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Dos Tips and Memory |
Dosstart runs programs that are used when you select Ms-Dos prompt icon or such, creating a DOS Shell, not full DOS. To run CD devices and mice when going to full DOS, right click on "Exit to Dos" icon in win95 directory, select properties, program tab, advanced, Specify new config and enter your configuration. This will now be activated when you restart in DOS.
1. Dir C: > lpt1 (to print you entire c:\ + folders)
2. Dir C:/w > lpt1 (to print them in wide display)
3. Dir C:\*.*/s > lpt1 (to print all with sub-directories)
4. Dir C:\*.*/s > C:\1 [C:\1 is my saving directory (to CAPTURE all with sub-directories) etc... any dos dir you could think of is printable by the > lpt1 command.
5. Dir/v > for Verbose.
6. All the above can be instantly converted to text simply by changing
the lpt1 call to a .txt call. EXAMPLE:
DIR/W > C:\dir.txt.
That will put what you would normally see on the screen into a text
file, in the Root Directory. Or you can have a Directory called "HOLD"
and send it there. EXAMPLE:
MEM/C > C:\HOLD\MEM.TXT
Try it, you'll like it.
Let's assume you want to print a directory listing for drive C. First, create a text file--for example, C:\My Documents\DirListing.txt--from this listing. Select Start, Programs, MS-DOS Prompt, and type the following command line:
dir C:\ /S > C:\DirListing.txt
(Note: The /S switch searches all folders and sub-folders.) Close the MS-DOS Prompt window and open the .txt file you just created in your word processor. (Don't use Notepad--it can't handle large files.) From there, just print the file as you would any other document. The nice part is you have access to all of that program's commands, such as page breaks.
(Tip: To print a listing of only one folder, as opposed to an entire drive, type its path after the C:\ in the above command line.)
Assuming you want to print a listing of drive C by creating the text file C:\My Documents\DirListing.txt, open an MS-DOS Prompt window and use the following command line:
dir C:\ /S > C:\DirListing.txt
Would you prefer to send that information directly to the printer (for example, if you don't need to manipulate the information using your word processor's commands)? Exit to a DOS prompt, type
dir C:\ /S > prn
and press Enter.
(Tip: To print a listing of only one folder, as opposed to an entire drive, type its path after the C:\ in the above command line.)
OR: Let's assume you want to print a listing of drive C by creating the text file C:\My Documents\DirListing.txt, open an MS-DOS Prompt window, type
dir C:\ /S > C:\DirListing.txt
and press Enter. Then, in the last tip, I showed you how to send a directory listing directly to your printer: Follow the steps above, but use the following command line.
dir C:\ /S > prn
(Tip: To print a listing of only one folder, as opposed to an entire drive, type its path after the C:\ in the above command line.)
Now let's look at a couple of switches to help you customize your listing. (By the way, the /S switch in the above commands instructs DOS to search all folders and sub-folders.)
Want to print a listing of all the directories and subdirectories on the specified drive, without including all the files inside them? Use the /AD switch as follows:
dir C:\ /AD/S > prn
To print a detailed listing (for example, including long filenames) of all the files in a specified folder, without including that folder's sub-directories, use the /V switch as follows:
dir C:\{path to directory} /V > prn
(Tip: To add sub-directories and their files to this detailed listing, add the /S switch as follows:
dir C:\ {path to directory} /V/S > prn
And of course, if you want to send the information to a *.txt file instead of directly to the printer, just substitute the 'prn' in any of the above commands with the path and name of a TXT file, like so:
C:\DirListing.txt
If you understand what autoexec.bat does, then you won't have any trouble mastering DOSSTART.BAT. Dosstart.bat is a file unique to Windows 95, located in the Windows directory, and is a regular text format batch file. It contains instructions identical to those contained in autoexec.bat but there is one important difference- when it is executed. While autoexec.bat executes immediately upon boot-up, dosstart.bat executes only when you are running Windows 95 and select the "restart in MSDOS mode" option from the shutdown menu. At that point Windows exits with instructions to reboot DOS but not the Windows interface. At that point DOS executes the dosstart.bat file which typically loads a mouse driver, CD ROM driver, and perhaps a couple of others. Windows creates this file automatically when you upgrade or install Windows 95. You normally don't have to think about it or edit it but the occasion may arise when you want to alter which drivers DOS loads when Windows 95 is restarted in MSDOS mode. Dosstart.bat gives you that ability.
For additional information about games that require or perform better in MS- DOS mode, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q132994 TITLE : Games (A-H) Requiring or Performing Better in MS-DOS Mode
ARTICLE-ID: Q132995 TITLE : Games (I-Q) Requiring or Performing Better in MS-DOS Mode
ARTICLE-ID: Q132996 TITLE : Games (R-Z) Requiring or Performing Better in MS-DOS Mode Microsoft Windows 95 "Resource Kit," Chapter 22, Application Support
When you restart your computer in MS-DOS mode or boot to a Windows 95 command prompt from the hard disk or a bootable floppy disk, you may be unable to access the CD-ROM drive. This behavior may occur even though you are able to access the CD-ROM drive from the Windows 95 graphical user interface.
CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the real-mode CD-ROM driver and real-mode Microsoft CD-ROM Extensions driver, Mscdex.exe, (or a third-party equivalent) are not being loaded in the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files that are used when you restart the computer in MS-DOS mode or boot to a Windows 95 command prompt.
To access a CD-ROM drive when you boot to a Windows 95 command prompt or restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, you must load the real-mode CD-ROM driver in the Config.sys file and the MSCDEX driver in the Autoexec.bat or Dosstart.bat file. If your CD-ROM drive is supported in protected mode in Windows 95, the real-mode CD-ROM and MSCDEX drivers are most likely not being loaded in the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat or Dosstart.bat files on the hard disk. In addition, if you boot from a floppy disk, the CD-ROM and MSCDEX drivers will not load unless you manually configure the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files on the floppy disk to load them.
RESOLUTION
Make sure that the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat or Dosstart.bat files you use when you restart the computer in MS-DOS mode or when you boot to a Windows 95 command prompt load the necessary real-mode drivers for the CD-ROM drive. Be sure to use the Mscdex.exe file in the Windows\Command folder.
MORE INFORMATION
Windows 95 does not include real-mode CD-ROM drivers. If you need access to the CD-ROM drive when you boot to a Windows 95 command prompt or when you restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, you must use the real-mode CD-ROM driver included with the CD-ROM drive. For information about how to obtain, install, or configure the real-mode CD-ROM driver, consult the documentation included with the drive, or contact the drive's manufacturer.
Windows 95 does include an MSCDEX driver that is located in the Windows\Command folder. If you must use a real-mode MSCDEX driver, you should use the driver in the Windows\Command folder instead of the driver included with the CD-ROM drive.
The real-mode CD-ROM and MSCDEX drivers can be loaded from several different locations, depending on the reason they are being loaded. If you are loading the real-mode drivers because you need access to the CD-ROM drive when you boot to a Windows 95 command prompt, the drivers must be loaded from the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files in the root folder of the boot drive. If you are booting to a Windows 95 command prompt from a floppy disk instead of a hard disk, the drivers must be loaded from the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files on the floppy disk.
If you are loading the real-mode drivers because you are restarting the computer in MS-DOS mode, the drivers can be loaded from either of the following locations:
The Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files in the root folder of the boot drive. The custom Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files that you specify in the properties for the program you are running in MS-DOS mode, the properties for a shortcut that starts the program you are running in MS-DOS mode, or the properties for the "Exit to Dos.pif" file that is used to start Windows 95 in MS-DOS mode.
If you are restarting the computer in MS-DOS mode, you can also load MSCDEX from the Dosstart.bat file in the Windows folder. This file is used when you restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, but it is not used when you boot to a Windows 95 command prompt or start Windows 95 normally. If this file does not already exist in the Windows folder, you must create the file manually.
NOTE: When you install Windows 95, Setup disables (remarks out) the existing Mscdex.exe line in the Autoexec.bat file if it detects a CD-ROM drive for which Windows 95 includes a protected-mode driver. Therefore, when you boot to a command prompt or restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, MSCDEX is not available. To make MSCDEX available, enable the existing Mscdex.exe line in the Autoexec.bat file. You may also need to modify the line so that it loads the MSCDEX driver from the Windows\Command folder instead of the driver included with the CD-ROM drive.
When you restart Windows 95 in MS-DOS mode, or when MS-DOS mode is set to use the Use Current Configuration option, SET statements in the Dosstart.bat file are ignored.
MORE INFORMATION
When MS-DOS mode is set to use the Use Current Configuration option, Windows 95 uses a file called Dosstart.bat to load real-mode device drivers. This file is also used when you restart Windows 95 in MS-DOS mode.
You can edit the Dosstart.bat file to add device drivers or programs. However, you cannot run SET curtesy statements in the Dosstart.bat file because of the way in which the Command.com file is run.
You can run SET statements in the Autoexec.bat file. These SET statements apply in all MS-DOS mode sessions that use the Use Current Configuration option, or if you restart Windows 95 in MS-DOS mode.
All Dos Syntax results, [What you see on the screen] can be Redirected
to text files with a simple [> filename.txt] EXAMPLE:
C:\>DIR/? > DosHelp.txt [enter]
Will produce a .txt file in you root directory that look like the following:
[drive:][path][filename]
Specifies drive, directory, and/or files to list.
(Could be enhanced file specification or multiple filespecs.)
/P Pauses after
each screenful of information.
/W Uses wide
list format.
/A Displays files
with specified attributes.
Attributes
D Directories
R Read-only files
H Hidden files
A Files ready for archiving
S System files
- Prefix meaning not
/O List by files
in sorted order.
Sortorder
N By name (alphabetic) S
By size (smallest first)
E By extension (alphabetic) D By date & time
(earliest first)
G Group directories first - Prefix to
reverse order
A By Last Access Date (earliest first)
/S Displays files in specified directory and all subdirectories.
/B Uses bare format (no heading information or summary).
/L Uses lowercase.
/V Verbose mode.
Switches may be preset in the DIRCMD environment variable.
Override preset switches by prefixing any switch with - (hyphen)--for
example, /-W.
Or you can sent the results to a specified directory by add it to the
path; i.e;
C:\>DIR /W > C:\SAVE\DIR.TXT
http://developer.intel.com/design/chipsets/index.htm
The Relationship Between Cache and Main Memory
The purpose of this document is to explain the relationship between cache memory and main memory and what this means when considering an upgrade of your system’s main memory. This is not intended to be an exhaustive explanation of all main memory upgrade considerations.
System Memory: Cache and Main Memory
Your Pentium® processor-based system has two types of system memory
- cache memory and main memory (main memory is often
referred to as DRAM). Your system memory is a bin for holding instructions
and data for the applications and operating systems you
are running on your PC. The Pentium processor "grabs" the information
from this bin, as needed, to perform the operations according to instructions
given by the applications you are running. Main memory is the primary bin
for holding the instructions and data the processor is using.
The cache memory is similar to the main memory but is a smaller bin
that performs faster. The cache memory performs faster by accessing information
in fewer clock cycles. There are two types of cache memory present in the
majority of systems shipped. The Level 1 (L1) cache is in the Pentium processor,
the Level 2 (L2) cache memory is optional and found on the motherboard
of most Pentium processor-based systems.
Consider the following analogy concerning carpenters. The carpenter performs a number of tasks, using many different tools. Those tools used most frequently for the job at hand are likely stored on the tool bench within reach for quick access; tools used less frequently are kept in the tool box, requiring more time to retrieve. In this analogy, the carpenter is the processor which is performing operations or tasks; the small group of frequently used tools on the bench is the cache memory -- within reach for fast access by the processor. The tools in the tool box are like the data and instructions stored in main memory, accessible for processing, but requiring more time to retrieve.
Memory and System "Cacheability"
Operating systems and applications use cache memory to store data or
instructions that the processor is working with at the time, or is predicted
to work with shortly; this allows the processor to get information quickly
from the faster cache memory. The net result is a more efficient and faster
running system. To keep the data and the instructions current, the system
continuously updates the cache memory, moving information from your system’s
main memory to the cache memory. The processor works with the operating
system, application and chipset to predict what data and instructions
the processor will want to access in the near future. Going back to our
carpenter analogy, we are switching the tools on the bench with those in
the tool box, to get on the bench in close reach those tools the carpenter
will be using in the near future.
The main memory in your system that can move its information into your
system’s cache memory is called the "cacheable memory." Memory in your
system that is not cacheable performs as if your system is cacheless, moving
information as needed directly to the processor without the ability to
use the cache memory as a fast retrieval storage bin. All systems have
a main memory cacheable limit,
typically 64MB or greater; consult your PC supplier if you have questions
on your system's main memory cacheable limit.
Operating System Use of Main Memory and Cacheability
Your operating system, along with the active applications, determines the loading of instructions and data into main memory, loading the main memory from your hard drive, CD ROM drive, disk drive, or whatever input devices your system has. Most of today's mainstream operating systems perform this l oading of main memory beginning from the top main memory "location" and working down.
Refer to this example of "loading from the top" for a system with main
memory within cacheable limits: Suppose your system has a cacheable main
memory limit of 64MB and has 16MB of main memory installed and you are
running an application and operating system that needs 6MB of main memory.
If you were to diagnose what main memory was being utilized, you would
most likely find
that your system’s 16MB, 15MB,...11MB main memory locations were filled,
with your system’s 1MB-10MB main memory remaining empty, ready for more
information that may need to be loaded. In this example, all the main memory
installed is cacheable and thus this process of loading main memory "from
the top" is typically transparent to you, the user.
But, suppose you loaded your system with main memory above the cacheable limits. The loading process of main memory -- loading "from the top" -- would mean that your non-cacheable main memory would be loaded first. Once the non-cacheable main memory is filled, the cacheable main memory would be loaded. Another example illustrates this point: Suppose your system’s main memory cacheable limit is 64MB again, but now your system has been loaded to 80MB of main memory (16MB above the cacheable limit) and you were to run that same application and operating system ran in the previous example (the one requiring 6MB of main memory). The load "from the top" process, would mean that main memory locations 80MB-75MB would be filled. Since these main memory "locations" are above the main memory cacheable limit, the information stored at these main memory locations are not cacheable, and cannot use the cache memory as a fast retrieval storage bin. In this example, you will likely see a drop in system performance by exceeding the cacheable main memory limits of the system.
Considerations When Upgrading Main Memory
As noted in the preceding paragraphs, your system’s processor, main memory, and cache memory interaction are heavily dependent on each other to achieve optimal system functionality. The original manufacturer of your PC takes this into consideration when designing and choosing the parts for the system. If you plan to upgrade your system’s main memory above 64MB, we recommend that you consult your PC supplier to understand your system’s main memory cacheability limits and the implication of exceeding those limits.
For Intel PCIsets, we offer a portfolio of solutions supporting different cacheability limits:
Chipsets for the Pentium Processor Family
430VX = 64MB 430HX = 512MB 430TX = 64MB
Chipsets for the Pentium® Pro Processor Family
440FX = 1024MB
This limit is included in the product specifications and technical documentation
provided to our OEM customers. For typical systems
and applications, we do not recommend upgrading main memory above these
limits as a path to increase performance. If you have questions on which
chipset is in your system, consult your PC supplier or system documentation.
If you want to learn more on the features of Intel's PCIsets visit URL
developer.intel.com/design/pcisets/. If you wish to read Intel PCIsets
specification sheets, go to developer.intel.com/design/pcisets/specupdt/.
Here's some steps I've found useful in freeing up conventional RAM in
Windows 95, without costly add-on software.
NOTE: These instructions MAY TEMPORARILY impair the computer. ALWAYS
copy any configuration files you alter before altering and/or rebooting
your computer!
ALSO: These configuration files are just text files located in your
boot disk "root" directory. For most Windows users, this is the C:\ directory.
The exceptioned users are probably running MULTIPLE operating systems on
their machines.
In order to edit the configuration files listed below, you'll need to use a text editor of some sort. Luckily, there are versions both in DOS mode and Windows mode provided by MS for free! Here they are:
1. DOS Mode: edit is provided. It's a simple editing program with very rudimentary search/replace and cut/paste functions. For your needs, though, it's just fine. You can run it from the command line like so: edit config.sys
2. Windows Mode: You've got two choices, notepad and sysedit. Of these, I prefer sysedit, or System Editor, because it's specially designed to edit config files under Windows. In fact, SysEdit is an extremely useful program for people who like to tinker with their machines settings and (attempt to) tune for performance. It opens ALL the relevant Windows configuration files into a single application and allows you to edit any of them, then save them all at once. While you'll only be concerned with AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS, don't be shy to look at the other files, if you're so inclined. Documentation for either is available through DOS/Windows online help, but they both conform to typical windows standards and if you're familiar with any word processing application for Windows, you'll have no trouble at all. All you're doing is opening, altering, saving, and exiting. And no, there's no chance of you screwing up anything you've saved on disk by tinkering with the memory settings, but keep it to that.
OK, Here's the story;
Substitute your boot drive letter for x listed below.
1. You need to use Windows 95's himem.sys and emm386.exe files, located
in the x:\windows directory. The older MS-DOS ones won't work correctly.
2. Make sure the first line of your config.sys file reads:
x:\windows\himem.sys
3. Make sure you place the EMS page frame nice and high, to permit the
area under it to be used for loading stuff high. If you can, try to use
no page frame at all. Here's some lines to try (in descending order of
the amount of high memory they will allow):
1. x:\windows\emm386.exe noems (if you don't need EMS)
2. x:\windows\emm386.exe ram frame=none
3. x:\windows\emm386.exe ram frame=e000
4. x:\windows\emm386.exe ram frame=d000
NOTE: newer software requiring EMS does not usually need to
have the page frame set. For example, I run Civilization for DOS and TIE
Fighter CD using frame=none with absolutely no problems. However, if you're
using older software, you may experience errors with no page frame. Try
using no page frame, then switch to a page frame if you encounter errors.
This will allow you to free up the most conventional RAM.
1. Make sure you're using your UMBs and the HMA. You need to include
the following line in your config.sys file:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
2. Make sure you're loading your config.sys device drivers high, except
for any device drivers which state that they MUST be loaded low. If your
devicehigh'd driver causes system hangs or other problems, then you'll
have to load it low. A device driver loaded high looks something like this:
devicehigh=x:\scsi\doscam.sys
3. Try substituting your buffers, files, and fcbs lines with buffershigh,
fileshigh, and fcbshigh (respectively). These options use the upper memory
area (UMA) for these allocations. However, their effectiveness differs
on a case-by-case basis, so test a few different
configurations to see how much memory they provide.
4. Of course, you need to reboot your machine to let these changes
take effect. Also, you will still probably have to go into MSDOS
compatibility mode for some DOS applications, but the memory settings
will still be there.
If you don't use your CD player that often, your system might be assigning
memory for it's cache which you could reclaim.
Here is how:
1.Right click on My Computer
2.Select Properties
3.Select the Performance tab and click the File System button
4.Select the CD-ROM tab
5.Note how much memory you are assigning to the CD-ROM cache and adjust
as you would like
The Minimum is 64Kb (No read-ahead selected and the slider to Small) and the maximum is 1238Kb (Quad-speed or higher and the slider to Large).
1. In My Computer, click the icon for the program.
2. On the File menu, click Properties.
3. On the Program tab, click Advanced, and then click MS-DOS Mode.
Tips: Type at C:\>EMM386.EXE/?
You can specify the environment you want your program to run in by
providing alternative Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files. Either type the
commands you want in the spaces provided, or create a basic configuration
by clicking Configuration and selecting the options you want. or Help on
an item, click at the top of the dialog box, and then click the item.
Remember that with each command you can type /? forma full list of it's
options.
A. ATTRIB
B. BREAK
C. CD | CHCP | CHDIR | CHKDSK | CLS | COMMAND | COPY | CTTY
D. DATE | DEBUG | DEL | DELTREE | DIR | DISKCOPY | DOSKEY | DOSSHELL
E. ECHO | EDIT | EMM386 | ERASE | EXIT | EXPAND
F. FASTHELP | FC | FDISK | FIND | FOR | FORMAT
H. HELP
K. KEYB
L. LABEL | LH | LOADFIX | LOADHIGH
M. MD | MEM | MKDIR | MODE | MORE | MOVE | MSAV | MSD
N. NLSFUNC
P. PATH | PAUSE | POWER | PROMPT
Q.QBASIC
R. RD | RENAME | REN | RMDIR
S. SET | SETVER | SHARE | SORT | SUBST | SYS
T.TIME | TYPE
U. UNFORMAT
V. VER | VERIFY | VOL
X. XCOPY
SECRET DOS COMMANDS
WARNING PLEASE USE THIS COMMANDS CAREFULLY SOME
OF THEM CAN ERASE ALL DATA
ATTRIB , - The comma does the same thing as ATTRIB -a -h -r - s *.*
(removes all attributes of a file.
BACKUP /HP - Unknown
DIR , - This list's all file's including hidden files, does not work
in Windows 95
DIR ... - lists all directories that do not have extensions.
DOSKEY /APPEDIT - Unknown
DOSKEY /COMMAND - Unknown
DOSKEY /PERMANENT - Unknown
DOSKEY /SCRSIZE - Unknown
DOSKEY /XHISTORY - Unknown
FDISK /MBR - Recreates the master boot record good way to get rid of
Virus's
FDISK /PRI - Unknown
FDISK /EXT - Unknown
FDISK /LOG - Unknown
FDISK /Q - Unknown
FDISK /STATUS - Shows you the current status of your hard drives.
FORMAT /AUTOTEST - Formats the hard drive without any prompting.
FORMAT /BACKUP - Like /AUTOTEST but it will ask you for a volume label.
FORMAT /U - Removes format from hard drive or arranges the data so
it
cannot be unformatted (DON'T DO THIS)
MEM /A or /ALL - Adds a line into the MEM command tells the available
space in HMA.
RESTORE /Y - Unknown
RESTORE /Z - Unknown
SHARE /NC - Unknown
TRUENAME - Put before a file well display the whole directory which
it exists.
TRACERT - When you are online tells the address that you are at such
as
www.yahoo.com, only in Windows 95
VER /R - Tells you the Revision and if DOS is in HMA.
1. From a Dos Window, C:\>
In this exampe I'll use PRINT.PRN IN DIRECTORY 2 [C:\2]
YOU WOULD TYPE AT THE C:\>
C:\>PRINT C:\2\PRINT.PRN LPT1 [enter]
The lpt1 is my printer port. You would substitute LPT1 for you printer
port.
It well may be the same.
2. For making .prns to .txt, eliminating the prn altogeather..
If you are running Win95 (any version) go to start-settings-printers,
click add printer and add the printer Generic/Text Only (Manufacturer:Generic).
Set this to print to FILE: and you can call thr Filname.prn to Filname.txt.
Of course you do printer setup first and choose Generic/text.
You can use Exit to Dos.pif and copy that to another name, them custumize
it to load what you want. It will have to be from the Windows\command files
however.
1. Right click on the pif file and choose properties.
2. Program Tab then click "Advanced button'.
3. Check MSDOS MODE.
4. That will open up you options to configure you preferences for a
dos session.
Try this new config.sys=.
device=c:\windows\himem.sys
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe noems I=e000-efff
highscan dos=high,umb
Delete the words *RAM* and *AUTO* from the emm386 device line. Delete
the
reference to the page frame.
Try adding the following lines to the top of config.sys:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM HIGHSCAN
This freed up quite a bit of extra high memory in which to load drivers.
You may see a 50k gain.
1. Open a DOS box
2. Go to the directory that you want to get specific info about, or
if you just want to see memory info go to any directory (I use the root).
3. Type DIR /V
4. The /v argument stands for "verbose".
5. All sorts of good information comes up.
OR, Copy this cute little Batch File in notepad and "Save As" DV.BAT
@ECHO OFF
DIR /V/P
To manage each MS-DOS-mode shortcut separately, configure the MS-DOS shortcuts to use custom configuration files.
To enable the use of the High Memory Area (HMA) and Upper Memory Blocks
(UMBs) in the Upper Memory Area (UMA), add the
following lines to the custom Config.sys file:
Device=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
Device=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS ; or RAM to use Expanded Memory
DOS=HIGH,UMB
To load device drivers high from the Config.sys file, use the following syntax:
DeviceHigh=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE ; loads DRVSPACE high
Other Config.sys commands that help preserve conventional memory include:
BuffersHigh=
FCBSHigh=
FilesHigh=
InstallHigh=
LastDriveHigh=
StacksHigh=
To load TSRs high from the custom Autoexec.bat file, use the following syntax:
LoadHigh=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DOSKEY.COM ; loads DOSKey high.
If you have several hundred dollars' worth of DOS software that can't get enough conventional memory to run in Windows 9x. These are all programs that require 640KB and ran fine in DOS 6.22. Here's what you can do?
The version of DOS that comes with Windows 9x should give you as much free conventional memory (the lower 640KB) as version 6.22 did. You may not have your programs configured correctly. Here are a few strategies to try.
If a DOS program is giving you trouble, set it up to exit Windows and run in MS-DOS mode: Right-click the shortcut you use to launch the program, and select Properties from the pop-up menu. Click the Program tab, then the Advanced button. If the "MS-DOS mode" option isn't checked, check it now. Then select "Specify a new MS-DOS configuration." The commands listed below that selection should be the same ones that were in your old DOS config.sys and autoexec.bat files.
The commands you need depend on your hardware and the DOS program's requirements. For instance, if the DOS program doesn't use a mouse, you can delete any lines with the word mouse.
You can do some additional tweaking to free up more RAM:
In the config.sys window, turn every instance of device= into devicehigh=. In autoexec.bat, look for lines that load a program (not ones that begin with 'set') and add lh (for load high) and a space to each of them. For instance, c:\windows\mouse would become lh c:\windows\mouse. Add these lines to the beginning of config.sys (or move them there if they're already in your file), in this order:
do not devicehigh=
dos=high, umb
device=c:\windows\himem.sys
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe noems
One more thing: Your DOS program may need expanded memory--an old trick to get around DOS's 640KB RAM barrier. Check the program's documentation. If it does, change the third line above to device=c:\windows\emm386.exe ram.