Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!decwrl!megatest!gts From: gts@megatest.UUCP (Tom Stephenson) Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms Subject: Re: what causes 'unrecoverable error'? Message-ID: <14934@megatest.UUCP> Date: 23 Jan 91 20:44:47 GMT References: <21616@neptune.inf.ethz.ch> Organization: Megatest Corporation, San Jose, Ca Lines: 28 From article <21616@neptune.inf.ethz.ch>, by brandis@inf.ethz.ch (Marc Brandis): > In article hp0p+@andrew.cmu.edu (Hokkun Pang) writes: >>are there any usual causes of the 'unrecoverable error'? I ecounter this thing >>so many times, what operation should I be cautious of? One thing that happens to many un-wary users is running out of DISK SPACE in the C:\WINDOWS\TEMP area. When the system is trying to print a file, the print manager will open temporary files. The swapper is also a file using temporary space. When you run the system out of swap space, BAD THINGS HAPPEN. Expect crash or lock up etc. I recommend that you follow the procedure recommended in the back of the windows manual to first use Norton Util to compact the hard disk then bring windows up in real mode and run swapdisk to create a permanent swap space. The effect is improved performance (cause the swap space is all in the same disk area) and protection against crashing when you print. You may lose the printout but won't crash the system. One m,ore thing... When shutting the system down, be sure to exit windows FIRST. Any 3 key reboot or power down while inside windows may leave part of a print file in the TEMP directory. You can end up with MANY temporary files in the TEMP directory... Just a little housekeeping would be to add something to clean that area in the autoexec.bat G. Tom Stephenson; Megatest Corp. (gts@megatest.UUCP) 880 Fox Ln.; San Jose, CA 95031 (408) 437-9700 {pyramid|sun|decwrl}!megatest!gts