MDGx MAX Speed WinDOwS �Tricks � Secrets � Bugs � Fixes

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MS-DOS 7.xx [Windows 9x] Native DOS Mode MEMory Screens
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My MS-DOS 7.xx + Windows 95/98/ME MEMory Specs + Boot Files:

http://www.mdgx.com/mem7.htm
My MS-DOS 7.xx + Windows 95/98/ME CONFIG.SYS settings:
http://www.mdgx.com/mem7.htm#7
http://www.mdgx.com/bench.htm#CON
My MS-DOS 7.xx + Windows 95/98/ME AUTOEXEC.BAT settings:
http://www.mdgx.com/mem7.htm#A7
http://www.mdgx.com/bench.htm#AUT
My MS-DOS 7.xx + Windows 95/98/ME MSDOS.SYS settings:
http://www.mdgx.com/mem7.htm#S
http://www.mdgx.com/msdos.htm#EDI
http://www.mdgx.com/bench.htm#MSD
"Reference: Memory Management Terms + System Files @ Wikipedia" in MEMORY.TXT
(included):
http://www.mdgx.com/mem7.htm#WKL

The following 5 memory screens were obtained by running:

MEM /A/C > DOS9XMEM.TXT
from the native/real/true/pure MS-DOS 7.xx mode OUTSIDE Windows 9x GUI with NO
programs/residents/processes running: click the Start button -> Shut down ->
Shut down the computer -> click "Yes". You can also get straight to the
native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode by booting with the:
BootGUI=0
line under your MSDOS.SYS [Options] section, or by holding Shift and F5 while
your PC boots.
See "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFFERENCE" in MYTIPS95.TXT (included) for details:
http://www.mdgx.com/msdos.htm
MEM.EXE similar tool for DOS (free):
http://www.freedos.org/software/?prog=mem

I included here my system MEMory configurations using 5 different MS-DOS mode

memory managers in CONFIG.SYS (current releases):
- Microsoft Windows 98 SE [a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.10] HIMEM.SYS v3.95 + EMM386.EXE
v4.95 "combo",
- Uwe Sieber UMBPCI.SYS v3.85 in combination with Microsoft HIMEM.SYS v3.95
+ HIRAM.EXE v1.9 (loads HIMEM.SYS in upper memory),
- McAfee (Helix) NetRoom RM386.EXE v3.04,
- Symantec (Quarterdeck) QEMM386.SYS v9.00 and
- Lineo (Caldera) DR-DOS 7.03 EMM386.EXE v3.27.
Take a look at WIN9XMEM.TXT (included) for a glimpse at my MEMory
configurations in a DOS box/session/window with the Windows 9x GUI started,
using all 5 memory managers listed above.

MSD9X.TXT (included) shows a list of my Windows 98 SE system hardware specs,

running Microsoft Diagnostics Utility v2.14 (MSD.EXE), the Win98 release,
OUTSIDE Windows in native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode.

UPDATES:
1. I have also used here Uwe Sieber's UMBPCI.SYS, a free Upper Memory Area
(UMA) access provider (HIMEM.SYS extender):
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/files/umbpci_e.zip
UMBPCI.SYS usage guidelines:
http://www.mdgx.com/umb.htm
You can load HIMEM.SYS in upper memory if using HIRAM.EXE with UMBPCI.SYS.
Read HIRAM.TXT included with UMBPCI.SYS for HIRAM.EXE usage details.
See paragraph #2 below for MEM stats using Uwe Sieber's UMBPCI.SYS and
HIRAM.EXE, which loads HIMEM.SYS in UMA.
Note that UMBPCI.SYS needs a HIMEM.SYS line in CONFIG.SYS BEFORE the
UMBPCI.SYS line, and you also need to use DEVICEHIGH (in CONFIG.SYS) and
LOADHIGH (in AUTOEXEC.BAT) to load ALL devices/drivers/TSRs high properly.
UMBPCI.SYS takes only 208 Bytes of conventional memory, while providing up to
629 KB of free conventional memory.
UMBPCI.SYS enables the Upper Memory Blocks (UMBs) ONLY in the C800-EFFF range
for loading DOS devices/drivers/TSRs high, WITHOUT the need for an
extended/expanded DOS memory manager, like Microsoft EMM386.EXE, Quarterdeck
QEMM386.SYS, Helix NetRoom RM386.EXE, Lineo DR-DOS EMM386.EXE, Qualitas
386MAX.SYS etc.
2. I have also used here the NEWest release of Lineo DR-DOS memory manager,
EMM386.EXE v3.27.
See paragraph #5 below for MEM stats using DR-DOS EMM386.EXE.
EMM386.EXE and NWCDEX.EXE v2.81 (also used here, MSCDEX.EXE's CD-ROM
extensions driver counterpart) are part of Lineo DR-DOS v7.03 [6 MB, free
trial]:
http://ftp.uni-bayreuth.de/pc/caldera/DR-DOS.703/dr703.exe

Notice the absence of the "WIN" module on these memory screens, due to booting
to the native/real/true/pure plain MS-DOS mode, same as selecting the "Command
prompt only" option from the Windows 9x Startup menu.
HINT: See "DOS NOW!" in MYTIPS95.TXT (included) to learn how to do this.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Read MEMORY.TXT (included) for valuable guidelines and

tips to learn how to MAXimize your MS-DOS memory (conventional, upper,
extended and expanded), by loading ALL your devices/drivers/TSRs in
upper/extended memory, by placing the proper lines in your CONFIG.SYS (using
DEVICEHIGH or INSTALLHIGH) and AUTOEXEC.BAT (using LOADHIGH).

To see the devices/drivers/TSRs loaded in native MS-DOS mode at bootup time

(listed below), open my AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files (both included) with
Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS.

If you compare the size of the SYSTEM modules, with each of these memory
managers, you will notice that their conventional memory foot prints vary.
EMM386.EXE's SYSTEM module occupies the largest foot print. QEMM386.SYS,
Lineo DR-DOS EMM386.EXE and UMBPCI.SYS have the smallest foot prints of all 5
used here, allowing for more free conventional memory (629 KB). This is
possible in part because a larger "chunk" of the SYSTEM module loads in upper
memory, and also because part of QEMM386.SYS and DR-DOS EMM386.EXE code load
in extended memory, allowing for more room in upper (for loading more
devices/drivers/TSRs high) and especially in conventional memory, for running
"memory hungry" DOS programs/games.

WARNING: Beware of incompatibilities you may run into using QEMM386 or NetRoom
(RM386) memory managers! Some DOS applications are designed to work
exclusively with Microsoft's memory managers (HIMEM.SYS + EMM386.EXE)
conservative settings. You may get:
"EMM memory allocation error"
or:
"Memory region violation error"
messages while trying to start such a program, and/or your system may
lockup, eventually forcing a reboot!
 If that happens, replace the QEMM386.SYS or RM386.EXE lines in your
CONFIG.SYS with the recommended HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE lines.
Read MEMORY.TXT (included) for details on how to tweak your memory
managers to provide MAXimum conventional/upper/expanded/extended
memory for ALL your DOS/Windows programs/games!

NOTES: See these included topics for more info:

- "CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS" in MYTIPS95.TXT for useful IDE/ATAPI DOS mode CD-ROM
drivers details.
- "My AUTOEXEC.BAT Lines Explained" and "Wrap-Up + Notes" in MEMORY.TXT for
DOS mode Mouse drivers details.
- ALL these free(ware) drivers/TSRs download links are found in SOFTWARE.TXT.

My memory configuration shows now at least 625 KB of free conventional RAM,

and a minimum of 25 KB of free upper memory, when using Microsoft's memory
managers: HIMEM.SYS + EMM386.EXE provided with Windows 95/98 [a.k.a. MS-DOS
7.00/7.10].
... And Windows is "happier" and performs faster if you provide it with lots
of free upper and extended memory. :)

On my Helix NetRoom (RM386.EXE) MEM screen below, notice the absence of the
CLOAKING device driver, because NetRoom memory manager has the Cloaking
technology built-in (both designed by Helix Software).

Below are listed my "MEM /A/C/P" native MS-DOS mode screens for 5 different
memory managers, with ALL drivers/devices/TSRs loaded in upper memory (UMA),
by using DEVICEHIGH and INSTALLHIGH (CONFIG.SYS default DOS upper memory
device/driver "loaders") and LOADHIGH (AUTOEXEC.BAT default DOS upper memory
driver/TSR "loader"), to obtain MAXimum possible free conventional (low)
memory (RAM) available on ANY X86 IBM compatible PC clone equipped with a
color VGA video controller:

1. Microsoft Windows 98 SE [MS-DOS 7.10] HIMEM.SYS v3.95 + EMM386.EXE v4.95

memory managers in CONFIG.SYS:

Modules using memory below 1 MB:

Name Total Conventional Upper Memory

-------- ---------------- ----------------- ----------------
SYSTEM 15,968 (16K) 9,744 (10K) 6,224 (6K)
HIMEM 1,120 (1K) 1,120 (1K) 0 (0K)
EMM386 4,320 (4K) 4,320 (4K) 0 (0K)
NANSI 3,536 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,536 (3K)
IFSHLP 2,896 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,896 (3K)
UIDE 2,272 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,272 (3K)
COMMAND 6,768 (7K) 0 (0K) 6,768 (7K)
ZENO174 1,120 (1K) 0 (0K) 1,120 (1K)
RECALL 2,544 (2K) 0 (0K) 2,544 (2K)
MSCDEX 16,080 (16K) 0 (0K) 16,080 (16K)
SMARTDRV 28,416 (28K) 0 (0K) 28,416 (28K)
CTMOUSE 3,584 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,584 (3K)
HYPERKEY 2,624 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,624 (3K)
NOOFF 336 (0K) 0 (0K) 336 (0K)
Free 683,664 (668K) 639,648 (625K) 44,016 (43K)

Memory Summary:
 Type of Memory Total Used Free
---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Conventional 655,360 15,712 639,648
Upper 125,504 81,488 44,016
Reserved 393,216 393,216 0
Extended (XMS)* 535,707,600 7,280,064 527,368,192
---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total memory 536,474,624 7,770,480 528,058,832

Total under 1 MB 780,864 97,200 683,664

Total Expanded (EMS) 33,947,648 (32M)

Free Expanded (EMS)* 33,505,280 (32M)

* EMM386 is using XMS memory to simulate EMS memory as needed.

Free EMS memory may change as free XMS memory changes.

Largest executable program size 639,632 (625K)

Largest free upper memory block 33,136 (32K)
Available space in High Memory Area 320 (0K)
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

2. Uwe Sieber's UMBPCI.SYS v3.85 upper memory extender, Microsoft HIMEM.SYS

v3.95 high/extended memory manager + HIRAM.EXE v1.9 in CONFIG.SYS:

Modules using memory below 1 MB:

Name Total Conventional Upper Memory

-------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------
SYSTEM 14,992 (15K) 9,712 (9K) 5,280 (5K)
HIMEM 1,120 (1K) 0 (0K) 1,120 (1K)
IFSHLP 2,864 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,864 (3K)
NANSI 3,536 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,536 (3K)
UIDE 2,272 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,272 (3K)
XMSDSK 688 (1K) 0 (0K) 688 (1K)
RECALL 2,544 (2K) 0 (0K) 2,544 (2K)
MSCDEX 40,656 (40K) 0 (0K) 40,656 (40K)
SMARTDRV 28,416 (28K) 0 (0K) 28,416 (28K)
COMMAND 7,024 (7K) 0 (0K) 7,024 (7K)
ZENO174 1,120 (1K) 0 (0K) 1,120 (1K)
CTMOUSE 3,584 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,584 (3K)
NOOFF 336 (0K) 0 (0K) 336 (0K)
Free 669,392 (654K) 642,992 (628K) 26,400 (26K)

Memory Summary:

Type of Memory Total Used Free

---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Conventional 653,312 10,320 642,992
Upper 131,120 104,720 26,400
Reserved 0 0 0
Extended (XMS) 535,707,600 48,168,912 527,368,192
---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total memory 536,474,624 48,283,952 528,058,832

Total under 1 MB 784,432 115,040 669,392

 Largest executable program size 642,976 (628K)
Largest free upper memory block 16,176 (16K)
Available space in High Memory Area 320 (0K)
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

3. Helix NetRoom RM386.EXE v3.04 memory manager in CONFIG.SYS, and Helix

MultiMedia Cloaking MSCDEX.EXE v2.23 CD-ROM extensions driver, CACHECLK.EXE
v4.2 disk cache + LogiTech MOUSE.EXE v8.50 mouse driver in AUTOEXEC.BAT:

Modules using memory below 1 MB:

Name Total Conventional Upper Memory

-------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------
SYSTEM 15,952 (16K) 9,728 (10K) 6,224 (6K)
RM386 4,848 (5K) 4,848 (5K) 0 (0K)
NANSI 3,536 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,536 (3K)
IFSHLP 2,896 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,896 (3K)
UIDE 2,272 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,272 (3K)
COMMAND 6,768 (7K) 0 (0K) 6,768 (7K)
ZENO174 1,120 (1K) 0 (0K) 1,120 (1K)
RECALL 2,544 (2K) 0 (0K) 2,544 (2K)
CACHECLK 3,072 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,072 (3K)
MSCDEX 2,608 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,608 (3K)
SMARTDRV 28,416 (28K) 0 (0K) 28,416 (28K)
MOUSE 1,040 (1K) 0 (0K) 1,040 (1K)
HYPERKEY 2,624 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,624 (3K)
NOOFF 336 (0K) 0 (0K) 336 (0K)
Free 705,584 (689K) 640,240 (625K) 65,344 (64K)

Memory Summary:

Type of Memory Total Used Free

---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Conventional 655,360 15,120 640,240
Upper 131,056 65,712 65,344
Reserved 0 0 0
Extended (XMS) 66,912,272 ? 126,379,008
---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total memory 67,698,688 ? 127,084,592

Total under 1 MB 786,416 80,832 705,584

Total Expanded (EMS) 34,144,256 (33M)

Free Expanded (EMS) 33,554,432 (32M)
Largest executable program size 640,224 (625K)
Largest free upper memory block 57,616 (56K)
Available space in High Memory Area 4,416 (4K)
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

4. Quarterdeck QEMM386.SYS v9.00 memory manager in CONFIG.SYS:

Modules using memory below 1 MB:

Name Total Conventional Upper Memory

-------- ---------------- ----------------- ----------------
 SYSTEM 15,952 (16K) 9,728 (10K) 6,224 (6K)
QEMM386 784 (1K) 784 (1K) 0 (0K)
NANSI 3,536 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,536 (3K)
IFSHLP 2,896 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,896 (3K)
UIDE 2,272 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,272 (3K)
COMMAND 6,768 (7K) 0 (0K) 6,768 (7K)
ZENO174 1,120 (1K) 0 (0K) 1,120 (1K)
RECALL 2,544 (2K) 0 (0K) 2,544 (2K)
MSCDEX 16,080 (16K) 0 (0K) 16,080 (16K)
SMARTDRV 28,416 (28K) 0 (0K) 28,416 (28K)
CTMOUSE 3,584 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,584 (3K)
HYPERKEY 2,624 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,624 (3K)
NOOFF 336 (0K) 0 (0K) 336 (0K)
Free 690,976 (675K) 644,304 (629K) 46,672 (46K)

Memory Summary:

Type of Memory Total Used Free

---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Conventional 655,360 11,056 644,304
Upper 128,160 81,488 46,672
Reserved 0 0 0
Extended (XMS) 66,915,168 ? 126,205,952
---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total memory 67,698,688 ? 126,896,928

Total under 1 MB 783,520 92,544 690,976

Total Expanded (EMS) 133,267,456 (127M)

Free Expanded (EMS) 126,205,952 (120M)
Largest executable program size 644,288 (629K)
Largest free upper memory block 33,136 (32K)
Available space in High Memory Area 4,416 (4K)
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

5. Lineo DR-DOS 7.03 EMM386.EXE v3.27 memory manager in CONFIG.SYS + Lineo

DR-DOS 7.03 NWCDEX.EXE v2.81 CD-ROM extensions driver in AUTOEXEC.BAT:

Modules using memory below 1 MB:

Name Total Conventional Upper Memory

-------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------
SYSTEM 15,952 (16K) 9,728 (10K) 6,224 (6K)
EMM386 720 (1K) 720 (1K) 0 (0K)
NANSI 3,536 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,536 (3K)
IFSHLP 2,896 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,896 (3K)
UIDE 2,272 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,272 (3K)
COMMAND 6,768 (7K) 0 (0K) 6,768 (7K)
NWCDEX 1,344 (1K) 0 (0K) 1,344 (1K)
CTMOUSE 3,584 (3K) 0 (0K) 3,584 (3K)
ZENO174 1,120 (1K) 0 (0K) 1,120 (1K)
RECALL 2,544 (2K) 0 (0K) 2,544 (2K)
SMARTDRV 27,072 (26K) 0 (0K) 27,072 (26K)
HYPERKEY 2,624 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,624 (3K)
NOOFF 336 (0K) 0 (0K) 336 (0K)
Free 709,200 (693K) 644,384 (629K) 64,816 (63K)
Memory Summary:

Type of Memory Total Used Free

---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Conventional 655,360 10,976 644,384
Upper 130,224 65,408 64,816
Reserved 0 0 0
Extended (XMS) 66,913,104 6,824,784 60,088,320
---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total memory 67,698,688 6,901,168 60,797,520

Total under 1 MB 785,584 76,384 709,200

Total Expanded (EMS) 33,554,432 (32M)

Free Expanded (EMS) 33,488,896 (32M)
Largest executable program size 644,368 (629K)
Largest free upper memory block 57,728 (56K)
Available space in High Memory Area 4,432 (4K)
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.
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