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Reply 40 of 54, by Rei0

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Thank you. I got it to boot after reboot of physical machine. Still get the error message with memory. If the .img file already has maximized memory, I may be done. I would not know how to maximize conventional emory more than you already have. Do you think I would have better luck locating an old machine?

Thank you again for all you have done!

Reply 41 of 54, by treeman

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I was able to get to 616kb by doing this. First rename your autoexec.bat
ren autoexec.bat autoexec.old <enter>
copy a:\fdsetup\bin\mem.exe a:\ <enter>
copy a:\fdsetup\bin\edit.exe a:\ <enter>
edit fdconfig.sys <enter>
IMG_20180914_131252.jpg
make yours look like this, then File - > save
reboot
after reboot type mem
you should have 616kb free in top right corner additional 12kb from before. this is getting close to 640
if its still out of memory need to chase up some specs requirements see how much memory this program uses

Reply 42 of 54, by Rei0

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Capture10.PNG
Filename
Capture10.PNG
File size
7.45 KiB
Views
1080 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

treeman - You have helped free up 618kb of conventional memory. Thank you! I get the "not enough memory message" with the runtime version still. I found a much more recent version of Crystal development in my floppy discs. At least I do not get the "file not recognized" when I try to load the kb's without pcx with this later version of Crystal Dev. I believe this means that the version issue is addressed. It is not because the kb's were locked for distribution as I had suspected earlier. Unfortunately, crystal dev version will not allow the kb's to load without successful loading of the pcx program. I wish the kb's would load so I could at least see the content minus the pics.

Not sure this matters, but after exiting I get the error message below. I do not know how to "spec" the pcx.exe program for how much it requires. Unfortunately I do not have manuals or any other documentation on Crystal or the pcx file though I have searched online.

Filename
Capture9.PNG
File size
5.76 KiB
Downloads
No downloads
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Your help has been greatly appreciated. Not sure where to go from here; but I plan to pursue this to the end.

Thank you again!

Reply 43 of 54, by treeman

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Crystal Expert System 2.10 at Vetusware.

is this the same application?

out of curiosity I downloaded it and the main exe runs on my vmware however tbere is no pcx.exe file anywhere so it is definitely different variables at play

very strange it still won't run on 618 if you had a pretty average 8mb 386/486 machine with a average dos install back in the days I doubt it would be running more then 620+ kb free conventional memory unless you really sat down and squeezed it out of the system which you never mentioned doing.

There may be some other detail you don't remembr, try to remember as much about the original system specs you had running cpu, dos version, any custom modifications to the system.

I am really now just pursuing this out of curiosity because I don't think can contribute more system wise.

so its the pcx.exe file that is out of memory and the main crystal program runs ok?

Last edited by Stiletto on 2020-03-02, 07:46. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 44 of 54, by Rei0

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Correct regarding your two questions. I believe the Compaq luggable was a 286, probably SX, and I had the ram expanded to either 4 mb or 8 mb. I found version 4.5 in my floppy library. The pcx.exe file is from the same company, Intelligent Environments, and I only have one version of it. I, too, am able to get some simple (non PCX) apps to run. I am looking at the header info in the kb files. The four or so lines of numbers seem to control how Crystal interacts with the KB file. I can edit the KB files in notepad and save as KB and they still are recognized by Crystal. So I am guessing by comparing the headers from the KBs that run with the ones that do not. Total longshot since I do not have a cheat sheet. The PCX file is only 66 kb and V 4.5 of Crystal is about 144 kb.

I do not remember the DOS version, but I know the luggable was no higher than a 286.

Reply 48 of 54, by treeman

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well I guess it won't hurt to try older dos versions, since u already got the vm setup only a matter of trying different floppy image files

http://www.allbootdisks.com/download/dos.html

download under diskette images

Reply 49 of 54, by Rei0

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So, VMware is being pesky. I have tried to load the DOS 5.0 ISO from "CD rom" drive and it won't pull away from DOS 6.22. I have even moved the DOS 6.22 iso file from where VMware was getting it earlier, to no avail. I have deleted and recreated machine, closed VMware and come back in and rebooted my machine. Nada. Thoughts? I might need to remove and reinstall VMware?

Reply 50 of 54, by treeman

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the links I pasted are floppy disc images not cdrom iso, so if you are using the dos5.img Mout it as a floppy, exactly the same as the freedos image I uploaded for you

I just tried the dos5 floppy img from the link I pasted you, its looking good ... I have a good feeling about this 1

dos5.png

Reply 51 of 54, by Rei0

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I get the same memory available, but still get "this machine does not have enough memory" message.

Capture1.PNG
Filename
Capture1.PNG
File size
5.97 KiB
Views
1025 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 52 of 54, by treeman

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looks like we are slowly running out of options. What is left is trying it on a actual dos machine. Build one, find somebody local with one or if you want I can try out your application on my 386 dx40 which has 617 kb memory free 1kb less then the freedos image we tried.

Also if you have a cdrom drive you could burn any of the dos iso (NOT IMG) to a cdr preferably cd-rw and boot your current machine into dos that way, however you will need to integrate your dos application into the iso file before burning and also probably edit the startup files before burning to free enough memory too.

Reply 53 of 54, by Rei0

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Ok. I’m happy to send you the files to see what happens on your 386 Dx4.

How should i send them to you?

Separately, I’ll dig around once i get home and see if i can get access to a dos machine.