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Thread: [RESOLVED] Allocating more memory in notepad

  1. #1

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    Resolved [RESOLVED] Allocating more memory in notepad

    I am looking for if it´s possible to allocate more memory for notepad in Windows 7. In win10, notepad opens 80 MB txt file pretty fast, but in w7 opening even 500 KB file is a problem (more than 5 minutes).

    I´ve looked at notepad´s registry settings, but I was unable to find an appropriate option. Is there a way how to do this?

    Thanks a lot.

  2. #2
    PowerPoster Arnoutdv's Avatar
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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    Use a different text editor. Like Textpad, Notepad++ etc etc

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    PowerPoster jdc2000's Avatar
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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    I just opened a 19,032 KB (18.5 MB) file on a Windows 7 Dell OptiPlex 760 with 8 MB of memory and loads of other stuff running in under 5 seconds. If your Windows 7 system is taking 5 minutes, then you likely have something else beside memory issues.

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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    Of course I know, but I prefre notepad, of course.

    I have 4GB total (3.70 usable), so free memory is approximately 2.3GB. I don´t have opened any app except avast antivirus and firemin, but I´ve encountered same behavior when these wasn´t installed. Increase notepad´s process priority does not help.

    Any other ideas?

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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    Something is wrong with your system if it takes 5 min to open a 500 KB file.

    I hate the limitations of Notepad in general so now use Notepad++.

  6. #6
    PowerPoster jdc2000's Avatar
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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    What does Task Manager show is using CPU cycles when you try to open a 500 KB text file?

    Might need to use Process Monitor to track down the offending application. (Hint: It probably isn't Notepad.)

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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    there are differences in the versions of notepad, purposefully hardcoded in there, and related to how notepad handles memory. Windows 7 notepad is only designed to handle files up to about 58 mb in size maximum, and has a page memory of only 32 kilobytes. Anything larger than that is dynamically loaded from the file using a seek. the upshot of this is the farther you scroll down a file, the longer it takes to view the next piece, and it's expected to take multiple minutes for large files in windows 7 and 8. The version in xp can't even display them at all. This was fixed in 8.1 and windows 10 to set the limit to the max file size of the file system.

    The tech has always been available to view large files, but microsoft doesn't want you to use notepad for that. They included a 2nd program called Write (or Wordpad, depending on which version of windows you are on). Even with huge file support, it still doesn't support anything besides plain text.

    Final verdict: The behavior you are experiencing is expected, and you need to use a different program.
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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    Quote Originally Posted by jdc2000 View Post
    What does Task Manager show is using CPU cycles when you try to open a 500 KB text file?

    Might need to use Process Monitor to track down the offending application. (Hint: It probably isn't Notepad.)
    See attached file.

    notepad_memory_report.zip

    Quote Originally Posted by Lord Orwell View Post
    there are differences in the versions of notepad, purposefully hardcoded in there, and related to how notepad handles memory. Windows 7 notepad is only designed to handle files up to about 58 mb in size maximum, and has a page memory of only 32 kilobytes. Anything larger than that is dynamically loaded from the file using a seek. the upshot of this is the farther you scroll down a file, the longer it takes to view the next piece, and it's expected to take multiple minutes for large files in windows 7 and 8. The version in xp can't even display them at all. This was fixed in 8.1 and windows 10 to set the limit to the max file size of the file system.
    It´s possible to alter notepad´s page memory? notepad´s regedit preferences does not contains this option.

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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    I wouldn't expect any magic setting to change the behavior of the executable. With different operating systems, the notepad.exe file has been rebuilt. You're not running the same executable on each of the systems. For instance, if I try to take notepad.exe from a Windows 10 system (64-bit OS) and copy it to an XP system (32-bit) and try to run it, it will give an error ("Notepad is not a valid Win32 application").

    Notepad has been improved as the Operating system's have been improved and has become more capable, but that is likely a change in the executable, not a settings change.

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    coder. Lord Orwell's Avatar
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    Re: Allocating more memory in notepad

    I'm surprised notepad even has a regedit entry. It's not designed for anything fancy. It's supposed to be a fast-opening plain-text viewer. Use notepad++
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    Re: [RESOLVED] Allocating more memory in notepad

    Most likely there was some misconfiguration somewhere... on my brand new win10 notepad openens large files pretty fast!
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