXXXXX]\Volume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)"
User Name [XXXXXXX]\[XXXXXXX]
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 644.13 MB
Total Virtual Memory 3.40 GB
Available Virtual Memory 2.80 GB
Page File Space 2.40 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
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*NOTE: I edited the identifyable information from the text above when copying, but otherwise it is exact.
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WHAT I HAVE ALREADY TRIED:
1. Attempted to install CD-ROM Repair manual to other computers. Installed on an XP Laptop with 512MB RAM, no error. Installed on a WIndows 2000 Desktop with 64MB RAM, no error.
2. Backed up all files I wanted to keep, scanned them with Norton AntiVirus Corporate, then put them aside.
3. Performed full diagnostic of all system components using Dell's 32bit System Diagnostics. No problems found.
4. Completely wiped both my hard drives, including writing zeros to the entire disks surfaces to ensure I had no leftover corruption.
5. Reinstalled Windows XP Professional, with no additional software--just my basic drivers, and the software with the problem. Error message remained.
6. Downloaded and installed all available "Windows Update" files, service packs, etc. Error message remained.
7. Reinstalled the Windows XP Home edition which came with my computer, configured it as in numbers 3 and 4. Error message remained.
8. Completed steps 3 thru 6 above again, then removed one of my 512MB DIMMS. Error message was not displayed, and the program worked fine.
9. Reinstalled the second 512MB DIMM, and the error message returned.
10. Downloaded and installed every patch for "Visual Basic" I could find here at Microsoft (which seemed to be related to Run-time or Out of Memory errors). Error message remained.
11. Reinstalled the rest of my drivers, software, etc., and put my backed-up files back on the hard drives.
12. Contacted Dell Support's Online Assistance. The technician worked with me online for about an hour and a half, but couldn't solve this either.
13. Attempted various "Virtual Memory" settings. Set virtual memory to the maximum allowable amount for each of my basic hard drive volumes, as well as my third "Striped" drive, but the error continues, as long as I have more than 512MB of RAM.
14. Contacted the product's vendor via e-mail. Still awating a response.
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As best as I can tell, the software was developed using an older version of "Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications" version 6.0 (I'm not sure exactly which variant of 6.0 it is). There are DLL files from MVBfA, and .gid database files which also are associated with MVBfA on the CD-ROM.
I don't want to keep opening my case repeatedly, to connect and disconnect my memory cards, since the additional RAM accelerates many of the other programs I enjoy.
QUESTIONS:
1. Is there any other way to fix this? Everything I've found on Microsoft's site applies to older versions of Windows. I can't seem to locate a solution for XP.
2. Is there any way to temporarily "Switch off" or "Disable" one of the DIMMS electronically (without opening my computer case), then "Re-Enable" after I'm done with this particular software?
3. Does anyone know: Has Microsoft addressed this issue yet--or do they plan to?
4. Can someone fill me in on how Microsoft's Online support works?
a. Do you have to pay for on-line assistance--even if the problem is caused by the incompatibility of Microsoft's own products?
b. What if the technician can't fix the problem? Do you have to pay for support--even when the problem can not be solved?
c. Realistically, how much does it really cost?
I. What if I spend one and a half hours on-line with their technician--like I did with Dell Support? How much would that cost me?
Thanks!
___Tklop
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
August 22nd, 2004 19:00
Yes. There's a switch called "maxmem" that can be used in boot.ini. I'd suggest creating a second line in boot.ini containing the "maxmem" restriction, so you don't have to edit boot.ini when you switch between the normal and restricted configurations. Here's an article describing all the boot.ini switches.
Jim
tklopfenstein
15 Posts
0
August 22nd, 2004 19:00
Sweet! I'm going to give this a try...
Thanks a million!
___Tklop
tklopfenstein
15 Posts
0
August 22nd, 2004 20:00
Jim:
If you're still there, I'm hoping you can walk me through this a little more...
I've added a line as you suggested, but I'm still showing all 1024MB of RAM.
Just what exactly do I need to do?
Is there a particular place I need to put the line?
Is all I need on the line "/maxmem=512" (of course without quotations)? It seems like there ought to be more...
How do I switch between the "Modified" boot.ini and the origional? Do I need two boot.ini files? Can I add the choice to the boot menu?
Am I asking WAY too many questions?
Thanks again for the help!
I feel like I'm getting closer...
___Tklop
tklopfenstein
15 Posts
0
August 22nd, 2004 22:00
Jim!
Nevermind!
I figured it out:
I modified the boot.ini file as follows:
Old:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
New:
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional 512MB" /fastdetect /maxmem=512
I modified the file by copying the line beneath [operating systems] and pasting it as a new line below. Next, I added the switch "/maxmem=512" to limit the operating system from using more than 512MB. Next, I modified the text for the second OS line to indicate the lesser RAM configuration.
Works perfectly!
Thanks again!
___Tklop
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
August 22nd, 2004 23:00
Jim
tklopfenstein
15 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2004 00:00
No worries, Jim!
I doubt you're getting paid to hover at my posts until I respond!
You got me working in the right direction for once!
It's sad to admit, but I've spent a lot of my free time over the last couple weeks trying to get to the bottom of this one. You can't possibly imagine my relief! Such a simple solution, too!
I had a feeling something like this was possible, but I didn't have the slightest idea how to get there. Similarly-minded solutions were offered to this "Out of memory errors--with lots of RAM" problem on Microsoft's site, but they were written for Windows 98, and Windows ME. The fixes and work-arounds involved changing settings in a few lines of the "system.ini" file. Changes to lines which my XP's "system.ini" file does not have, like the [MaxFileCache] and [Vcache] settings... I figured I was just out of luck.
Other solutions involved the use of the System Configuration Utility to arrive at the settings I just mentioned. Well, I found the System Config tool, but still did not have these settings to play with.
Thank goodness you pointed me in the right direction!
As far as figuring out how to add the "Switches" --I just punched up google and searched for "boot.ini switches" and thumbed thru the results until I found some examples. I then modified them to fit the solution you had proposed. Worked like a charm!
I still kind of wish the problem could have been solved within the software--via a patch or something--but right now, I'm feeling pretty good about this work-around!
Thanks again!
___Tklop
jwatt
4.4K Posts
0
August 23rd, 2004 01:00
So the real thanks go to you for documenting what steps you tried, and their results, so carefully.
Jim
tklopfenstein
15 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2004 04:00
Jim:
I learned thru the process of posting my pleas for help, that to put too much info in the post is usually far better than posting not enough!
Wonderful folks like you sometimes get frustrated when they find out later that you've already tried what they're now suggesting.
I spent probably a good 20 hours or more digging through search engine results, Microsoft's "Technical Discussions," newsgroups, etc. not to mention my time with a kind yet frustrated Dell technician! I even asked for help in my distributed computing project's "Help Desk" message board! I felt like I'd boiled the problem down pretty far, but I still hadn't found a way past it.
The thanks truly go to all who provided me with the bits and pieces I needed to help narrow it down to what I had in my post here--and to you for giving me the last couple of puzzle pieces!
I still consider myself a "Novice" when it comes to modern computing... My "signature" tells the story there... But I've got to admit that getting my feet wet in the last year and a half since I bought this Dell has been very educational! I've done things I never could have imagined doing within those first few months, but I haven't done any of it alone...
Thanks to help from experienced folk like yourself, I've set up "SETI at Home" to run as a "Service" on my machine--along with a caching utility, so if the power goes out, my machine will resume distributed computing upon power restoration without my having to log-in again; I've set up Dynamic drives on this machine (at first one simple, one spanned and one striped, then later went to two simple, two striped); and now I've altered my "boot.ini" file without permanently inflicting the "Blue Screen of Death" upon my humble machine!
When I think about it, the last time I was doing anything that felt this "In-Depth" -- I was writing programs for the good 'ol Commodore in Basic, and recording them to 5 1/4" floppies!
It blows my mind! I can only imagine what can lie ahead...
Anyway, thanks for the kind words, and all the help!
It's good to feel appreciated!
___Tklop