Caluser2000
Banned
Swapping motherbourds just confuses the issue. You are obviously doing something incorrectly.
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EMS and XMS memory distribution on a 286 motherboard
- Thread starter andromeda92
- Start date
andromeda92
Experienced Member
I found information on a Russian site with the same motherboard and which has the same problem as me, apparently it works well with 1MB, with 4MB or 2B there is a problem of stability and xms and ems memory.
Message from a person that has a same motherboard that me:
It works fine with installed memory up to 1MB, then it looks like a conflict of something in the hardware, tk. the inclusion of hymem.sys and, accordingly, access to extended memory greatly affects the stability of the work. With 1 MB everything is perfect.
I contacted the seller, he told me to send him the ram, he refunded me, and he will also check that it works by doing further tests,
we will say that the problem is solved.
In conclusion this model of motherboard is not quite stable and is quite fragile, in any case with this chipset, there is the same card with the heatland chipset which looks more stable.
Message from a person that has a same motherboard that me:
It works fine with installed memory up to 1MB, then it looks like a conflict of something in the hardware, tk. the inclusion of hymem.sys and, accordingly, access to extended memory greatly affects the stability of the work. With 1 MB everything is perfect.
I contacted the seller, he told me to send him the ram, he refunded me, and he will also check that it works by doing further tests,
we will say that the problem is solved.
In conclusion this model of motherboard is not quite stable and is quite fragile, in any case with this chipset, there is the same card with the heatland chipset which looks more stable.
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andromeda92
Experienced Member
What is High Addr Lines on checkit3 on menu memory ?
andromeda92
Experienced Member
is it possible to configure the memory just with XMS (hymem.sys only), without EMS ?
because in checkit the tests pass except High Addr Lines, the computer hang,
is what to put imperatively DOS=HIGH in the config.sys?
if I put DOS=HIGH, the EMS and High Addr Lines tests failed and when I don't put DOS=HIGH,
the computer waits indefinitely on High Addr Lines.
because in checkit the tests pass except High Addr Lines, the computer hang,
is what to put imperatively DOS=HIGH in the config.sys?
if I put DOS=HIGH, the EMS and High Addr Lines tests failed and when I don't put DOS=HIGH,
the computer waits indefinitely on High Addr Lines.
Caluser2000
Banned
In 1986 what 386 cpu type were you running on your system?
andromeda92
Experienced Member
NL80286 12/S 4mb 12.5 MHz
Caluser2000
Banned
So it wasn't a 386...?
andromeda92
Experienced Member
No is 286 12mhz
Caluser2000
Banned
Generally the memory manager will automatically will pick up the chip set in its management database like on my Zenith Z286LPPlus which is PCChips https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/zenith-data-systems-model-zcv-251-ec.41103/
The error seems to be related to the infamous A20 line:
en.m.wikipedia.org
To access extended/high (first 64k of extended memory) memory you need to enable it. Unfortunately everyone had his own method to it ... So Either you haven't configured properly the board jumpers or the board is using a particular method to enable A20 line:
kb.iu.edu
By the way, Are you sure that the EMS driver you are using is correct? Here you have a collection of EMS drivers including one for Winbond:
A20 line - Wikipedia
To access extended/high (first 64k of extended memory) memory you need to enable it. Unfortunately everyone had his own method to it ... So Either you haven't configured properly the board jumpers or the board is using a particular method to enable A20 line:
In HIMEM.SYS, what do the /M: switches do?
Note: The software discussed here is no longer in common use at IU, and UITS may no longer be able to verify this text's accuracy; additionally, the UITS Su...
By the way, Are you sure that the EMS driver you are using is correct? Here you have a collection of EMS drivers including one for Winbond:
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andromeda92
Experienced Member
thank you for this information, I have not tested it, I will.
I will see this drivers to for winbond.
Thank you
I will see this drivers to for winbond.
Thank you
Caluser2000
Banned
What happens when you optimize the memory on say DRDos 6 or IBMs PC Dos 6,3?
Caluser2000
Banned
Novell Dos Seven, ignore the Dos prompt, has no issues on my Zentith with ltp port backpack cdrom drivers loaded..
twolazy
Veteran Member
Speaking of Microsolutions para drives (guessing 4x), think the "recordable/rewritable" units work with the same driver?
Caluser2000
Banned
No idea. Never had to use them.
The Docs should give you a clue I'd imagine. The breif "Quick Start Guide" pamplet mentions files named CDGUIDE.TXT and CDGUIDE.DOC contain the BackPack CD-ROM User's Guide.
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sergey
Veteran Member
Generally speaking, XMS support does not depend on any chipset-specific features. It is just the CPU outputting memory addresses above 1 MiB.
The only prerequisite there is enabling A20 gate. This is typically done using keyboard controller, although some chipsets and BIOSes offer "fast A20" option implemented in chipset. If that option is present in the BIOS, disabling it usually provides better compatibility. Also, HIMEM.SYS tests the XMS memory, so if it loads without any errors, the memory is probably OK.
EMS on the other hand is a memory paging technique implemented in the chipset (or a separate logic on in case of an ISA EMS board), so it is very much chipset/vendor specific, particularly for 8088/86/286 (in 386 and up EMM386 can be used to emulate EMS using Virtual 8086 mode).
To make things easier, unless you know you need EMS, just use XMS. With DOS >= 5.0, you should be able to use DOS=HIGH, which will use the first 64 KiB above the first megabyte to load parts of DOS and will save the lower 640 KiB (conventional memory) for applications.
Regarding Windows 3.1 on 286:
- It only works in "Standard Mode", which utilizes 286 protected mode, and can use XMS memory (no 1 MiB memory limit, no need for EMS)
- When you run DOS application, Windows actually resets the CPU, and runs it in real mode (vs. protected mode that Windows standard mode uses), there are no benefits in running DOS applications from Windows (on 386 / Windows 3.1 Enhanced Mode runs DOS in a VM86 mode, which allows it to co-exist with other Windows applications) . On a 286, I personally would run DOS applications from DOS...
The only prerequisite there is enabling A20 gate. This is typically done using keyboard controller, although some chipsets and BIOSes offer "fast A20" option implemented in chipset. If that option is present in the BIOS, disabling it usually provides better compatibility. Also, HIMEM.SYS tests the XMS memory, so if it loads without any errors, the memory is probably OK.
EMS on the other hand is a memory paging technique implemented in the chipset (or a separate logic on in case of an ISA EMS board), so it is very much chipset/vendor specific, particularly for 8088/86/286 (in 386 and up EMM386 can be used to emulate EMS using Virtual 8086 mode).
To make things easier, unless you know you need EMS, just use XMS. With DOS >= 5.0, you should be able to use DOS=HIGH, which will use the first 64 KiB above the first megabyte to load parts of DOS and will save the lower 640 KiB (conventional memory) for applications.
Regarding Windows 3.1 on 286:
- It only works in "Standard Mode", which utilizes 286 protected mode, and can use XMS memory (no 1 MiB memory limit, no need for EMS)
- When you run DOS application, Windows actually resets the CPU, and runs it in real mode (vs. protected mode that Windows standard mode uses), there are no benefits in running DOS applications from Windows (on 386 / Windows 3.1 Enhanced Mode runs DOS in a VM86 mode, which allows it to co-exist with other Windows applications) . On a 286, I personally would run DOS applications from DOS...
andromeda92
Experienced Member
Thank you for this detailled explanation.
andromeda92
Experienced Member
Probleme resolved for my problem hanging checkit and command dos.
i have put another ram and all is ok, all work fine now.
for EMS I have to use the winbond drivers and activate EMS in bios except that all the memory is allocated to EMS so it is less interesting. I would only use XMS.
i have put another ram and all is ok, all work fine now.
for EMS I have to use the winbond drivers and activate EMS in bios except that all the memory is allocated to EMS so it is less interesting. I would only use XMS.