Hi everybody,
I've got an issue with memory in DOS that I was hoping someone could help me out with. I'm running Windows 98 SE and have already went through the headache of editing my .bat files to get my cdrom to load up when I shut down Windows into DOS, but now I was messing around with some old DOS games and I recieved a message saying I had insufficient memory to run the game after I installed it. The question I have is whether or not I can do anything about the memory situation and what that might. Thanks in advance for any help.
MacG

They are talking about conventional memory. Type MEM at the command prompt to find how much is in use. You then have to remove or REM things out in the config.sys and autoexec.bat to get enough memory, or better boot with a boot disk whenever you want to run the DOSGAME. If the boot disk has no config.sys or autoexec.bat on it you should have the entire 640 Mbytes of conventional memory available.

Alright Fred, I got a couple questions for ya. First, you said to edit my autoexec and config files to cut out things to save mem, but what if the only things I have loading are my mouse, sound, and cdrom drivers and I would prefer not to lose any of those, besides making a boot disk is there any other alternative to get around that??? Second, is there any way to physically add conventional memory to DOS or is whats there it??? Third, did you mean 640 Kilobytes, because I only have 638 Kbytes and am using 159 Kb to currently run things in DOS??? Thanks for your help so far and anything else you can fill me in on will also be much appreciated.
MacG

Ok... look, it's IMPossible to have the full 640K free under normal circumstances - the OS requires something to run on, after all. Usually 600 to 610 K free conventional memory can be achieved by loading programs and DOS 'high' - but this varies, depending on just what else is loaded. QEMM can free up even more.
MacG, if you only have 638K, probably some has been allotted by the BIOS for some other task. In the 'old days' having less than 640 was suspicious - viruses would often steal conventional mem - not too likely these days.
Yes, 640K is pretty much the maximum amount of conventional DOS memory you could have on the machine, although there were programs that would take away graphics capability and tack on more low memory (not too helpful unless you stick to text)
To increase free conventional DOS mem, you need to be running himem.sys and emm386.exe, then load DOS high, and load any other programs into upper memory in config.sys

config.sys

device=c:\windows\himem.sys
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe RAM
DOS=high,umb

now you can load programs into upper memory using the "device=" statement in config.sys, as well as "loadhigh" in autoexec.bat or from the command line. As well, DOS itself will use less conventional mem because it's loaded into the High Memory Area.

Check you results with:

mem/c/p

Jboy,

Just for clarification, wouldn't he need to use "devicehigh=" to load drivers high in his config.sys?

-Michael

Jboy, thanks for the info but I am not skilled in editing my config files without pretty detailed instructions. Do I put those config lines at the top of my config or can they go whereever? Also, could you go into a little more detail concerning your last paragraph to me? Does "loading programs" mean my drivers or any program I want to run in does or something else??? And last, is Michael right, do I need to use devicehigh or will device work just as well??? Thanks for all the info.
MacG

Yep... it's devicehigh= (that's what I meant, anyways, *g*)
MacG, yes it would be best to have those lines as the first 3 in your config.sys - the main thing is to have the himem line first. Once this is configured, you can use the devicehigh statement to save on conventional memory in config.sys - here's some examples:

DEVICEHIGH=C:\SBPRO\DRV\CTSBPRO.SYS /UNIT=0 /BLASTER=A:220 I:5 D:1
DEVICEHIGH=C:\CDPRO\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:MSCD001

the main thing is that these lines come after the 3 memory management lines in config.sys, and that the complete path and file name is specified for the driver - you'll probably only need to load the basic DOS drivers for your particular soundcard and mouse, either in config.sys using devicehigh, or in autoexec.bat using loadhigh (or lh)

eg:

autoexec.bat

lh c:\mouse\mouse.com

... if required for the game.

You can check your available memory from the DOS prompt and see if you have enough to run that particular game under DOS - usually 570K or so free will do it, but check your game requirements.

jboy, sorry I should have brought this up before but in Windows 98 there is a file DOSSTART.BAT that I needed to edit to get my cdrom driver to load up when I quit to DOS, will I also have to add the lines above to that file as well???
MacG

Hi MacG
Is the email address you gave in your first post, a valid one ?
Could you email me, as I have some other info for you.
krystyna35au@yahoo.com.au

I want to use my old laptop for DOS-only programs. How do I get rid of Windows 95, completely?