"Out of Memory" error on 98 laptop \ VOGONS

"Out of Memory" error on 98 laptop

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First post, by Nebula_coloma

Posted on 2022-08-06, 04:44

Nebula_coloma Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: 2022-08-06, 04:06

Hello!

I'm trying to complete Curse of Enchantia on a "virgin" (barely used by the person who gifted it to me) Dell Inspiron 7000. I have been able to play DOS games around the same timeframe/requirements and more demading games, including KQ8, just fine on it. However, when I get to the point I need to open the last door in the strange wasteland (I've played through twice in 2 different orders of game completion), I get an "out of memory" screen.

I've read and watched that I can use memmaker to alter the memory allocation, but it's not on this OS.

I'm not a developer. Just someone who collects/piecemeals older systems to run games. The whole point of the laptop is to run games on a 50" 2009 TV that just happens to have a VGA port.

I'm hoping someone can help me figure out why this is happening and how I may remedy the issue.

Reply 1 of 1, by jakethompson1

Posted on 2022-08-06, 06:17

jakethompson1 Offline

Rank Oldbie

Rank: Oldbie
Posts: 1319
Joined: 2015-11-17, 04:16

600K is not too shabby for free conventional memory, but you can try this to get some more.
Memmaker isn't included with Win9x simply because you tend not to have anywhere near the number of TSRs/drivers as on a pure DOS machine--especially a networked one--so rearranging things isn't as complex.

1. Go to C:\
2. Rename config.sys to config.bak in case you need to get the original one back
3. Create a new, clean config.sys with UMBs enabled like this:
device=c:\windows\himem.sys
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe noems
dos=high,umb
devicehigh=c:\windows\dblbuff.sys
devicehigh=c:\windows\ifshlp.sys
4. Rename autoexec.bat to autoexec.bak (and don't create a new one).

See how much MEM conventional memory you have free from your Windows DOS prompt after doing this. If something breaks so bad you can't get into windows (highly doubtful), you'd need to use command prompt only boot to rename config.bak and autoexec.bak back to their original names.

Note that this disables EMS memory (NOEMS). So if one of your other games requires EMS, you'll have to keep tweaking. I'm curious though why your screenshot shows no EMS memory, as it's on by default in Win9x. Unless you've already been messing with it or maybe I'm remembering wrong and it only shows after the "press any key to continue" prompt you have

I'm not familiar with that particular game, so of course the issue could be something totally unrelated. I'm just hoping getting UMBs on can bump you closer to 640K free.

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