Can't open any more windows...

[Psyched]

Hi,

I've run into a problem which is bugging me - I tend to run (Win2k Professional) with a lot of open applications, and masses of websites - and recently I've reached a point where the system simply refuses to open any more windows. I'm not really pushing it to the extreme, I have maybe 20 IE windows, Dreamweaver, Firefox, and a few small apps and a My Computer window - for instance, and this is the limit. Now I have nearly 1GB of memory, a decentish CPU and disk space a plenty - so why the heck is it maxing out so easily?

And more importantly, has anyone else solved this, and if so - how?

Thanks,

Phil

[pentachris]

Windows system resources (http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question466.htm). Even with 20 GB of memory, even with NT/2K/XP (which handles system resources better than 95/98/ME), you're going to run out of windows system resources eventually because they're finite - and you're going to do so sooner if you open lots of resource-intensive apps (web browsers are particularly bad).

The best thing to do is to trim down Windows so that it's not running unnecessary services (try www.blackviper.com for help with that) or unnecessary programs in the background (auto-updaters, Real Player loading every time you start Windows, etc.). The less you've got running that you're not using, the more resources can be devoted to what you are using.

[Psyched]

Thanks - informative links :)

Any idea WHY this limit is 128k for the resources in question? It seems like the whole 640k conventional memory thing all over again, before they sorted out seamless extended and expanded memory.... It does reside in memory this resource doesn't it, not on the motherboard in a limited size chip or something?

And I trimmed my services down to what I thought was the bare minimum, and looking at that site you linked, wow.... bare minimum is about 3!! :) I did not know that!

Thanks - so err... other than some gains from the above, does that mean I'm stuck and there's no way to overcome it until Microsoft redesign Windows or some critical technology/costpoint lets them use a bigger file?

Phil

[pentachris]

Well, looks like I need to retract a statement - according to this site (http://www.apptools.com/rants/resources.php), NT/2K/XP have resources limited only by your RAM.

Anyone else want to weigh in with an explanation?