| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Daisy |
Posted - 11/18/2010 : 05:58:38
Please can you help ??
I am saving all my designs onto an external hard drive but today keep getting the message 'out of memory' when I try and save.
I am using a laptop to design on (capacity 55.8GB and have used 11.8Gb); the external hard drive has a capacity of 465Gb and I have used only 930 Mb; so both the laptop and the external drive have plenty of memory left - so why can't I save??
I have been saving motifs to new libraries as I have been working, and have copied these libraries onto the hard drive as well - would it make any difference if I deleted these libraries from the main program on the laptop (can I even DO that?)
I have been using the wonderful 'underlay' feature a lot, but have removed the underlay each time as soon as I have finished. Each time,before I close the laptop I do a disc clean and defrag to remove traces of deleted patterns etc - so do you have any idea why I can't save??
I'd be REALLY grateful for your help.
Thanks |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Daisy |
Posted - 11/18/2010 : 23:31:05
Thank you both for your replies: the laptop is running XP. No, it won't let me save to anywhere. It got to a stage yesterday that it wouldn't let me copy and paste either.
I think you are correct; it's probably something to do with the computer's settings: I'll try to get someone to look at it.
Thanks again for your time and patience ; have a good weekend. |
| Mark |
Posted - 11/18/2010 : 10:06:44
What version of windows are you running? Are you able to save the pattern to your main hard drive instead of the external drive?
Mark Miller
M&R Technologies |
| Dragonlair |
Posted - 11/18/2010 : 09:42:12
I was just explaining the time situation. On another board, I have been known to get 3 or 4 emails within 5 minutes on the same subject. I guess I'm kinda sensitive to the situation. 
It may just be that your borrowed computer has a limited amount of memory. I have 2 GB of memory on my machine right now. You can use Control Panel for the System option to see just how much memory you do have. Or you could move your mouse to the task bar, right-click in an open area and select "Task Manager". Check the "Performance" tab to see how much memory you have and how much is available. The "Applications" tab will show what applications are running. Processes and Services are a bit lower down and you don't have a lot of control over what is there.
In my case (as an example), I have 2 Firefoxes, Excel, Windows Explorer and VuewMinder Calendar Lite (Windows Calendar quit working) running at this time. The performance tab shows the CPU usage fluctuating wildly between 2% and 25% - not bad for all that's running and the physical memory usage at 51%. There are other numbers there but those are the most important. If your physical memory percentage is too high, it could be an indicator of your problem.
Diane
There is no such thing as a stupid question
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| Daisy |
Posted - 11/18/2010 : 08:24:47
Hello Diane
I wasn't getting impatient - I'm really sorry if that's what you thought - it's just that with this computer (borrowed and unreliable) I'm never sure if things have got where I sent them, so often have to send things in more than one way.
Believe me, I am aware of the time difference (I'm also working with folks in Australia) and don't expect quick replies. I really appreciate all the help and advice I've already had from you all; I do try to resolve things myself first so as not to waste your time.
Re your suggestions - all other applications were off when using PC Stitch. So maybe I need to look at the computer settings?
Thanks for your help. |
| Dragonlair |
Posted - 11/18/2010 : 07:55:18
First of all, "out of memory" does NOT mean space on your drives. It is referring to the CPU processor memory - a totally different number. Possibly reduce the other applications you have running - such as Word or Excel. That might help. It sounds like you're trying to save a big file. If you have "auto-save" turned on (HIGHLY recommended) then you won't loose all your data.
A second issue is the emails. I don't know why you can post here but not send an email. However, a rapid reply should not be reasonably expected, even if you did manage to send one. You are obviously a far different time zone than where PCStitch is developed. Also, you have to be patient. Even if everybody were awake, a wait of 30 minutes is extremely short in which to get impatient. Nobody watches their emails that closely. Receiving a response faster is more of an accident of getting your message through JUST as someone was checking the emails.
PCStitch's base time is EST (GMT-5). Your messages were posted just before 6:00 AM and a bit before 6:30 AM. Most likely, Mark was just getting out of bed then (if even his alarm is set that early). I was sound asleep when your message was posted. I'm the same time-zone.
Using defrag that often is not helpful. The computer can very easily handle some fragmentation. When you defrag, you probably get a message of how much fragmentation is found on the drive. Usually in terms of percent not fragmented. If that is under 90% then defragmentation will help, otherwise, it's not likely to help. Defragging does not REMOVE the little pieces of older versions. It just over-writes them and that is not dependent upon a defrag. Any normal save renames the previously latest save to a backup form and then writes a new copy. The previous backup version is deleted and the space made available for re-use. DEFRAG is not needed.
A Disk Clean operation is OK - depending on what options you are cleaning. I don't know if you need to do it EVERY time but routinely is good. I do it weekly on my desktop PC (I don't have a laptop).
At this point, the only suggestions I have are:
Close all other applications running that you can. Look at the task bar and right-click close everything you see other than PCStitch.
Turn off the internet just while you are trying to save so you can also disable your firewall and antivirus to free up more memory.
With the task bar now cleared, try your save.
Even if it does not work, check your files. Check the DATE/TIME of the .bpt copy of your pattern. If it has changed, then at least some data has been saved.
Try the email again.
Good Luck!
Diane
There is no such thing as a stupid question
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| Daisy |
Posted - 11/18/2010 : 06:27:17
Hello again;
I've tried notifying you about the memory problem via your support e-mail when the error message appears, but it won't go through.
I've just tried saving again, and got the message 'Parameter is not valid' - so still can't save.
I really don't want to lose my work (design for an Australian magazine)so I'd be grateful for any ideas, please.
(P.S. why isn't there a 'smilie' for "really worried" ??)
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