DOS - I neet 500+ K free of of Conventional memory

czezz · 08-11-2010, 05:55 AM

Well... this topic definitly is not related to any *nix.
Just hope that some old-school-dos-user may read it.

What I need, is to create minimalistic DOS enviroment.
Using this link http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/network/ I have created a DOS box with:
- NIC drivers loaded (eg. PCnet - VMware for test)
- NetBIOS/SAMBA Client (Network Share)
It really works!

The problem is that all above left me 481 K of Conventional memory.
And I need to execute an old CLIPPER program which require 500+ K of Conventional memory

Does anyone of u guys, has idea or some trick/hack what to do ?
Here is config.sys

Code:

[menu]
menuitem=AUTO, Boot with emm386 (most compatible)
menuitem=MAX, Boot with emm386 (max memory)
menuitem=NOEMM, Boot without emm386
menuitem=CLEAN, Clean boot
menudefault=AUTO,5

[AUTO]
switches=/f
break=off
dos=high,umb
files=20
buffers=20
lastdrive=z
device=\bin\himem.sys /testmem:off /v
device=\bin\emm386.exe /v x=d000-d8ff h=128 noems notr
shell=\command.com /e:1024 /p
devicehigh=\bin\ifshlp.sys

[MAX]
switches=/f
break=off
dos=high,umb
files=20
buffers=20
lastdrive=z
device=\bin\himem.sys /testmem:off /v
device=\bin\emm386.exe /v h=128 noems
shell=\command.com /e:1024 /p
devicehigh=\bin\ifshlp.sys

[NOEMM]
switches=/f
break=off
dos=high,umb
files=20
buffers=20
lastdrive=z
device=\bin\himem.sys /testmem:off /v
shell=\command.com /e:1024 /p
device=\bin\ifshlp.sys

[CLEAN]
shell=\command.com /p

pierre2 · 08-11-2010, 07:05 AM

It looks about right, from what I remember.

you could try using shell=\4dos.com - instead of the shell=\command.com

I used to use the MEMMAKER command to fine-tune the two boot-script(s).
after a while, I just did the same thing, manually.

can you "load high" any more device drivers?.

can you run the MEM command to see, just how the drivers are loading?.

in the line:- device=\bin\emm386.exe /v h=128 noems
why are you using the " /v h=128" part.

do you get any difference between Max & Auto ?, in your results?.
I used to put the Emm386 line in the "Main" section,
sometimes with the "Auto" switch

in the line:- shell=\command.com /e:1024 /p
you shouldn't need to set that environment , nor set it to permanent.

peter1234 · 08-17-2010, 01:59 PM

hi There,

From what I remember.....
"MEMMAKER" is crap [inconsistant results, on reruns after resetting to intial state]
"386max" is not bad [need lot of reboots 10+ at setup to find the optimal config]
"Qemm" is one off the best memory manager at that time [typically 630+ K of Conventional memory]

Qemm provides, all of the below with one driver...(if I remember correctly)
Extended memory (XMS),
Expanded memory (EMS) [paged memory =slow]
Upper Memory Area (UMA) ~640Kib to 1024Kib
High Memory Area (HMA) ~1024Kib to 1088Kib

Do a google for qemm and have a look at the wiki page.

At work (if I remember correctly) using Qemm we usually get ~632K of Conventional memory, while loading the following:
-Command.com /e:512
-Mouse
-CDdriver.sys
-MSCD.exe
-setver.exe
-doskey
-country.sys
-smartdrv.exe
-Antivirus (TSR)
-no network drivers

Try ebay for qemm, If you manage to get qemm, put every thing in autoexec.bat and config.sys back to normal (no lh or devicehigh)
remove boot menu also, and install/setup qemm.

Out of curiosity what is your Actual/VM:
-CPU
-Total installed Ram
-And you Bus, is it ISA, EISA, VL, PCI
-What Dos are you using and the ver. number

You did not list your Autoaxec.bat file, also please run "c:\>mem /c/p" and list your output

If you want to stick with MS and/or MEMMAKER consider the following:
Reduce "Lastdrive=z" to lowest possible, higer the letter more ram used.
Reduce "shell=\command.com /e:1024 /p" e:1024 to lowest possible since it uses that much bytes.
Try reducing "buffers=" one by one and run all the apps and see if it is ok.
See if himem.sys ,emm386.exe, command.com and any thing else you load in autoexec.bat can be loaded high.
Also if I remember correctly the line "dos=high,umb" should appear after "himem.sys + emm386.exe line.

Try DR-DOS it can load most of itself in to umb + hma when configured propaley.

Since you have not stated your DOS + ver, you will have to read up on different DOS +ver (MS,DR ect) to see whichone can do what.

let us know what happens..

.

joec@home · 08-17-2010, 10:37 PM

It has been about a decade or so since I needed to know any of this stuff, but for plain old DOS you want to try to load what you can into Upper Memory UMA which is the memory segment from 641K to 1027K. The problem with Extended Memory (XMS) and Expanded memory (EMS) is that if a program was not specifically written to access those memory areas then it is useless. You would need to do your homework and check the documentation on the program to see if it access memory resident RAM drivers. You might also hunt around for an old copy of Windows 3.1 for Networks, Windows 95, or Windows 98. so like Windows 98 had a reboot into DOS option with network drivers. You might have better luck with where the network drivers get loaded.