PC DOS: Mail Does Not Release Memory After Notice 0

• Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, MS-DOS workstation, versions 2.1c, 3.0, and 3.0b

SYMPTOMS

With versions 2.1c through 3.0b of the Microsoft Mail for PC Networks MS-DOS client, you may have difficulties reading mail under low-memory conditions. You will receive Notice 0 (out of memory) and Notice 16 (error reading mail) messages every time you try to read mail.

CAUSE

When Mail reads a message, it attempts to load the entire text of the message into memory. If the message text is too large to fit in available conventional memory, Mail notifies you of the problem. However, it does not then release the memory it allocated. Until Mail is restarted, no messages can be read.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in versions 2.1c, 3.0, and 3.0b of Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, MS-DOS workstation. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.