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DWGeorge

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How to eliminate "the win 16 subsystem has insufficent resources to continue running." and get my program working again.

"the win 16 subsystem has insufficent resources to continue running." is what Win XP shows recently with an older Windows program on my Windows XP SP I machine.  I've gone to the Http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314106  microsoft page and nothing seems to help this besides rebooting and then that only works for 10 minutes or so, at best.  The program is InfoSelect Win version (v3)  ISW.   I live out of this simple program and need help to get this working.   Anyone can help?  
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Pulled from DosBox FAQ:

DOSBox emulates an Intel x86 PC, complete with sound, graphics, mouse, modem, etc., necessary for running many old DOS games that simply cannot be run on modern PCs and operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Linux and FreeBSD. However, it is not restricted to running only games. In theory, any DOS application should run in DOSBox, but the emphasis has been on getting DOS games to run smoothly, which means that communication, networking and printer support are still in early developement.

DOSBox also comes with its own DOS-like command prompt. It is still quite rudimentary and lacks many of the features found in MS-DOS, but it is sufficient for installing and running most DOS games.

FAQ link:
http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php
You know, misread the question, sorry.  Disregard my comments, for some reason I was thinking DOS.

It's friday, give me a break :-D
Is this an old Win 3.1 program?  I'm guessing probably so since it's 16-bit.
HERE IT IS!  I knew I saw a free virtual machine somewhere.  Maybe get this and load windows 3.1 or windows 95/98 and try it.

http://bochs.sourceforge.net/

Download link:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/bochs/Bochs-2.2.1.exe?download
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Well, curiosity got the better of me, so instead of going to bed I did a quick search of my archives and found my copy of InfoSelect.  Unfortunately it's older than yours - it's v1.2 for DOS.  I did a quick install in a DOS Virtual PC, and it runs fine.  I suspect your version would run fine in a WFW3.1 Virtual PC, but I cannot confirm this.   Hopefully it will work fine just by setting compatibility mode for Windows 95.  Let us know :)
Yeah, I have Microsoft's Virtual PC, that's what gave me the idea that I'd seen some free software with the same concept.  I doubt bochs works as good as Microsoft's though.

Good call on the compatibility mode, I'd like to see if that works too.
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DWGeorge

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Problem recap: "The win 16 subsystem has insufficent resources to continue running." error appears all the time for my trusty, never crashing up til now, InfoSelect V3 (ISW.exe).    Driving me crazy, needing to reboot - my main workplace program - every 20 minutes.

More hints:
Figuring it may be the system and the NT type emulation files built into XP  I've tried XP_fix.exe which rebuilds corrupted     config.nt  and other files    in the Windows XP system folder, no help there.  Additionally, we need a fix, not a Dos emulation, or virtual the program I'm sure - the InfoSelect program has always worked - 3 years on XP - before this issue.  We have, of course, reinstalled, still no good.

Here's some more hints to solve.  We have used all the MS "combatibility" controls in XP (95, 98, NT, etc.) for ISW.exe and nothing fixes this.  And the issue started after years of no problem.  Although, in the last week, occasionally, I could go to the actual ISW.exe (the name of the problematic executable program) and by going to the folder that is its home, I used to be able to click on that, as opposed to the desktop shortcut, and that would start it up sometimes. (Weird)  Now, nothing works but a reboot, and that only lasts 20 minutes or so before, while using this very small (300Kb) very elegant ISW program, the darned  "The win 16 subsystem has insufficent resources to continue running." error appears.

Here are some more details, so you experts can help:  The program (IinfoSelect from about 1992) that is giving the "The win 16 subsystem has insufficent resources to continue running." report and not loading is an early Windows (3.1) and has Always worked in Win 95, Win 98SE ME etc. and WinXP.  The problem started on Win XP SPI about 5 months ago, and the problem was a rarity at first (not loading and giveing "The Win 16 Subsytem..." report).   After I installed something...  don't remember, antivirus?... don't know what program, I started getting the error Win 16 subsystem reports more frequently.  We went wireless recently on this machine (USB connection) and now I have to reboot all the time.

Also, BlueZee above, has kindly suggested http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767 as a place to look, I'm too stupid to figure out all that they say there, but is there a clue at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767 ???  

Also, (and thanks for the help so far)  someone wrote that the error message is actually generated by the program???  Could this be.  Please help anybody!

Thanks, DW George in Northern California



The problem is there is NO workaround for your problem other than reboot.

The link I posted suggest a procedure to replace corrupted or missing:

Config.nt
Autoexec.nt
Command.com

That I believe may be worth trying.

If that doesn't solve it, AFAIK, there is no workaround, and I have seen this discussed a bit everywhere, including MS-MVP's that just say... reboot as asked to...

Best of luck,

Zee
Hi Blue Zee,

Same question, can't determine where to get the answer, since none were quite appropriate (Dos responses, Virtual shells, etc.) Thought maybe this would be the better forum.   Any ideas?

Quoting you from that old question:

"I tried to run the program on other Windows XP machines with no success."

Self-explanatory, I'm sorry.

Zee
There were a few applications which "lost" their ability to run after XP was upgraded to SP1.  Interestingly, some of these "gained it back" after SP2.  I have no way of knowing if InfoSelect was one of those, but you might go ahead and upgrade your system to SP2 and see if it makes a difference.  It's a good idea from a security & stability point to do that anyhow.

Other than that, if it still doesn't work, I'm at a loss as to what might have caused the change in it's behavior.  Other than running it in a Virtual PC (which you indicated you don't want to do), and trying the various compatibility options (which you've already done), I'm not sure there's much more you can try!
Dear Blue Zee,

We thought that the last question was going into a new "expert" area, ooops.

A reboot of Win XP every 20 minutes doesn't seem like a cure...   As I posted, we also have replaced the XXXX.nt files several times. I'm hoping somebody must know Windows XP sufficiently to start to advise where to diagnose, somebody who actually might have more practical knowledge than the MS "help" pages.  

Since this all started after three years of absoluty no problem with the program, short of reinstalling windows, we were hoping experts-exchange had somebody with experience with "the win 16 subsystem has insufficent resources to continue running." issues and had fixed this in the past.  

Ruled out config.nt and virtual Win Dos files, and using shells, any other ideas to get a program (InfoSelect 3 for Windows) - that is suddenly giving "the win 16 subsystem has insufficent resources to continue running."?
Dear Blue Zee,

Sorry.  I misspoke (mistyped?)

There was a mistake in my Comment, it should have read, I HAVE TRIED RUNNING THIS PROGRAM WITH OTHER WINDOWS XP SYSTEMS AND IT ALWAYS WORKS!  Not "no success" > success.  (It was late when I wrote the wrong words, my wife has an identical box as myself and she's had no problems with it for years, same story as I had until 3-5 months ago.  I've ported this elsewhere to other XP machines, all with success)
Dear Garycase,

Thanks for all your input, probably there's some registry setting that is bumping into ISW because of some new program... Is there anyway to check the "resources" that the error message refers to?   Thanks again.

I'm sort of confused too, try posting a pointer (a 25 pts. question) including a link to this question, in this topic area:

https://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/

This is the correct XP area.

Again, good luck.

Zee
Okay, here's a "guaranteed" way to get InfoSelect to work on your XP machine:

http://www.miclog.com/is/8/features/index.shtml

(it will cost you $99)
Dear Blue Zee, thanks for the tip re the right place to post, I appreciate, I don't spend much time ever trying to fix XP!  Thanks.

Dear Gary,  InfoSelect Now is a very capable and extensive program that is way too much for what it was orignally designed to do 12 years ago, and what we use it for everyday - instant input and text data reference at a very busy record company.  

There are plenty of heavy duty PIMs that compete with InfoSelect, we aren't interested in the new programs because the old Win version is still very well-known and still used by people in my business (recording) as the fastest, lightest and easiest to use.  The "complexity/efficiency" sweet spot on the old and fast 300kB program I'm trying to get re-working is much greater or better than the new one.  We have the new InfoSelect and we passed on all version since 3, hard to teach quick for "non executives", but thanks for the reference.
I understand -- my comment was somewhat "tongue-in-cheek", since I was fairly sure you were aware of the newer versions.  I've still got a few older programs that I use for the exact same reason -- the newer ones simply get too "bloated" and no longer work as well (IMHO).

In the early 90's I also used InfoSelect - unfortunately, as I noted earlier, the version I have precedes yours.  If I had a copy of v3, I'm sure I could get it working well -- I've yet to encounter a program I couldn't do this with (I've even got a CP/M emulator that works in a Virtual DOS machine and can run old CP/M programs).   But it's much more difficult with this format.

Have you tried updating your system to SP2?
Dear Gary,

That's a great idea, SP2.  If that doesn't work, I think it's "fair use" and OK to send you this little program by email, to see what you can see.  But, remember, it works everywhere else but my machine and only went south recently... so I'll let you know by tonight what's up;  do you follow this forum a lot, will you be there in a couple hours?
I tend to be a computer junkie -- if I'm home and my computer "beeps" with an incoming e-mail, I usually check it pretty quick.  We are going to be home tonight, so you'll probably get a pretty quick reply.
Dear Garycase,

How do I communicate privately with you by email outside of this forum, (or inside it)?  Thanks!
Add your e-mail address to your profile -- I'll check it in a bit.
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Also found this:

I have a Win 3.1 program that gets the message "The Win 16 Subsystem
has insufficient resources to continue running..."

I went to the executable, right-clicked it, and clicked the
compatibility tab. I put a check next to "Run this program in 256
colors". After I did that the program runs fine. I just changes the
display to 256 colors while the program run, and then puts it back to
the normal setting when I close the program.

I am running Win XP home edition.

Brian

Pulled from http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-515583.php
I am very disappointed to see that nobody here seems to know what they are talking about.

An excellent explanation of the issue (it is related to a bug in wow32.dll in XP) as well as a solution is to be found here :
http://www.strategyonline.co.za/blog/?p=435
and links therein.

hneves
I'm very disappointed to see that you think this is going to be the solution for every program having the "insufficent resources" error or problem. Almost anyone in the computer field recognizes the fact that similar problems may or may not have similar solutions.  Esp, when it comes to software.

But, that link you provided does offer a very good solution to try if someone else is experiencing this problem.
hneves is right to be disappointed.  Wow32.dll is the well known bug (with an insufficient resources error) which everyone failed to mention throughout this painfully drawn out post- including you Purple Tidder.