Recently, many Windows users have been running into a problem with mounting (“mounting” is the act of connecting to a designated file system or device) a Windows shared drive, namely “mount error(12): Cannot allocate memory”. This issue basically means that the OS (operating system) can’t get enough memory assigned to the drive, thus resulting in an inability to mount it and access its contents.
While this can be frustrating and may seem intractable, there are actually a few solutions to this problem that users can try. The first step is to ensure that Windows is up to date and that all of the relevant patches and updates are installed. Next, users should check the system event log for errors – any entries here may provide clues as to why the mounting operation is failing. Finally, users can try resetting the Network Access Credentials, as this may help resolve issues with authentication.
If none of these steps work, then more drastic measures may have to be taken. Users can try disabling their Firewall and anti-virus programs temporarily (though obviously this should only be done with caution). Another option is enabling EnableLinkedConnections for the user profile – this will allow the operating system to recognize network shares in non-standard locations. Finally, it may be necessary to install additional RAM (Random Access Memory) or reconfigure existing RAM in order to bump up the amount allocated to each virtual machine (Windows utilizes virtual machines).
While mount error(12): Cannot allocate memory can be a frustrating issue, fortunately there are steps users can take in order to try and resolve it. Keeping Windows up to date is always a good idea, and checking the system event log may reveal helpful clues as to why the mounting operation is failing. If all else fails, then more drastic – yet still relatively simple – measures such as disabling firewalls and anti-virus programs or adding memory should do the trick.
When working with a Windows shared folder, sometimes you might encounter the dreaded “mount error (12): Cannot allocate memory”. This issue is quite common and it can be a challenge for anybody, regardless of their IT skills level.
Fortunately, there are some things that you can do in order to quickly resolve this issue. Below we will go over some potential solutions for this common problem.
The first thing you should try is to restart your system and then try reconnecting to the shared folder again. Reboot your computer and check if the issue has been resolved. If it has not, move on to the next solution.
If restarting your computer didn’t help, the next step would be to delete the credentials associated with the Windows share from Windows Credential Manager. To access Windows Credential Manager, open Control Panel and click User Accounts then click Manage Your Network Passwords. Here you’ll see a list of saved credentials stored on your computer. Click each of the credentials listed that are associated with your Windows share and then select Remove when prompted. Once all of the associated credentials have been removed try connecting to the shared folder again and see if that corrects your issue.
If neither of these solutions works for you, you can also try increasing the virtual memory on your computer. The “mount error (12): Cannot allocate memory” could be related to issues with the amount of free space available in the virtual memory area of your system. To increase virtual memory, access System Settings then select Advanced System Settings followed by clicking Change under Virtual Memory Settings. From here you should adjust the initial size and maximum size both to double what they were before, then click Set followed by OK. After increasing virtual memory size, try reconnecting to the shared folder again and see if that fixed your issue.
