run
kpsewhich texmf.cnf
locate the context section
decrease some mem values (main mem for instance)
regenerate formats with texexec --make (optionally --alone)
see if there's a change in the malloc message
Hans
ok! If I decrease main_memory from 1500000 to 1000000 then pdfetex needs only 56000008 Bytes (60000008 bevor) this is a factor 8! Why 8? If main_memory is given in words (longwords) I would expect a factor 2 (4), but not 8! ok, let it be quadwords! Then I decreased further mem_bot from 4000000 to 3000000 pdfetex now needs 48000008 Bytes this is a factor 8 too! The remaining 48000008 Bytes divided by 8 means 6000000 words? I have to set everything to zero then!? It looks as if there is no memory at all! In what units are all the memory entrys given? ??? Wolfgang