PSP X3 freezes with large images

[bearspa]

I’m trying to combine three pictures. There is some overlap among them, but I need to shrink and rotate them to make the common elements match up. I took the middle picture, expanded the canvas size, and then tried to fit the next picture to it using a new layer. The problem I’m having is that PP X3 allows me to move the 2nd picture only once, but then when I go to move it again, it freezes.
I’ve provided information that might be relevant, and if more is needed, I’ll do so. I apologize if some of it is irrelevant.
The pictures are large—the first one with the expanded canvas is 130MB, and the 2nd one is 30MB. But I have a quadcore CPU, with 8GB Ram, and am using Win 7 Home Premium, which is supposed to allow me to access 8 GB.
In the interest of saving memory, I turned off History. When I load the first largest image, Resource Monitor initially shows 15% Physical Memory usage, which then settles down to 12%. When I open the 2nd image, copy it, close it, and load it as another layer on the first image, Memory usage goes to 24%. When I move this layer once, CPU usage spikes at 31%, and then drops down to 2%, and physical memory use is at 30%. When I try to move the layer again, CPU spikes to 25%, and then, after about 30 seconds, drops to 2%. Memory jumps to 30%. PSP appears to freeze—the layer does not move, and first there is the cross arrows of the Pick tool, but then it turns to a red circle with a diagonal line. Eventually, I have to close down PSP with Task Manager.
Why won’t PSP allow me to move the 2nd layer more than once? What can I do to overcome this, short of reducing the picture size?
TIA.

[df]

X3 has memory issues. Make sure you have all 5 patches installed (I believe patch 3 addresses the worst of the memory issues). PSP also can only address up to 2 gb of RAM, so by having the memory spike to 30% from 15% probably means it's approaching it's capacity, even though you have a computer capable of doing much more. The one third party tool I've found that really does make a difference is CleanMem http://www.majorgeeks.com/CleanMem_d5993.html Basically speaking it uses the memory managing software within the operating system and simply puts it on a schedule to ask programs for memory back. X3's memory issue originally was it not releasing the memory, this fixes that.

Another option of course is X4. It uses a scratch disk to negate the memory issues. CleanMem, being free, is less expensive.

[bearspa]

Thanks--I'll check my patches, although, given your statement re PSP's 2 GB limit, it probably won't help. I do use CleanMem, and have been doing so while running X3--it's a neat product. Can you explain why it is that PSP let me copy the 2nd image as a layer, but then would not let me move it? The only thing I can think of is that it has to keep track of both where it was and where it is going, despite the fact that History was turned off.

[Filly]

Patch 5 hasn't fixed the memory issue..I have heaps of memory still get that error..Cheers

[bearspa]

Filly, I downloaded the trial version of X4 based on Dan's comment, "Another option of course is X4. It uses a scratch disk to negate the memory issues", as CleanMem did not help. X4 seems to handle the memory issue with aplomb! I think I'll try it for a while, although, in my opinion, the visual appearance of the monochrome icons is not user-friendly, and I don't think it's just because of unfamiliarity.

Thanks, df, for providing a viable solution.

[Filly]

bearspa..I trialed X4 for a couple of days..
I didn't get around to testing it on memory.
the fact that the plugins I had not working in X3
the same didn't work in X4 I got rid of it..
Certainly didn't like its ugly icons..
Am sticking with X2 no problems with that..
Cheers