"Out of Memory" Error Running Scanreg.exe with /Fix or /Restore

When you run Registry Checker (Scanreg.exe) with the /fix or /restore switch, you may receive an "out of memory" error message. You may also receive this error message when Scanreg.exe creates a backup copy of the registry during Windows startup.

This error message can occur if there is less than 340 kilobytes (KB) of free conventional memory. When you use Scanreg.exe with the /fix or /restore switch, more than 340 KB of free conventional memory may be required, depending on the size of the registry and the amount of damage.

To resolve this issue, increase the amount of free conventional memory to more than 340 KB. You can use any of the following methods to increase the amount of free conventional memory:

• Restart the computer to a command prompt. To do so, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Command Prompt Only. Then, run Scanreg.exe with the /fix or /restore switch.
• Rename the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Command Prompt Only. Then, run Scanreg.exe with the /fix or /restore switch. After you run Scanreg.exe rename your Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files to their original names. For information about how to rename a file, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type renaming, and then double-click the "Renaming files" topic.
• Load all devices and terminate-and-stay resident programs (TSRs) in upper memory, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Command Prompt Only. Then, run Scanreg.exe with the /fix or /restore switch.
  
  For information about loading devices and TSRs in upper memory, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  ARTICLE-ID: 134399  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/134399/EN-US/ )
  TITLE : How to Increase Conventional Memory for MS-DOS-Based Programs

You may be able to run Scanreg.exe with the /fix or /restore switch with as little as 320 KB of free conventional memory, depending on your configuration.

For additional information about Registry Checker, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: