BTW, for testing purposes, I just reverted all of the tweaks that I added manually (including the EMM386 line listed previously) and let MEMMAKER.EXE work its magic on the unmodified AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS. Surprisingly, it achieved an even better result, giving me 614 KB of free conventional memory. And this is without using any of those memory ranges and without HIGHSCAN.
I think I'm good with that and will likely keep this setup.
Could you share your current Config/Autoexec? I'm curious what exactly MemMaker did here. Others can learn from it too, I'm sure. 😀
Could you share your current Config/Autoexec? I'm curious what exactly MemMaker did here. Others can learn from it too, I'm sure. 😀
Sure thing. For reference, the files are from this rig running DOS 6.22 + Win 3.11. Note that I'm deliberately using the bloated Microsoft mouse driver v9 because of this issue with my BIOS, but MEMMAKER somehow manages to load it high.
Sure thing. For reference, the files are from this rig running DOS 6.22 + Win 3.11. Note that I'm deliberately using the bloated Microsoft mouse driver v9 because of this issue with my BIOS, but MEMMAKER somehow manages to load it high.
Thanks! I was going to ask about that MOUSE thing. 😁
Comparing to my startup files over there, it seems like the difference with all these EMM386 switches only amounts to ~8K of UMBs on my system. I guess EMM's default heuristics do a pretty good job finding free UMBs, while MEMMAKER does a great job utilizing them. Your free UMBs are all in one 46K chunk, thanks to the /L /S switches. You could even fit SMARTDRV in there, and a few other goodies, like DOSKEY.
I see the main difference in free conventional memory is that on my setup, COMMAND and parts of DOS are loaded in the high memory, while on your system they are all loaded low according to MEM/C/P. Part of it is probably due to DOS 7 vs DOS 6 (DOS 7 can load more stuff HIGH by default), but maybe it also has to do with the relatively late positioning of DOS=HIGH in your CONFIG.SYS? I don't remember if it has any effect.
You could even fit SMARTDRV in there, and a few other goodies, like DOSKEY.
I do use SMARTDRV on physical hard disks, but I don't see much benefit from it on a CF card, which is what my DOS 6.22 system is running on.
but maybe it also has to do with the relatively late positioning of DOS=HIGH in your CONFIG.SYS? I don't remember if it has any effect.
Originally, I had a single line with DOS=HIGH,UMB near the top of my CONFIG.SYS. For some reason, MEMMAKER split that into two lines and changed the position. I have no idea why.
Note that I'm deliberately using the bloated Microsoft mouse driver v9 because of this issue with my BIOS, but MEMMAKER somehow manages to load it high.
I came here for memory tricks but ended up with a new mouse driver. The Microsoft mouse driver v9 fixes a few things on my Cyrix MediaGX1 system. I noticed with CuteMouse Windows wouldn't load and only version 2 gave me what I thought was OK performance. Apparently some delays in software (for example FastTracker 2 not keeping tempo) were caused by CuteMouse and are now solved!
Note that I'm deliberately using the bloated Microsoft mouse driver v9 because of this issue with my BIOS, but MEMMAKER somehow manages to load it high.
I came here for memory tricks but ended up with a new mouse driver. The Microsoft mouse driver v9 fixes a few things on my Cyrix MediaGX1 system. I noticed with CuteMouse Windows wouldn't load and only version 2 gave me what I thought was OK performance. Apparently some delays in software (for example FastTracker 2 not keeping tempo) were caused by CuteMouse and are now solved!
That's interesting, did you try to load windows without cutemouse? A boot menu with multiple voices it's the best thing.
Yes, I made a bat to unload CuteMouse on start of Windows 3.11 to circumvent this issue. With CuteMouse loaded it wouldn't start or would start without a mouse.
Yes, I made a bat to unload CuteMouse on start of Windows 3.11 to circumvent this issue. With CuteMouse loaded it wouldn't start or would start without a mouse.
Sorry, I thought you were talking about windows 98.
I use cutemouse and windows 3.11 on my 486 build, but I haven't those issues.
Could you correct me ? And does "set RAM=" actually work ?
Do you mean the RAM parameter of EMM386.EXE? That specifies a range of segment addresses to be used for UMBs and is not invoked with SET.
Regarding your setup, I'm not that knowledgeable about manually tweaking DOS conventional memory settings. The last time I tried, I barely got around 590 KB free. Reverting all of my tweaks and then letting MEMMAKER.EXE do its job gave me a much better result. Maybe someone who's more familiar with the subject can give you some tips for manual adjustments.
I've had an issue with CuteMouse where Win 3.11 tried to set it up as a Logitech mouse by default (and it wouldn't boot with that). Switching to Microsoft in Windows setup fixed that.
It happened on an ISA8 PS/2 adapter, the mouse is actually a Microsoft Intellimouse using PS/2 to USB converter dongle
wish i had this thread during the 90s
it was so pain in the ass to get that Larry VGA remake game and many others. Which i ended up playing thanks to QEMM i belive, that program saved my life.
I'd use CTMouse instead mouse.sys and SHSUCDX instead of MSCDEX. Never had any compatibility problems with it.
Also, do you really need that display.sys and country.sys lines? I like to not use that and leave default code page so ASCII and ANSI art doesn't look like rubbish.
Oakcdrom.sys is ok, but somewhat big in size, there are smaller alternatives to it.
I'd use CTMouse instead mouse.sys and SHSUCDX instead of MSCDEX. Never had any compatibility problems with it.
Also, do you really need that display.sys and country.sys lines? I like to not use that and leave default code page so ASCII and ANSI art doesn't look like rubbish.
Oakcdrom.sys is ok, but somewhat big in size, there are smaller alternatives to it.
I need the country one because otherwise i get a messy keyboard layout in DOS, i guess i can leave out the display one, is the mouse and cdrom enough to keep at bay the size of that bigass VGA240?