gabe@sol.ctr.columbia.edu (Gabe Wiener) (11/03/90)
Now that I've gotten my SE/30 up and running with 4 megs, I'm encountering a new problem. System and Finder, running under multifinder, take up about 1,200K or so. I generally leave Smartcom running, taking anohter 350 or so K to keep that up. Now here's the problem. When I run MS Word, that takes up another meg or so. When I quit out of MS Word, and then try to run a memory-hungry program like PageMaker, there suddenly isn't enough memory available EVEN THOUGH I HAVE QUIT OUT OF MS WORD. For some reason, the system isn't recognizing the memory that MS Word was using as free. Whith MS Word running, I have about 1100K free, and without it running I have about 1400K free, even though MS Word takes a megabyte of space. Where is the extra memory going? How can I force the system to do a good old-fashioned garbage collection? Email responses please. I'll summarize if appropriate. -- Gabe Wiener - Columbia Univ. "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings gabe@ctr.columbia.edu to be seriously considered as a means of gmw1@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu communication. The device is inherently of 72355.1226@compuserve.com no value to us." -Western Union memo, 1877
jkain@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Jeff Kain) (11/03/90)
gabe@sol.ctr.columbia.edu (Gabe Wiener) writes: >Now here's the problem. When I run MS Word, that takes up another meg or so. >When I quit out of MS Word, and then try to run a memory-hungry program like >PageMaker, there suddenly isn't enough memory available EVEN THOUGH I HAVE >QUIT OUT OF MS WORD. For some reason, the system isn't recognizing the >memory that MS Word was using as free. I have this problem on my Plus - it only seems to happen when I quit without saving a document, or if I quit after having saved a document. If I choose quit and go through the dialog boxes "You have made changes..." and click "no" (don't save) usually the memory will not be reclaimed. If I choose yes, the memory will be reclaimed. If I save, and then choose quit, sometimes (though less frequently) the memory will not be reclaimed. >Where is the extra memory going? How can I force the system to do a good >old-fashioned garbage collection? Reboot. :( Jeff Kain Macintosh Support Technician Indiana University Computing Services -- "Quoth the raven, `Eat my shorts!'" -Edgar Allen Poe / Bart Simpson
RMG3@psuvm.psu.edu (11/07/90)
In response to two notes on the problems of opening memory hungry programs after MS Word, under multifinder. The problem is likely not what you think. I have encountered this myself with other large programs as well, not just MS Word. What has turned out to be the problem (for me) is that although the total memory available is plenty to open the monster program, the largest block available is not. Multifinder (according to the manual) requires a contiguous block of memory to open a program. Something requiring 2 Mb of memory demands not only that you have 2 Mb, but that it occupy a single block within the address space. You are quite likely running in to a situation where your other programs occupy small, but strategic, portions of memory. The solution, or work around, given in the manual is to close and re-open your other applications. The work around is not elegant, or even convenient. Add to my wish list for system 7 the hope that multifinder (which will apparently be the _only_ finder available) will learn how to manage memory so that you only have to have 2Mb free to open a 2Mb program. No nonsense about it being a contiguous block. Bob Grumbine a.k.a. rmg3@psuvm.psu.edu Not only do I not speak for my employer(s), I may not even be speaking for myself.