I am getting this dreaded error every time I boot up. It only occurs after I install my NEW Soundblaster Live! 5.1 sound card. ***EMM386 not installed - unable to set page frame base address.*** I have checked my config.sys and it only contains the following two lines: device=c:\windows\himem.sys device=c:\windows\emm386.exe I have checked the locations of my himem.sys and emm386.exe and they are both in the windows directory. I have done some reading about emm386 and contacted soundblaster but I can't seem to get anywhere. Do I need to add "RAM" to the end of my "device=c:\windows\emm386.exe" line in the config.sys? I believe that I am getting this error because my soudblaster Live! is trying to load some dos drivers that require upper memory. I also thought however, that if these two lines were present in my config.sys that my upper memory would be available. Can anyone help??? I want to get rid of this error! **Side note** In addition to receiving this error upon startup, I also am not able to restart my computer in MS-DOS mode - the computer just pauses and reboots normal into Windows 98. Both of these problems occur when I install my soudblaster Live! 5.1 software. I have tried to format my c: drive and start from scratch. I load Win 98 (first edition) and the drivers for all my other hardware (video card, modem, mainboard, etc.) but as soon as I install my sound card software, the problems arise again. PLease help! Many thanks!!

Why not just try adding the (ram) parameter and see what happens? Page frames are used for expanded memory. DOS 6 Helps sez: RAM=mmmm-nnnn Specifies a range of segment addresses to be used for UMBs and also enables EMS support. If you do not specify a range, EMM386 uses all available adapter space to create UMBs and a page frame for EMS. Your question might be better addressed to the Win9x help page tho'

Thanks - I will try this. I don't quite understand what "range" of segment addresses are and which range to assign. How do I determine what to put there?

Don't worry about it - you probably don't need to specify any range. Just tack on the 'ram' parameter. 'If you do not specify a range, EMM386 uses ALL available adapter space to create UMBs and a page frame for EMS.' This may not be the answer, expanded memory went out with bell bottoms, but the 'page frame' reference indicates some program expects it. Most DOS commands will reveal their secrets by adding a ? at the end. eg - EMM386 /? will give you a whole pile of program options. I don't know if '98 still carries it, but the dos6 help program (qbasic) is invaluable for configuring dos commands.

I am having the exact same problem ever since i got my Sound Blaster Live 5.1 platinium.The response i got from Creative was to reassign irq by switching pci slot cards?? I did that but still no use, it's really irritating!I've reformat and start to load on device driver at a time and all goes well until soundblaster!Kevin would you mind e-mailing me with the solution. thank you.

Ozzy, I believe Kevin reposted on the Win9x page # 74274

Click the Start button, click Run, and then type sysedit in the Open box. Click OK. The System Configuration Editor will appear with the C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file in the foreground window. Click the [X] in the upper-right hand corner of the C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT window to close it. The C:\CONFIG.SYS window will now be in the foreground. Modify the line DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.exe to read: DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.exe M6 I=E00E3FF Click File in the System Configuration Editor menu, then click on Save. Exit the System Configuration Editor. This was a method of resolving it, I got this at another website that solved my emm386 not installed error, but now I got initialise NTKERN error. So try this and then go to this error.