EMS Memory

[Steve]

Some of the XP units (especially portables) cannot
generate EMS (Expanded) memory properly.
It seems to be machine dependent.
I have tested all the desktops and portables at Comp USA
and MOST (not all) of the desktops generate EMS All right.
I do it by creating a shortcut with the memory properties
all set to AUTO and then doble clicking to a DOS window
and then typing the MEM command.

However, about 50% of the portable units do not.

No one seems to know how to solve the problem.

If anyone has a solution please advise me.

Thanks

 

[Alex Nichol]

Some of the XP units (especially portables) cannot
generate EMS (Expanded) memory properly.
It seems to be machine dependent.
I have tested all the desktops and portables at Comp USA
and MOST (not all) of the desktops generate EMS All right.
I do it by creating a shortcut with the memory properties
all set to AUTO and then doble clicking to a DOS window
and then typing the MEM command.

You need it correctly set in the config.nt file. For best DOS
conventional memory as well, edit the windows\system32\config.nt and
autoexec.nt files.

In config.nt have (apart from the large number of REM lines) just
EMM = B=4000 RAM
(note the exact spaces - either side of the first = and before RAM,
none next to the second =) and

dos=high, umb
device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
files=40
(or higher files= if needed)

and in autoexec.nt have

REM Install DPMI support
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\dosx

with other earlier lh lines REM ed out, and then any SET or PATH lines
that may already be present at the end.

This should give about 612K for a program, run from a shortcut made to
its .exe file. R-click the shortcut, Properties and on the Memory page
you can set an explicit value - rather than Auto - for any EMM or XMS
memory it may need, and for initial environment space