VOGONS


First post, by TusockyThree68

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I am running Windows98 and I was trying to run some games from DOS mode (via the start menu -> shit down -> reboot into DOS mode) and one says it needs more conventional memory. So, I tried to do some memory management and from some of the places I was reading, you can force programs to run in upper memory by using LH and load drivers in upper memory by using DEVICEHIGH. But when I run MEM it shows me that I have 0 kb of upper memory. Also, using those DEVICEHIGH and LH keywords did nothing to change what was where in memory. I have attached some pictures of my config.sys, autoexec.bat, and my results of mem and mem /c. What could be causing me to not show any upper memory? If I truly don't have any upper memory then what can be done to manage my conventional memory better?

Attachments

  • config.jpg
    Filename
    config.jpg
    File size
    430.93 KiB
    Views
    1291 views
    File license
    Public domain
  • mem.jpg
    Filename
    mem.jpg
    File size
    82.94 KiB
    Views
    1291 views
    File license
    Public domain
  • autoexec.jpg
    Filename
    autoexec.jpg
    File size
    310.45 KiB
    Views
    1291 views
    File license
    Public domain
  • mem c.jpg
    Filename
    mem c.jpg
    File size
    315.32 KiB
    Views
    1291 views
    File license
    Public domain

Reply 1 of 11, by Jo22

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Hi, good morning - there's a typo in config.sys. The driver is HIMEM.SYS, without the TH.

Not sure if that's the issue, though. I'm no Win9x expert, I think.

At least in MS-DOS 6.2x, there must be a second line, like the first one, but with EMM386.EXE.

For example :
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM

Good luck! 😀

Edit: It might be that HIMEM.SYS is already built into DOS 7.1 system files.
At least that's how I remember it in DOS 8.

Edit: The other Vogons may explain things in detail.
My concentration isn't the best in the momemt. Too much stress. 😅

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 2 of 11, by Namrok

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

After device=c:\windows\himem.sys, put dos=high,umb.

Without dos=umb somewhere after you've loaded himem.sys, you don't get upper memory blocks.

You only need emm386 if you need ems or xms memory. My experience has tended to be that a game either needs lots of conventional memory, or it has extremely modest conventional memory requirements and primarily relies on EMS/XMS memory. But as of yet, I've found no downside to just having emm386 loaded at all times, a few Origin titles aside.

I've found this guide helpful in the past.

https://dfarq.homeip.net/optimizing-dos-memory/

Win95/DOS 7.1 - P233 MMX (@2.5 x 100 FSB), Diamond Viper V330 AGP, SB16 CT2800
Win98 - K6-2+ 500, GF2 MX, SB AWE 64 CT4500, SBLive CT4780
Win98 - Pentium III 1000, GF2 GTS, SBLive CT4760
WinXP - Athlon 64 3200+, GF 7800 GS, Audigy 2 ZS

Reply 3 of 11, by TusockyThree68

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Namrok wrote on 2021-06-07, 02:13:
After device=c:\windows\himem.sys, put dos=high,umb. […]
Show full quote

After device=c:\windows\himem.sys, put dos=high,umb.

Without dos=umb somewhere after you've loaded himem.sys, you don't get upper memory blocks.

You only need emm386 if you need ems or xms memory. My experience has tended to be that a game either needs lots of conventional memory, or it has extremely modest conventional memory requirements and primarily relies on EMS/XMS memory. But as of yet, I've found no downside to just having emm386 loaded at all times, a few Origin titles aside.

I've found this guide helpful in the past.

https://dfarq.homeip.net/optimizing-dos-memory/

Yeah, the game I'm trying to optimize my memory for wants something like 590 Kb of my conventional memory (I don't remember the exact amount, since I haven't looked since yesterday, but its something like that) and as the pictures show I only have about 514 free... It seems pretty demanding that a game wants almost all of my conventional memory, but what can you do? (Comply, the answer is comply)

Reply 4 of 11, by Joakim

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

I just stole Phil's setup and modified it to my needs. Should be on his site. If you don't want to learn to speak autoexec at this very moment and just want some gaming done. (I can relate.)

https://www.philscomputerlab.com/cd-rom-mouse … t-up-files.html

Reply 5 of 11, by FFXIhealer

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

I remember being able to get around 610KB of conventional memory free in DOS with my configurations, but it took a lot of trial and error and a VERY German program that showed ALL of the Conventional memory assignments (like Video BIOS shadowing and the like) so I'd know where I can load and place config files. At the moment, my older PCs are upstairs in storage while I continue to work on repairing my house, otherwise I'd have hooked them up and posted my Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files for ya.

292dps.png
3smzsb.png
0fvil8.png
lhbar1.png

Reply 6 of 11, by cyclone3d

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
FFXIhealer wrote on 2021-06-08, 03:54:

I remember being able to get around 610KB of conventional memory free in DOS with my configurations, but it took a lot of trial and error and a VERY German program that showed ALL of the Conventional memory assignments (like Video BIOS shadowing and the like) so I'd know where I can load and place config files. At the moment, my older PCs are upstairs in storage while I continue to work on repairing my house, otherwise I'd have hooked them up and posted my Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files for ya.

Manually configuring what memory blocks to use as UMBs is very system specific so unless somebody had an almost identical setup a highly optimized setup would not work anyway.

There is an English language program that I used to use to look at the free memory blocks. I don't remember what it was right now.

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 7 of 11, by Caluser2000

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I just use to run memmaker and it usually gave me 600+kbs no problem at all. That's with cdrom,mouse and a few other drivers loaded.

There's a glitch in the matrix.
A founding member of the 286 appreciation society.
Apparently 32-bit is dead and nobody likes P4s.
Of course, as always, I'm open to correction...😉

Reply 8 of 11, by Jo22

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

@cyclone3d I second that.

Also, as a last resort - QEMM 8 (or 9 ?) is Windows 9x compatible.
Though, on the other hand, introduces some extra compatibility/stability issues.
So perhaps it's better to try getting it to work the normal way.

Edit: MemMaker doesn't offially support DOS 7.x.
The EMM386 shipped with DOS 7.x has different parameters, AFAIK.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 9 of 11, by Caluser2000

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Jo22 wrote on 2021-06-08, 04:09:
@cyclone3d I second that. […]
Show full quote

@cyclone3d I second that.

Also, as a last resort - QEMM 8 (or 9 ?) is Windows 9x compatible.
Though, on the other hand, introduces some extra compatibility/stability issues.
So perhaps it's better to try getting it to work the normal way.

Edit: MemMaker doesn't offially support DOS 7.x.
The EMM386 shipped with DOS 7.x has different parameters, AFAIK.

Have a look in the olddos directory.

Look at olddos.exe on this site http://manmrk.net/tutorials/DOS/msdos.htm

There's a glitch in the matrix.
A founding member of the 286 appreciation society.
Apparently 32-bit is dead and nobody likes P4s.
Of course, as always, I'm open to correction...😉

Reply 10 of 11, by Carrera

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

The problem with memmaker was it was not Win95 (and later) compatible.
I used QEMM (sic?) for a long time until I finally figured out how to make boot disks. I basically had a list on the boot disk of what games used which boot disk.
If a game didn't need mouse or CD ROM support it was pretty easy to get over 600 KB of conventional RAM.
I do remember though spending a whole day getting some game to work because it needed something like 605 k of conventional mem and it also need CD ROM, Mouse and Sound... I think I ended up using different drivers that maybe had less features (ie slower CD ROM speed, no FM synth etc.) but they took up less memory. I also remember the order played a big role.... I could be confusing things though. 😀

I would have loved a program to see the memory blocks back in the day...

Reply 11 of 11, by Caluser2000

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

So the version I linked to i n olddos.exe doesn't work even though it is for Win9.x?

Can't say I ever used it in win98, just curious that's all. Skipped all Win95 versions totally at home. I never had much problem getting Dos programs running on Win98.

There's a glitch in the matrix.
A founding member of the 286 appreciation society.
Apparently 32-bit is dead and nobody likes P4s.
Of course, as always, I'm open to correction...😉