Win32Exception Not enough storage is available to process this command

Question

Through my automated crash collection for MaxTo I got the following crash report:

V8.12.0.0 - System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception - :Void UpdateLayered():0
Version: MaxTo8.12.0.0
Exception: System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception
Error message: Not enough storage is available to process this command
Stack trace: 
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.UpdateLayered()
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnHandleCreated(EventArgs e)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmCreate(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmCreate(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
  at MaxTo.MainForm.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

Another stacktrace:

Version: MaxTo2009.9.0.0
Exception: System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception
Error message: Not enough storage is available to process this command
Stack trace: 
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.UpdateLayered()
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnHandleCreated(EventArgs e)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmCreate(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmCreate(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

In this latest stack trace there is no reference to MaxTo at all, and 90% of the crashes I get are with stack traces similar to the above.

Reading around on the net I find that this error is usual if you forget to release or dispose variables. When looking through my WndProc, which seems to sometimes have the problem pass through, I cannot find a single place that hangs on to references to any objects. All but one of the variables are local to WndProc, and should therefore be garbage collected when the method terminates.

protected override void WndProc(ref Message m)
{
    base.WndProc(ref m); // I'm assuming the first trace can be caught here
    IntPtr hwnd = m.WParam;
    // Our hook tells us something got maximized
    if (Win32Import.UWM_MAXIMIZE == (UInt32)m.Msg)
    {
        // Figure out if we are temporarily disabled or using alternative profiles
        KeyStateInfo keyState = KeyboardInfo.GetKeyState(Settings.AlternativeProfileKey);
        Rectangle r = FindRectangle(MousePosition, (Settings.EnableAlternativeProfile && keyState.IsPressed ? AlternativeRegions : Regions));
        // Did we find a rectangle to place it in?
        if (r != Rectangle.Empty)
        {
            Rectangle position = Win32Import.GetWindowRectangle(hwnd);
            Rectangle previousPos = GetLocation(hwnd);
            if (position == r && previousPos != Rectangle.Empty)
            {
                // We are restoring the original position
                Win32Import.SetWindowPos(hwnd, IntPtr.Zero, previousPos.X, previousPos.Y, previousPos.Width, previousPos.Height, Win32Import.SWP_NOZORDER | Win32Import.SWP_NOSENDCHANGING);
            }
            else
            {
                // We are maximizing to a region
                Win32Import.ShowWindow(hwnd, Win32Import.WindowShowStyle.Restore);
                Win32Import.SetWindowPos(hwnd, IntPtr.Zero, r.X, r.Y, r.Width, r.Height, Win32Import.SWP_NOZORDER | Win32Import.SWP_NOSENDCHANGING);
                // Make sure we remember this location
                RememberLocation(hwnd, position);
            }
        }
    }
    else if (MaxTo64WindowHandleMessage == m.Msg)
    {
        // Store the window handle of our 64-bit subprocess
        SubProcess64WindowHandle = m.WParam;
    }
}

I have not been able to reproduce the error, even while running the program over multiple days.

My assumption is that the system is low on either unfragmented memory or GDI handles, but I cannot confirm this anywhere. There does not seem to be any good documentation on this error.

Any ideas what else it could be? Can I do anything to prevent this error?

Update: The question was reopened with more stack traces, because of the lack of a decent solution. Simply ignoring it does not solve the problem.

Not related to the question but how do you collect crash reports? — Giorgi
Using Fogbugz BugzScout (Google it), and a custom-written global error handler in the program. It is not too hard. — Vegard Larsen
Is anything reported in the Windows Application event log at the time of the error? — Steve Ellinger
Not that I know of. All I know of this error are the stack traces above. — Vegard Larsen
Are you trying to show a non opaque window? I mean, a transparent one? Has your user an old graphics card (not supporting transparencies and glass effects, things like that?). — vulkanino

Lars Truijens Lars Truijens · Accepted Answer · 2009-02-14T12:15:58

Leaking or using to many GDI objects/handles. Those could cause a resource heap shortage. You might not be able to reproduce because your users might have other GDI resource heavy programs running or use Terminal Server in which case they have to share some of the heap with the other users. See System Error. Code: 8. Not enough storage is available to process this command

Here you can read about the Desktop Heap Monitor tool to diagnose desktop heap problems.

Here and here and here are GDI leak detection tools.

Win32Exception Not enough storage is available to process this command

4 Answers