Message "Could not save because there is not enough memory (RAM)"

Question

Running Mac OS9.2.2 Suddenly start to get and error message " An error occured saving the enclosure "file name" Not enough memory" when trying to save an attachment in Microsoft Outlook. Same thing with Adobe Photoshop - when trying to save an any new file - message "Could not save because there is not enough memory (RAM)".
Already Tried:
During several freezes, suddenly my mac stop recognize any extensions. When used Microsoft Outlook and tried download an attachment got an error message type 3. So I create a new set in extensions manager and get ride of Type 3 error, but get a new error message "Not enough memory" when try to save an attachment, or "Not enough RAM" - when try to save an EPS file in Adobe Photoshop.
In Outlook ("Get Info" section)changed memory size:
Suggested Size: 7168 K
Minimum Size: 16000 K
Preferred Size: 16000 K
In all mailboxes - there are not that many messages and they are not heavy at all, I checked them all before. And I rebuilt/compressed Outlook database - holding Option while restarted Outlook...
Adobe Photoshop - started acting weird at same time. Even if I want to open a file through the menu: File - Open - it gives me the same message.
Who has any clue - please help!!!

Answer 1

Hi, Mike -
I have Outlook Express's Preferred memory allocation set to 45000K, and don't have any problems with attachments. Don't be afraid of increasing OE's Preferred memory allocation (nor IE's, either - I have that set to 65000K).
How large is the Messages file used by the account you're using in Outlook? You can examine that file here - (hard drive) >> Documents >> Microsoft User Data >> Identities >> (account folder, either the default "Main Identity" or one you've created) >> Messages.
It seems that the Messages file grows with each email received; but does not shrink when an email is deleted. Over time, especially when lots of attachments are involved, that file can get huge.
One way to help it not get too big is to -
• delete attachments after copying them to the desktop. In case you're not familiar with the easy way to copy an attachment to the desktop - select the email so it opens; click the small triangle next to the legend "Attachments" between the upper pane and the lower pane in Outlook's main window; drag the attachment from the list out onto the desktop. It will be extracted and copied to that location. Once that has been done you can delete the attachment from the email with which it arrived.
• after purging your emails of unneeded emails and attachments, compact the file. To do that, quit Outlook if it is running. Then hold down the Option key and start up Outlook. A splash screen will appear asking if you want to compact its database files - click yes. Follow the prompts.
Compacting OE's database can also fix some instances of a damaged database that can't be used.
If you could answer a few more questins, perhaps we can offer additional suggestions -
1) How much RAM do you have installed? That means the physical RAM, not counting Virtual Memory in use, if any.
2) How full is your hard drive - how big is it, how much free space is left unused?
3) When was the last time you rebuilt the desktop file?