Microsoft KB Archive/110943

= WINSOCK API Init. Error: Not Enough DOS memory =

Article ID: 110943

Article Last Modified on 10/31/2006



This article was previously published under Q110943



SYMPTOMS
When starting WinSock applications after other applications have started you get the following error:

WINSOCK API Initialization Error: Not enough DOS memory to allocate DOS buffers for all sockets.



CAUSE
Windows uses a bottom-up memory allocation algorithm. If applications started before WinSock applications exhaust all lower memory, WINSOCK.DLL cannot initialize communication buffers in lower memory to talk to the TCP/IP protocol stack, resulting in the above error message.



WORKAROUND
Starting at least one WinSock application before any other applications allows WINSOCK.DLL to reserve the lower memory buffers needed for communication with the TCP/IP protocol stack and to retain them during subsequent memory allocations.

Additional query words: 2.20 2.2 tcpip sockets

Keywords: KB110943

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