OPTIMIZING THE MAIN MEMORY
IN THE CONTROL UNIT
In certain operating situations, the operating soft-
ware requires almost the complete conventional
memory of 640 kB. To ensure that the operating soft-
ware is executed correctly, all TSR programs should
be loaded into the upper memory area as far as
possible.
NOTE:
If the space in the
conventional memory
is insufficient, the
message
Not enough memory
is output if certain functions of
the operating software are used, or may possibly already ap-
pear when the operating software is started.
The following steps are necessary if you wish to opti-
mally use the memory of the control unit. Theoretical
considerations are shown on the next page and in your
MS-DOS
manual! The measures only function with PCs
with an 80386 processor or higher.
1
st
step:
Make all types of memory available
The following lines should be present in the file
CONFIG.SYS
, at the beginning if at all possible:
device=c:\dos\himem.sys
device=c:\dos\emm386.exe noems
dos=high,umb
CAUTION:
If the path
\windows\
is present instead of
\dos\
in your file
CONFIG.SYS
prior to
himem.sys
or
emm386.exe
, you should
not change this!
If further parameters are present in your file
CONFIG.SYS
after
noems
, you should not change this!
2
nd
step:
Load TSR programs into the upper
memory area
It is necessary
to use the command devicehigh= instead of device=
in the file
CONFIG.SYS
to use the command loadhigh or its abbreviation lh
in front of program names in the file
AUTO-
EXEC.BAT
!
Example of
CONFIG.SYS
If your file
CONFIG.SYS
contains e.g. a line
device=c:\dos\setver.exe
change it into
devicehigh=c:\dos\setver.exe
CAUTION:
devicehigh
must not be used in the lines
himem.sys
and
emm386.exe
because these lines are responsible for permit-
ting
devicehigh
to be used!
Example of
AUTOEXEC.BAT
If your file
AUTOEXEC.BAT
contains e.g. a line
keyb gr,,c:\dos\keyboard.sys
change it into
lh keyb gr,,c:\dos\keyboard.sys
3
rd
step: Reset control unit
Your modifications only become effective when the
control unit is restarted! Simultaneously press and hold
the keys and , and then press the key in
addition.
4
th
step:
Checking the memory assignments
The
DOS
command
MEM
indicates the current memory
assignments of your control unit. Type the following
command after the
DOS
prompt:
c:>
mem /c /p
With
MS-DOS
versions < 6.2, type:
c:>
mem /c |more
Please observe the vertical line (ASCII 124) in front of
more.
How can you recognize
whether your modifications were successful?
The result is correct if only a few programs are present
in the conventional memory and many programs have
been loaded into the high memory. The reply to the
mem command could then appear as follows, for
example:
Modules which use the memory below 1 MB:
Name Total = Conventional + High memory
MSDOS
HIMEM
EMM386
COMMAND
SETVER
RAMDRIVE
VSAFE
SMARTDRV
GRKBD
DOSKEY
LMOUSE
EVESA
Vacant
15,389
1,120
3,136
3,792
832
1,232
22,880
29,024
2,192
4,144
16,112
4,144
709,328
(15K)
(1K)
(3K)
(4K)
(1K)
(1K)
(22K)
(28K)
(2K)
(4K)
(16K)
(4K)
(693K)
15,389
1,120
3,136
3,792
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
631,536
(15K)
(1K)
(3K)
(4K)
(0K)
(0K)
(0K)
(0K)
(0K)
(0K)
(0K)
(0K)
(617K)
0
0
0
0
832
1,232
22,880
29,024
2,192
4,144
16,112
4,144
77,792
(0K)
(0K)
(0K)
(0K)
(1K)
(1K)
(22K)
(28K)
(2K)
(4K)
(16K)
(4K)
(76K)
Memory summary:
Memory type Total = Used + Vacant
Conventional
High
Reserved
Expanded (XMS)
655,360
158,352
393,216
7,181,680
23,824
80,560
393,216
4,444,528
631,536
77,792
0
2,737,152
Total memory
Total below 1 MB
8,388,608
813,712
4,942,128
104,384
3,446,480
709,328
Maximum size for executable program
Largest vacant block in high memory area
631,440
77,728
(617K)
(76K)
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.
ALT CTRL DEL
RETURN
RETURN
Installation of software
12
2SWINSTA.CHP, Stand Dezember 22, 1999
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