Why is my system low on resources?

My experience is that once in a while a problem with word happens when you save a word document over and over. For example, every day you open the same document, make a change to it, then save it. Sometime between the 20th and the 200th save, something happens in the document. I don't know exactly what it is. But on occasion opening that document will cause the out of resources error you describe. If this is the cause, the solution is create a brand new document and start over. Don't open that old document anymore. Simple!

Since the problem is happening when you first open word (I've never heard of Word "2001" version but that is another question), it is possible your "Normal.dat" file is corrupted. Search for it on your disk and rename it. I believe word will recreate that needed file when you start Word again.

One other possibility is viruses and spyware often consume massive amounts of resources. Install Ad Aware and/or Spybot and scan your disk. These can be obtained from download.com .. Also trendmicro/ offers a free online virus scanner that works very well.

TrendMicro free virus scan link is http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

For the saving word documents over and over again ... make sure that "fast saves" is turned OFF. That can cause the document to grow an grow (among other things).

first, before i start i'd like to comment on the "word 2001" article above, as far as i know there is no such thing as word 2001 lol. Anyhow, I am a music dowloader and video game mostly and i get the system low on resources problem when opening my download programs or while running them. Particularly my soulseek browser (www.slsknet.org) for those who dont know what that is, its an album/folder at a time download program. i have 92% free system resources free in my system info and have no other programs running. Even after several virus/spyware sweeps and turrning up nothing as well as reformatting my drive and reinstalling windows itself. Any ideas? please email any possible solutions to me at [Email Address Removed] and if your solutions work after i try them i will post them on this sites for others to see. Thanx a bundle :-D

What is your recommendation on how often a user should reboot / restart Windows 98? Especially if it is in high use business application and upgrading Windows is not an option.

Cheers,
Muzz

It *really* depends on what you're doing on it, and how well behaved the programs you're using are. I'd reboot at least once a day, personally, but like I said, it depends on a lot of things.

Hi,

since I've had the exact same problem yesterday, and this page pointed me (indirectly) to the right solution, I thought I might as well describe what I did, so that people getting the same problem don't have to search as I had to do.

First, indeed there's no such thing as Microsoft Word 2001 SR1. I expect it was a typo for Microsoft Word 2000 SR1, which happens to be the version I have on my Windows ME computer, and which indeed, after years of working (so so, but working) decided yesterday to freeze at start-up and freeze the entire OS with it, giving when I hit CTRL-ALT-DEL the famous "low on resources" error (while the computer had just started, and is free of viruses or spyware).

It's auctionhugh who directed me at the right solution, although he gave the wrong file name. The file you need to look for is called "Normal.dot", with an O in the extension instead of A. Word indeed freezes when this file gets corrupted, but recreates it if it is erased. So just look for instances of Normal.dot and erase them all. Note that this file has also shortcuts associated which are simply called "Normal" (without extension). Erase them too. Once you've done that, you should be able to restart Word without a problem.

Note that repair install or uninstall/reinstall won't work, as Normal.dot is situated in the Application Data folder of the user, and thus isn't touched when you reinstall Word. You really have to find the file yourself and delete it manually.

Just a note that normal.dot also holds many of your customizations - so if you blow it away, you may see many of the things you've tweaked in Word get restored to their defaults. Obviously if it's corrupt, you may have no alternative.

Thank you for resolving my problem. I was getting ready to go out and buy a new computer to save my business! You're the best!

I wish above comments will work next time i ancounter with such problem.what i do is just changed version of office.switch to 2000 if you have office xp & to 2000 if you have xp.It works all the time but i need some concrite solution,i think your ones will definitly work.