Malik wrote on 2021-10-12, 09:45:

Greetings.

Does anyone know of a simple command line utility to run in DOS to show if the system is running in Real mode or Protected mode?

Just a curiosity. Thanks.

I have compiled a simple utility that just shows that:

CHKCPU also works as well for checking the CPU operating mode in addition to displaying additional information such as multiplier and FSB.

@Falcosoft
Very nice small utility 😀

Question:
Is it possible to also show if unreal mode is active?
For example, there are games that do not work in v86 mode, only in real mode.
For these, I like the Micronics MICEMM memory manager, as it is an EMM386 equivalent that can work in unreal mode (eg with the REAL option), so EMS and UMBs are available without v86 mode.

retardware wrote on 2021-10-12, 16:13:

@Falcosoft Very nice small utility :) […]
Show full quote

@Falcosoft
Very nice small utility 😀

Question:
Is it possible to also show if unreal mode is active?
For example, there are games that do not work in v86 mode, only in real mode.
For these, I like the Micronics MICEMM memory manager, as it is an EMM386 equivalent that can work in unreal mode (eg with the REAL option), so EMS and UMBs are available without v86 mode.

I do not know how to check unreal mode easily (since unreal mode isn't an actual CPU mode) and I also do not know if it's relevant in this context: i.e. unreal mode has the same characteristics as real mode (you can run privileged instructions etc. the same way as in real mode).
BTW here is a modified version that sets the exit code according to real/protected mode result (0/1) so you can use it more easily from batch files by testing 'errorlevel'.

@Edit:
It does not check if CPU is supported or not but works correctly on any 286+ CPU (386 is not required)

retardware wrote on 2021-10-12, 16:13:

I like the Micronics MICEMM memory manager, as it is an EMM386 equivalent that can work in unreal mode (eg with the REAL option), so EMS and UMBs are available without v86 mode.

How EMS memory performs with that expanded memory manager? Seems interesting considering that it uses the uncommon unreal mode.

Falcosoft wrote on 2021-10-12, 17:06:

I do not know how to check unreal mode easily and I also do not know if it's relevant in this context: i.e. unreal mode has the […]
Show full quote

I do not know how to check unreal mode easily and I also do not know if it's relevant in this context: i.e. unreal mode has the same characteristics as real mode (you can run privileged instruction etc. the same way as in real mode).
BTW here is a modified version that sets the exit code according to real/protected mode result (0/1) so you can use it more easily from batch files by testing 'errorlevel'.
PMODE.zip

@Edit:
It does not check if CPU is supported or not but works correctly on any 286+ CPU (386 is not required)

The ERRORLEVEL usage for batch files and the fact that it can work with 286 CPUs makes it useful. 👍

Thank you! Just what I was looking for.