We just bought a Dell Inspiron 7000 Laptop and cannot get emm386.exe to load unless we set it to: emm386.exe /frame=none auto. When we set it like that AREV won't load. Dell wasn't much help and said to send the laptop back. Any suggestions?

Robert Baker

BC Laboratories, Inc.

Not that it's any help, but I know of people that have had the same trouble with Gateways. It's pretty much on the hardware folks, unless you can find some HIMEM machine setting.

akaplan@sprezzatura.com

Sprezzatura Group

What happens if you try the RAM setting in emm386 ?

Tony

If I use device=c:\windows\emm386.exe ram 2048, emm386 won't load. It will only load if I set it to frame=none auto. AREV does not like that last one.

Don't know if this helps, but here's some detailed command line options for EMM386.EXE and HIMEM.SYS. Remember, if you load EMM386.EXE in your CONFIG.SYS, you must load HIMEM.SYS as well.

You also might want to try adding DOS=HIGH,UMB as well.

akaplan@sprezzatura.com

Sprezzatura Group

EMM386.EXE

==========

Provides access to the upper memory area and uses extended memory to

simulate expanded memory. This device driver must be loaded by a DEVICE

command in your CONFIG.SYS file and can be used only on computers with an

80386 or higher processor.

EMM386 uses extended memory to simulate expanded memory for programs that

can use expanded memory. EMM386 also makes it possible to load programs and

device drivers into upper memory blocks (UMBs).

Syntax

  DEVICE=drive:pathEMM386.EXE ON|OFF|AUTO memory MIN=size

  W=ON|W=OFF Mx|FRAME=address|/Pmmmm Pn=address X=mmmm-nnnn

  I=mmmm-nnnn B=address L=minXMS A=altregs H=handles D=nnn

  RAM=mmmm-nnnn NOEMS NOVCPI HIGHSCAN VERBOSE WIN=mmmm-nnnn

  NOHI ROM=mmmm-nnnn NOMOVEXBDA ALTBOOT NOBACKFILL

Parameters

drive:path

  Specifies the location of the EMM386.EXE file.

ON|OFF|AUTO

  Activates the EMM386 device driver (if set to ON), or suspends the

  EMM386 device driver (if set to OFF), or places the EMM386 device driver

  in auto mode (if set to AUTO). Auto mode enables expanded-memory support

  and upper memory block support only when a program calls for it. The

  default value is ON. Use the EMM386 command to change this value after

  EMM386 has started.

memory

  Specifies the maximum amount of extended memory (in kilobytes) that you

  want EMM386 to provide as expanded/Virtual Control Program Interface

  (EMS/VCPI) memory. This amount is in addition to the memory used for

  UMBs and EMM386 itself. Values for memory are in the range 64 through

  the lesser of either 32768 or the amount of extended memory available

  when EMM386 is loaded. The default value is the amount of free extended

  memory. If you specify the NOEMS switch, the default value is 0. EMM386

  rounds the value down to the nearest multiple of 16.

Switches

MIN=size

  Specifies the minimum amount of EMS/VCPI memory (in kilobytes) that

  EMM386 will provide, if that amount of memory is available. EMM386

  reserves this amount of extended memory for use as EMS/VCPI memory when

  EMM386 is loaded by the DEVICE=EMM386.EXE command in your CONFIG.SYS

  file. EMM386 may be able to provide additional EMS/VCPI memory (up to

  the amount specified by the MEMORY parameter) if sufficient XMS memory

  is available when a program requests EMS/VCPI memory. Values are in the

  range 0 through the value specified by the MEMORY parameter. The default

  value is 256. If you specify the NOEMS switch, the default value is 0.

  If the value of MIN is greater than the value of MEMORY, EMM386 uses the

  value specified by MIN.

W=ON|W=OFF

  Enables or disables support for the Weitek co-processor. The default

  setting is W=OFF.

Mx

  Specifies the address of the page frame. Valid values for x are in the

  range 1 through 14. The following list shows each value and its

  associated base address in hexadecimal format:

          1 =] C000h     8 =] DC00h

          2 =] C400h     9 =] E000h

          3 =] C800h    10 =] 8000h

          4 =] CC00h    11 =] 8400h

          5 =] D000h    12 =] 8800h

          6 =] D400h    13 =] 8C00h

          7 =] D800h    14 =] 9000h

  Values in the range 10 through 14 should be used only on computers that

  have 512K of memory.

FRAME=address

  Specifies the page-frame segment base directly. To specify a specific

  segment-base address for the page frame, use the FRAME switch, and

  specify the address you want. Valid values for address are in the ranges

  8000h through 9000h and C000h through E000h, in increments of 400h. To

  provide expanded memory and disable the page frame, you can specify

  FRAME=NONE; however, this may cause some programs that require expanded

  memory to work improperly.

/Pmmmm

  Specifies the address of the page frame. Valid values for mmmm are in

  the ranges 8000h through 9000h and C000h through E000h, in increments of

  400h.

Pn=address

  Specifies the segment address of a specific page, where n is the number

  of the page you are specifying and address is the segment address you

  want. Valid values for n are in the range 0 through 255. Valid values

  for address are in the ranges 8000h through 9C00h and C000h through

  EC00h, in increments of 400h. The addresses for pages 0 through 3 must

  be contiguous in order to maintain compatibility with version 3.2 of the

  Lotus/Intel/Microsoft Expanded Memory Specification (LIM EMS). If you

  use the Mx switch, the FRAME switch, or the /Pmmmm switch, you cannot

  specify the addresses for pages 0 through 3 for the /Pmmmm switch.

X=mmmm-nnnn

  Prevents EMM386 from using a particular range of segment addresses for

  an EMS page or for UMBs. Valid values for mmmm and nnnn are in the range

  A000h through FFFFh and are rounded down to the nearest 4-kilobyte

  boundary. The X switch takes precedence over the I switch if the two

  ranges overlap.

I=mmmm-nnnn

  Specifies a range of segment addresses to be used (included) for an EMS

  page or for UMBs. Valid values for mmmm and nnnn are in the range A000h

  through FFFFh and are rounded down to the nearest 4-kilobyte boundary.

  The X switch takes precedence over the I switch if the two ranges

  overlap.

B=address

  Specifies the lowest segment address available for EMS "banking"

  (swapping of 16KB pages). Valid values are in the range 1000h

  through 4000h. The default value is 4000h.

l=minXMS

  Ensures that the specified amount (in kilobytes) of extended memory will

  still be available after EMM386 is loaded. The default value is 0.

A=altregs

  Specifies how many fast alternate register sets (used for multitasking)

  you want to allocate to EMM386. Valid values are in the range 0 through

  254. The default value is 7. Every alternate register set adds about 200

  bytes to the size in memory of EMM386.

H=handles

  Specifies how many handles EMM386 can use. Valid values are in the range

  2 through 255. The default value is 64.

D=nnn

  Specifies how many kilobytes of memory should be reserved for buffered

  direct memory access (DMA). Discounting floppy disk DMA, this value

  should reflect the largest DMA transfer that will occur while EMM386 is

  active. Valid values for nnn are in the range 16 through 256. The

  default value is 32.

RAM=mmmm-nnnn

  Specifies a range of segment addresses to be used for UMBs and also

  enables EMS support. If you do not specify a range, EMM386 uses all

  available adapter space to create UMBs and a page frame for EMS.

NOEMS

  Provides access to the upper memory area but prevents access to expanded

  memory.

NOVCPI

  Disables support for VCPI programs. This switch must be used with

  the NOEMS switch. If you specify the NOVCPI switch without specifying

  the NOEMS switch, EMM386 does not disable VCPI support. If you specify

  both switches, EMM386 disregards the MEMORY parameter and the MIN

  switch. Disabling support for VCPI programs reduces the amount of

  extended memory allocated.

HIGHSCAN

  Specifies that EMM386 use an additional check to determine the

  availablity of upper memory for use as UMBs or EMS windows. On some

  computers, specifying this switch may have no effect or cause EMM386 to

  identify upper memory areas as available when they are not. As a

  result, your computer might stop responding.

VERBOSE

  Directs EMM386 to display status and error messages while loading. By

  default, EMM386 displays messages only if it encounters an error

  condition. You can abbreviate VERBOSE as V. (To display status messages

  without adding the VERBOSE switch, press and hold down the ALT key 

  while EMM386 starts and loads.)

WIN=mmmm-nnnn

  Reserves a specified range of segment addresses for Windows instead of

  for EMM386. Valid values for mmmm and nnnn are in the range A000h

  through FFFFh and are rounded down to the nearest 4-kilobyte boundary.

  The X switch takes precedence over the WIN switch if the two ranges

  overlap. The WIN switch takes precedence over the RAM, ROM, and I

  switches if their ranges overlap.

NOHI

  Prevents EMM386 from loading into the upper memory area. Normally, a

  portion of EMM386 is loaded into upper memory. Specifying this switch

  decreases available conventional memory and increases the upper memory

  area available for UMBs.

ROM=mmmm-nnnn

  Specifies a range of segment addresses that EMM386 uses for shadow

  RAM--random-access memory used for read-only memory (ROM). Valid values

  for mmmm and nnnn are in the range A000h through FFFFh and are rounded

  down to the nearest 4-kilobyte boundary. Specifying this switch may

  speed up your system if it does not already have shadow RAM.

NOMOVEXBDA

  Prevents EMM386 from moving the extended BIOS data from conventional

  memory to upper memory.

ALTBOOT

  Specifies that EMM386 use an alternate handler to restart your computer

  when you press CTRL+ALT+DEL. Use this switch only if your computer stops

  responding or exhibits other unusual behavior when EMM386 is loaded and

  you press CTRL+ALT+DEL.

NOBACKFILL

  When EMM386 is configured to provide upper memory blocks (by using the

  NOEMS or RAM switches), EMM386 will also automatically backfill

  conventional memory if there is less than 640k, in order to bring total

  conventional memory up to 640k.  However, because Windows does not

  support backfilled conventional memory, use the NOBACKFILL switch if

  your computer has less than 640K of conventional memory.

HIMEM.SYS

=========

HIMEM is an extended-memory manager–a program that coordinates the use of

your computer's extended memory, including the high memory area (HMA), so

that no two programs or device drivers use the same memory at the same

time.

You install HIMEM by adding a DEVICE command for HIMEM.SYS to your

CONFIG.SYS file. The HIMEM.SYS command line must come before any commands

that start programs or device drivers that use extended memory; for

example, the HIMEM.SYS command line must come before the EMM386.EXE command

line.

Syntax

  DEVICE=drive:pathHIMEM.SYS /A20CONTROL:ON|OFF /CPUCLOCK:ON|OFF

  /EISA /HMAMIN=m /INT15=xxxx /MACHINE:xxxx /NOABOVE16 /NOEISA

  /NUMHANDLES=n /SHADOWRAM:ON|OFF /TESTMEM:ON|OFF /VERBOSE /X

In most cases, you won't need to specify command-line options. The default

values for HIMEM.SYS are designed to work with most hardware.

Parameter

drive:path

  Specifies the location of the HIMEM.SYS file. HIMEM.SYS should always be

  located on the same drive that contains your MS-DOS files. If the

  HIMEM.SYS file is in the root directory of your startup drive, you don't

  need to include a path. However, you must always include the complete

  filename (HIMEM.SYS).

Switches

/A20CONTROL:ON|OFF

  Specifies whether HIMEM is to take control of the A20 line even if A20

  was on when HIMEM was loaded. The A20 handler gives your computer access

  to the HMA. If you specify /A20CONTROL:OFF, HIMEM takes control of the

  A20 line only if A20 was off when HIMEM was loaded. The default setting

  is /A20CONTROL:ON.

/CPUCLOCK:ON|OFF

  Specifies whether HIMEM is to affect the clock speed of your computer.

  If your computer's clock speed changes when you install HIMEM,

  specifying /CPUCLOCK:ON may correct the problem; however, enabling this

  option slows down HIMEM. The default setting is /CPUCLOCK:OFF.

/EISA

  Specifies that HIMEM should allocate all available extended memory. This

  switch is necessary only on an EISA (Extended Industry Standard

  Architecture) computer with more than 16 MB of memory; on other

  computers, HIMEM automatically allocates all available extended memory.

/HMAMIN=m

  Specifies how many kilobytes of memory a program must require for

  HIMEM to give that program use of the HMA. Only one program can

  use the HMA at a time; HIMEM allocates the HMA to the first program

  that meets the memory-use requirements set by this option. You can

  specify a value from 0 to 63.

  Set /HMAMIN to the amount of memory required by the program that

  uses the most HMA memory.

  The /HMAMIN option is not required; the default value is zero. Omitting

  this option (or setting it to zero) specifies that HIMEM allocate the

  HMA to the first program that requests it, regardless of how much of

  the HMA the program is going to use.

  The /HMAMIN option has no effect when Windows is running in 386 Enhanced

  mode.

/INT15=xxxx

  Allocates the amount of extended memory (in kilobytes) to be reserved

  for the Interrupt 15h interface. Some older programs use the

  Interrupt 15h interface to allocate extended memory rather than using

  the XMS (eXtended-Memory Specification) method provided by HIMEM. If you

  use these programs, you can ensure enough memory is available to

  them by setting xxxx to 64 KB larger than the amount required by the

  program.

  You can specify a value from 64 to 65535; however, you cannot specify

  more memory than your system has available. If you specify a value less

  than 64, the value becomes 0. The default value is 0.

/MACHINE:xxxx

  Specifies what type of computer you are using. Usually, HIMEM can detect

  your computer type successfully; however, there are a few computers that

  HIMEM cannot detect. On such systems, HIMEM uses the default system type

  (IBM AT or compatible). You might need to include the /MACHINE option if

  your computer is a type that HIMEM cannot detect and if HIMEM does not

  work properly on your system by using the default system type.

  Currently, systems that require this option include Acer 1100, Wyse, and

  IBM 7552.

  The value for xxxx can be any of the codes or their equivalent numbers

  listed in the following table.

Code Number Computer type

---

at 1 IBM AT or 100% compatible

ps2 2 IBM PS/2

ptlcascade 3 Phoenix Cascade BIOS

hpvectra 4 HP Vectra (A & A+)

att6300plus 5 AT&T 6300 Plus

acer1100 6 Acer 1100

toshiba 7 Toshiba 1600 & 1200XE

wyse 8 Wyse 12.5 Mhz 286

tulip 9 Tulip SX

zenith 10 Zenith ZBIOS

at1 11 IBM PC/AT (alternative delay)

at2 12 IBM PC/AT (alternative delay)

css 12 CSS Labs

at3 13 IBM PC/AT (alternative delay)

philips 13 Philips

fasthp 14 HP Vectra

ibm7552 15 IBM 7552 Industrial Computer

bullmicral 16 Bull Micral 60

dell 17 Dell XBIOS

/NOABOVE16

  Specifies not to use INT 15h (ax==E801h) Compaq Bigmem support to scan 

  for extended memory.

/NOEISA

  Specifies that HIMEM should not do EISA scanning for extended memory.

/NUMHANDLES=n

  Specifies the maximum number of extended-memory block (EMB) handles that

  can be used simultaneously. You can specify a value from 1 to 128; the

  default value is 32. Each additional handle requires an additional 6

  bytes of memory.

  The /NUMHANDLES option has no effect when Windows is running in 386 

  Enhanced mode.

/SHADOWRAM:ON|OFF

  Specifies whether to disable shadow RAM (SHADOWRAM:OFF) or to leave the

  ROM code running from RAM (SHADOWRAM:ON).

  Some computers make ROM code run faster by "shadowing" it in RAM--that

  is, by copying the ROM code into faster RAM memory at startup, which

  uses some extended memory. On computers that use shadow RAM and have

  less than 2 MB of RAM, HIMEM usually attempts to disable shadow RAM to

  recover additional extended memory for Windows to use. (HIMEM can

  disable shadow RAM only on certain types of systems.) When HIMEM

  disables shadow RAM, the ROM code runs in the slower ROM instead of RAM;

  therefore, your computer might run slightly slower than it did before.

/TESTMEM:ON|OFF

  Determines whether HIMEM performs a memory test when your computer

  starts. By default, HIMEM tests the reliability of your computer's

  extended memory each time your computer starts. This test can identify

  memory that is no longer reliable; unreliable memory can cause system

  instability or loss of data. HIMEM's memory test is more thorough than

  the standard power-up memory test performed by most computers. To

  prevent HIMEM from performing the memory test, specify /TESTMEM:OFF.

  Disabling the memory test will shorten the startup process. (The default

  setting is /TESTMEM:ON.)

/VERBOSE

  Directs HIMEM to display status and error messages while loading. By

  default, HIMEM does not display any messages unless it encounters an

  error. You can abbreviate /VERBOSE as /V. (To display status messages

  without adding the /VERBOSE switch, press and hold the ALT key while

  HIMEM starts and loads.)

/X

  Specifies not to use INT 15h (ax==E820h), the latest extended memory 

  support API.

I had a client who had the same (or very similar) problem with a dell notebook. She sent it back, and dell tinkered with its internals, and it now works perfectly.

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