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Windows 98 - Increase the internal stack memory

November 25, 2013
Updated: December 6, 2021
Quick overview:

After a device installation or driver setup, it can happen in some cases that the computer immediately loses speed and performance is suddenly reduced. Stability may also decrease and the following message may appear:

Program terminated due to a stack overflow problem. A VXD file used too much stack space. Increase the MinSP settings in System.ini or remove recently installed VXDs. Currently xx SPs are in use. Press a button to continue.

This occurs when the internal stack memory, which is used for 32-bit device drivers, overflows. In this case, you can increase the stack memory, which also increases the speed of Windows.

Increase internal stack memory

1. Click on "Start/Run and enter "system.ini in the command line.

2. Now go down to the section "[386Enh] and enter a new command with the name "MinSPs=ZAHL. Valid values for the number variable are all numbers that can be divided by 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 etc. Increase NUMBER until the error message disappears.

3. Now click on "File/Save and exit the editor. After a restart, the stack overflow messages should be bitter history.

NOTE FOR NEW PUBLICATION: This article was produced by Sandro Villinger and comes from the Windows Tweaks archive, which has been built up since the late 1990s.

Founded Windows Tweaks as a teenager in 2001, his helpful PC tricks made it Germany's most visited Windows site (at the time Sandro looked like this). He then went on to write for international publications such as PC-Praxis, Computerbild, PCWorld in the USA, IMTEST.de and Hifi.de. Sandro's main job is as Global Product Marketing Lead and Consultant for various global tech companies, including Microsoft, AVG, Avast, Nero, TeamViewer, Swiss IT Security Group and now currently in the fintech sector for Gendigital. But he can't get rid of his passion and shares his tweaks here again. Privately, he enjoys traveling the world and loves Asia, especially Japan, Singapore and Korea, but also natural places like Iceland and the Nordics. You can reach Sandro via e-mail.

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