GIMP Version: 2.8.2
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: XP - SP3
GIMP Experience: Intermediate Level

List any ERROR messages you received:
Could not allocate xxx mb of memory.

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I'm working on a fairly large image. 3700 x 4000 px. Under certain circumstances GIMP crashes. I already changed tile cache size to 2 gigs. This seems to have lessened the problem, but GIMP still crashes every so often when I try to gaussian blur, merge down a layer, apply curves etc. Not even scripts, these are filters that came originally with the program. I've also increased my virtual memory since it's Windows XP sp3. Memory -should- not be an issue, and it isn't in any other program I run except GIMP. GIMP keeps crashing with a pop up that states it could not allocate a certain amount of memory. I don't get an option to save or anything. What I've been working on is just gone to the last save and I'm finding myself saving after EVERY single operation just in case this happens again. I'm extremely frustrated. It seems to me 2.6 didn't have this issue, at least not to this extent. Does anyone have any idea how to fix this, work around it or am I just stuck with scrape and save as I have been?

Try this. In Edit>Preferences>Color_management set mode of operation to No_Color_Management. It will decrease GIMP resource consumption. Reportedly, color management itself does not cause GIMP to crash but it's well known that it slows GIMP performance down and in combination with not so powerful computer may contribute to application crashes.

P.S. 2 GiB is still not enough, though. I assigned 8 GiB (half of my RAM) to tile cache size and still GIMP crashes once in a while. But usually it happens with 10-12 huge size images opened in GIMP at once. If your XP is 32-bit then RAM is limited to 4GiB, so you have to try Color Management disabled or live with it.

Edit. You have to restart GIMP for color management changes to take effect.

Yeah, since I am on 32 bit Win XP I'm probably hosed.

Alas Xp it is usually at 32bit and so can't use much more then 2GB Ram

You may try other build maybe some is more efficent, i never had problem with the partha and samj build , even the 32 bit ones that can't use more ram that the 2GB that you already have
(well there is a possible tweak to allow use of more ram but not sure how much may be worth...from the little notes and the warning no much )

Anyway with both builds i used much more intensive filters then gaussian blur and seldom i had crash (and again never with such filters, if were problems were with some very heavy gmic filter, and some GEGL operation as C2G applied to huge images (usually bigger then yours as 4800x3200)

Disable color management may help. as increase swap space from preferences

Anyway swap space should help to avoid REAL crashes for insufficent RAM, but will not help to avoid APPARENT crash, when the program may seems deadly frozen as any other app.

But in that cases it is not really frozen, it will simple start to respond only at the end of the operation: ..yes that may mean even hours because the RAM is MUCH faster


PS my version is based on Samj/Partha portable, to be used as portable it needs only to be installed in a path with no blanc spaces (so no in C:Documents and Settings/ or C:Program Files
just C would be optimal

Just in case you want confront without have to unistall or risk conflicts

Yeah see, I don't experience any hanging up or freezing like that at all, it works like a charm right up until that pop up tells me it failed to allocate some memory. I found that if I clear my undo memory often and save at every turn, I can avoid big losses of my progress but it's still hella annoying to have to reset brush sizes and such every time I have to start gimp back up.

I don't know anything about these other builds, are they like different versions of gimp?

About partha and samj build there only minor differences but were compiled differently so it is possible that in same cases respond better.

My version even if based on Samj build is instead quite different because include many additional plugin script and add on, and a sort of switch that allow to start with all the extra enabled or to load only the gimp core (that correspond to the normal version except for the help manual preinstalled)

Honestly i didn't try yet a confront with the most recent standard build from gimp for win, but i was deluded by some of the previous

Instead i tested on xp mine, partha and samj builds and i never noticed similar problems


PS
yes reduce (from gimp Edit/preferences )undo memory and clear the memory at soon possible will help

Also close application running silently in background (there are a lot in Windows ) and add GIMP to your antivirus whitelist should improve (obviously if each gimp process is always carefully controlled in search of malicious activity everything will really slow down)

To check if is a problem connected to overzelous antivirus

1) close all internet connection
2) temporary disable all antivirus and firewall...don't mind the warning if you are not connected no virus may get in
3)now try to run gimp

PS
2 quick question:

you downloaded your gimp from the site suggested and linked on www.gimp.org ?

Do you use Norton antivirus ?

Respectively, yes, and no.

I'm running AVG and no firewall since I'm in behind a router. I don't think gimp tries to access the web anyways, does it?

I'll try again on my next large project to see if disabling AVG might make a difference. If that's the case I'll white list gimp.

AVG should not create problem

As far from gimp it will try to connect with the net only if clicking Help/online help
and if gmic is installed ,refreshing gmic filters, in both cases the process is quite safe