Low on Memory or System Resources? Try Closing Some Windows or Programs

Outlook
1

Hello,

I'm experiencing an issue in my company with around 100 clients. A group of 10-15 clients have been getting the "Out of memory or system resources. Close some windows or programs and try again" error over the past couple of weeks. I've attempted the following solutions:

  1. Running the repair tool

  2. Uninstalling and reinstalling the software

  3. Resetting the application

  4. Using scanpst to repair the PST file

The only solution that has worked so far is migrating them to the new Outlook, but it lacks some features from the original Outlook. Is there a permanent fix for this issue?

2

Here are some potential solutions you can try for clients who are experiencing the “Out of memory or system resources. Close some windows or programs and try again” error:

1. Close Unnecessary Programs and Background Applications

Closing unnecessary programs and background applications can free up memory and system resources. Advise clients to:

  1. Close all unnecessary programs, such as other email clients, resource-intensive software, or any applications they are not actively using.
  2. Check their startup items to ensure unnecessary programs are not launching automatically when their computer boots up. They can do this by pressing the Windows + R keys, typing msconfig, and looking under the “Startup” tab.
  3. Disable any unnecessary add-ins in Outlook that might be contributing to the memory usage. Clients can do this by going to File > Options > Add-ins, then disabling any add-ins they don’t need.

2. Update Outlook and Windows

Keeping Outlook and Windows up to date can often resolve performance issues:

  1. Check for updates to Outlook by going to File > Office Account > Update Options.
  2. Ensure all Windows updates are installed by checking the “Settings” or “Control Panel”.

3. Manage Outlook Profiles and PST Files

Sometimes, having multiple profiles or large PST files can cause performance issues:

  1. Close and remove unnecessary profiles by going to File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings, selecting the profile, and clicking “Remove”.
  2. Manage PST files by reducing their size or creating new ones. Clients can do this by creating new PST files and moving older emails into them.

4. Adjust Memory Cache

Adjusting the memory cache for PST files can help:

  1. Close Outlook.
  2. Type regedit in the Run dialog box (Windows + R) to open the Registry Editor.
  3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Office > XX.X > Outlook > PST.
  4. Create a new DWORD value named UseLegacyCacheSize and set it to 1.
  5. Save and close the Registry Editor.

5. Create a New Profile

If the issue persists, creating a new profile might be the solution:

  1. Close Outlook.
  2. Open the “Control Panel” or “Settings” and go to “Email” or “Mail”.
  3. Add a new profile and set it as the default profile.

6. Consider Upgrading Hardware

If clients have older systems with low RAM, upgrading their hardware might be necessary:

  1. Check if clients’ systems meet the minimum memory requirements for running Outlook smoothly. If not, recommend upgrading their RAM.

If these steps do not solve the issue, you can consider seeking additional help from Microsoft support or troubleshooting further to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem.