Plugging memory leaks




Hope you can help, I am running Netscape 3.0 with a DX2/66 with 16Mb RAM and I have about 90Mb of space on the hard drive and I am also running Windows 95. My problem is that Netscape keeps giving out of memory messages, especially when I want to open Word 6.0.
I'm getting really annoyed as I thought Windows 95 was supposed to manage memory better, or is it that Netscape 3 is a lot hungrier? I realise I may not have my setup right as I have just installed it and run it so if you have any special tips I would be greatly appreciative.
- Greg Olsen


I doubt the problem lies with Netscape or Windows 95. One possibility is that you have faulty RAM. If your computer came with any utilities, run these, otherwise obtain a copy of a program such as Norton Utilities which can test a computer's RAM.
If the RAM checks out the most likely explanation is a memory leak. These are caused by programs that make a request to use memory, but when finished refuse to release it. Closing the program should release all this memory. System Monitor can be used to track the leaks. If you have installed Windows 95 from disk you will need to download it from Microsoft's Web site. It is part of the CD-ROM extras. From the Edit menu choose Add Item. From Category choose Kernel, from Item choose Threads. To monitor this over time choose Line Charts from the View menu. Threads are program sub-components that get created to execute a particular task within a program. What you are looking for is a constant build-up of threads while a particular application is running. Specifically look at any programs that load in the background during system startup.
- Roy Chambers


Category: Hardware, Win95
Issue: Mar 1997
Pages: 172

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