Help with Games in Windows 98SE

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 1:26 am

Hi. I have a "slight" problem with my machine.

I am trying to get a game to work on my PC (spec'd at P3 500Mhz and 384 meg SDRAM, shut up about the crappy PC) and I keep getting an error message about not having enough conventional memory. What the crap is "conventional" memory and how should I try freeing up some more?

And for the love of God, no wisecracks about how my PC is piss-poor. I need money before I can upgrade.

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am

Conventional memory is special memory for DOS. No matter how much RAM you have, you can only have 640 KB of conventional memory. If you want a more detailed explanation let me know.

Right-click on the game's EXE/COM/BAT file (the file you double-click on to run the game), click Properties, click the Memory tab, and you see the Conventional Memory box. On the left, there's Total, make that 640.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 4:29 pm

Tried it. My PC reverts it back to "Auto," and for me that does jack.

Also, I am more interested in a detailed explanation.

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 4:47 pm

Do you know how to use DOS? In order for me to help you any further, you need to know a little bit about DOS and how to use it.

Further explanation of conventional memory:

Over 20 years ago, when the first DOS computer was made, the chip that was in it had a maximum RAM limit of 1 MB [1024 KB]. If you put more RAM than that in the old computer, the computer would not be able do use it. If you put 2 MB of RAM in the old computer, it would only use 1 MB and ignore the other 1 MB.

IBM set aside 384 KB for hardware reserves, therefore leaving 640 KB for DOS software.

Modern computers have a way to act like that old chip. Since that old chip could only use 1 MB of RAM and IBM's reserved 384 KB is still reserved, the computer must stick to that 640 KB limit in order to be compatible with that old chip.

In short, in order for new chips to act like old chips, they must observe the limits of the old chips, hence the 640 KB limit. The game you have needs the old chip and your Pentium 3 chip needs to act like the old chip in order to play that game.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 11:58 pm

First off, I'm crushed that you would say I know jack about DOS - shoot, I pretty much grew up on it!

As for the conventional memory fact, thanks, JMS.

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Sat Apr 10, 2004 1:09 pm

Excellent! I can give you a batch file that will automatically make a boot disk.

Here's the batch file: http://www.dosgames.com/~jms/makeboot.bat

Run it and follow the instructions.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Sat Apr 10, 2004 1:27 pm

Two things.

First, why do I need a boot disk? (I may have grown up on DOS, but I was usually successful in getting the game to work without one. Usually, back when comuters were simple...)

Second, the program has a batch file that will generate a boot disk.

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Sat Apr 10, 2004 1:34 pm

But my bootdisk gives you a lot of conventional memory. At least try it to see if it works.

If it's too inconvenient, I may try something else to help you.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 12:27 am

Thanks, JMS. Now I just need a mouse driver...

Post by **Dogbreath** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 6:55 am

<html><a href=http://cutemouse.sourceforge.net/>Cutemouse</a></html> should do the trick for you.

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 10:46 am

That's the one I was going to give you! It works great for me and it uses the smallest amount of conventional memory.

Here is a one click way to get it instead of trying to read all the page. There are 2 different CuteMice. The one I linked to is the one I recommend for now.

http://cutemouse.sourceforge.net/program/ctmous19.zip

In that zip file, you only need CTMOUSE.EXE. You can delete the rest of it. Put CTMOUSE.EXE on that boot disk and run it as soon as you're finished booting with that disk.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 12:07 pm

Thanks for the tip about Cutemouse. I had already downloaded it, but I was not too sure as to which file(s) I needed.

I'll give everything a shot after I get home from Church.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 4:19 pm

I tried the disk, it didn't work. I got an error message saying the computer software could not find the EMS memory, and this was in DOS mode.

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 5:05 pm

OK hang on, I'll help you with the EMS support.

Download this: http://www.uwe-sieber.de/files/emm286.zip

and put EMM286.EXE on that boot disk. Also, edit the boot disk's CONFIG.SYS file in Notepad or Edit and add this line to the bottom.

DEVICE=EMM286.EXE EMS

then reboot with that boot disk again.

If you have any more problems, feel free to post.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:17 am

Alright, let's give this a shot.

Hopefully it won't bork my computer like earlier.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:22 am

One more thing.

The computer booted into DOS earlier when the disk was read. (Right before my computer hiccupped; it's OK as of this posting.) Should I then run the executables from the disk?

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 12:36 am

Question: Do I use the other utilities right away after startup, or do I wait and try to run my program first? I still feel as if I'm not getting it right.

Interon · Post by **Interon** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 10:18 am

Actually, when the disk finishes booting, go to your C drive, then go to the game's folder/directory, then run the game.

I forgot to tell you this:

The line in your CONFIG.SYS file that says this:

DEVICE=EMM286.EXE EMS

Add 4096 to the end of it so it looks like:

DEVICE=EMM286.EXE EMS 4096

That should give you 4 MB of EMS rather than the 256 KB default.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:10 am

OK, thanks.

BillyBob · Post by **BillyBob** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 12:11 am

ARGH!

It didn't work. This time, I didn't have enough conventional memory. Doesn't Cutemouse have a way to load into Upper Memory?

DOS Games Discussion

Help with Games in Windows 98SE

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Help with Games in Windows 98SE