First post, by cyberluke
Hi, I read a lot of threads there about this subject. I have situation: Dual Pentium 3 with 1GB Ram. DOS 7.1 under Windows 98 SE.
Some games have problems with XMS memory. For example Death Rally CD will not install. It will fail that you need AT LEAST 8MB of RAM. While MEM prints 1 000 000 MB circa.
I have tried:
1) Windows98's Himem.sys /NUMHANDLES=80
2) HimemX.exe 32767 or 65535 parameters
3) JemmEx with similar parameters as HimemX
4) XMSDSK /t - this is mostly recommended here, but it is useless
All the methods are useless. Why? Because they will adjust only FREE XMS memory. It will show 32MB or 64MB of FREE XMS memory. The real problem is TOTAL XMS MEMORY is STILL 1GB! I cannot find solution. Nobody solved it yet.
The reason is game or some app will test TOTAL XMS MEMORY. The number is so big that it will overflow in old computer program and it will return error because the number will be with negative sign like -123456. And programmer's condition IF TOTAL MEMORY IS LESS THAN 8MB will become true.
Therefore I ask: Is there any solution how to change total xms memory in DOS?
I've tried almost all software solution. Also tried setting MEMORY HOLE in BIOS. Nothing helps. It will change only FREE XMS memory. It will help a little percent of games and apps, but not all.
The only current solution I could think of is remove one 256 MB RAM module and get 768 MB, which has less digits and theoretically should not overflow anymore. But that defeats the purpose of this machine, which is supposed to do a multi-boot and could run some Linux or Windows XP.