I have to pop out the SD card and put it in my main PC to copy the texts, hehehe. It is up to 611k; getting there!

Config.sys:

1SWITCHES=/F
2DOS=HIGH,UMB
3BUFFERS=10,0
4FILES=20
5LASTDRIVE=H
6FCBS=1,0
7STACKS=0,0
8DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
9DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\EMM386.EXE 16384 RAM I=B000-B7FF I=E000-E7FF
10DEVICEHIGH /L:1,11264 =C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
11DEVICEHIGH /L:1,4560 =C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
12SHELL=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM /E:512 /P
13SET PATH=C:\MSDOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\SB16;..;
14SET TEMP=C:\TEMP
15SET TMP=C:\TEMP

Autoexec.bat:

1SET COMSPEC=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM
2SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
3SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
4LH /S SMARTDRV
5LH C:\MSDOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:DVD-ROM /E /M:12
6LH /S CTMOUSE
7C:\UNI\UNISOUND
8PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\MSDOS;C:\SB16;%PATH%
9PROMPT $P$G
10CLS

Mem/p/c:

1
2Modules using memory below 1Mb:
3
4  Name           Total       =   Conventional   +   Upper Memory
5  --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
6  SYSTEM      11,824   (12K)      9,552    (9K)      2,272    (2K)
7  HIMEM        1,152    (1K)      1,152    (1K)          0    (0K)
8  EMM386       4,304    (4K)      4,304    (4K)          0    (0K)
9  SMARTDRV    29,136   (28K)     12,736   (12K)     16,400   (16K)
10  VIDE-CDD     5,008    (5K)          0    (0K)      5,008    (5K)
11  IFSHLP       3,856    (4K)          0    (0K)      3,856    (4K)
12  COMMAND     10,240   (10K)          0    (0K)     10,240   (10K)
13  CTMOUSE      3,328    (3K)          0    (0K)      3,328    (3K)
14  MSCDEX      16,144   (16K)          0    (0K)     16,144   (16K)
15  FREE       660,944  (645K)    625,552  (611K)     35,392   (35K)
16
17Memory summary:
18
19  Type of Memory       Total    =     Used    +     Free
20  ----------------  -----------   -----------   -----------
21  Conventional          655,360        29,808       625,552
22  Upper                  92,640        57,248        35,392
23  Reserved              309,792       309,792             0
24  Extended (XMS)    535,813,120     3,211,264   532,601,856
25  ----------------  -----------   -----------   -----------
26  Total memory      536,870,912     3,608,112   533,262,800
27
28  Total under 1Mb       748,000        87,056       660,944
29
30  Total Expanded (EMS)                 17,170,432  (16,768K)
31  Free Expanded (EMS)                  16,744,448  (16,352K)
32
33  Total Extended (XMS)                535,813,120 (523,255K)
34  Free Extended (XMS)                 532,601,856 (520,119K)
35
36  Largest executable program size         625,456     (611K)
37  Largest free upper memory block          16,608      (16K)
38  Available space in High Memory Area       2,288       (2K)
39  MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

Her's my 289s config.sys file. I load a BackBack external CDRom and external LS120 drive daisy chained to that and it leaves plenty of ram for Dos. As well as plenty to for up Windows with nic packet driver and winpkt loaded.

Also add LASTDRIVE= to one letter after the last drive letter you can access physically.

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:24:

Her's my 289s config.sys file. I load a BackBack external CDRom and external LS120 drive daisy chained to that and it leaves plenty of ram for Dos. As well as plenty to for up Windows with nic packet driver and winpkt loaded.

I was going to use an external LS-120 and an external CD-RW, though I got lucky and found these two Gateways with internal LS-120 drives, and I am missing the power cable to the external drive (it looks proprietary.) Now I'll use the external LS-120 on my 486. I love them. I'm trying to find a parallel port PCI-e card that will allow me to use my spare parallel LS-120 on my main PC and then use the SuperDisks to transfer files between the systems, and I am looking at a USB version for my AthlonXP/WinXP PC. I do use an RCA/Lyra parallel port CF reader so that I can add a storage "drive," and I use CF/SD adapter cards. It will read up to 128GB cards in Windows 98, but only up to 8GB in DOS (despite it being DOS 7.1 with FAT32 support.)

I plan on adding a NIC to this PC I am working on now; I had to remove the one that came with this Gateway, because it was loading it's ROM into the available RAM. I hope to find a NIC with DOS support (for using Arachne) that doesn't use RAM. It was the same with an ATA133 PCI card - it used some of the 640k, so I removed it. I had a Voodoo1, Voodoo2, AND Voodoo5 in the system, but I removed the V2 so I could add a NIC and a USB 2.0 card, though I haven't tested it yet. Once I tweak the available memory to my liking, I'll try Bret Johnson's DOS USB drivers. I need to find a better program for reading and interpreting the 640-1024k memory map.

The person from this site, http://www.mdgx.com/mem6.htm , manages to load a bunch of drivers, but has the maximum possible available RAM for programs. He is using some 3rd party drivers, however. It is frustrating since I am trying to load less drivers. 611k is a lot better though, and I have faith that I can get it to at least 620k.

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:22:

I have to pop out the SD card and put it in my main PC to copy the texts, hehehe. It is up to 611k; getting there! […]
Show full quote

I have to pop out the SD card and put it in my main PC to copy the texts, hehehe. It is up to 611k; getting there!

Config.sys:

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1SWITCHES=/F
2DOS=HIGH,UMB
3BUFFERS=10,0
4FILES=20
5LASTDRIVE=H
6FCBS=1,0
7STACKS=0,0
8DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
9DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\EMM386.EXE 16384 RAM I=B000-B7FF I=E000-E7FF
10DEVICEHIGH /L:1,11264 =C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
11DEVICEHIGH /L:1,4560 =C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
12SHELL=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM /E:512 /P
13SET PATH=C:\MSDOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\SB16;..;
14SET TEMP=C:\TEMP
15SET TMP=C:\TEMP

Autoexec.bat:

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1SET COMSPEC=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM
2SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
3SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
4LH /S SMARTDRV
5LH C:\MSDOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:DVD-ROM /E /M:12
6LH /S CTMOUSE
7C:\UNI\UNISOUND
8PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\MSDOS;C:\SB16;%PATH%
9PROMPT $P$G
10CLS

Mem/p/c:

Copy code to clipboard

1
2Modules using memory below 1Mb:
3
4  Name           Total       =   Conventional   +   Upper Memory
5  --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
6  SYSTEM      11,824   (12K)      9,552    (9K)      2,272    (2K)
7  HIMEM        1,152    (1K)      1,152    (1K)          0    (0K)
8  EMM386       4,304    (4K)      4,304    (4K)          0    (0K)
9  SMARTDRV    29,136   (28K)     12,736   (12K)     16,400   (16K)
10  VIDE-CDD     5,008    (5K)          0    (0K)      5,008    (5K)
11  IFSHLP       3,856    (4K)          0    (0K)      3,856    (4K)
12  COMMAND     10,240   (10K)          0    (0K)     10,240   (10K)
13  CTMOUSE      3,328    (3K)          0    (0K)      3,328    (3K)
14  MSCDEX      16,144   (16K)          0    (0K)     16,144   (16K)
15  FREE       660,944  (645K)    625,552  (611K)     35,392   (35K)
16
17Memory summary:
18
19  Type of Memory       Total    =     Used    +     Free
20  ----------------  -----------   -----------   -----------
21  Conventional          655,360        29,808       625,552
22  Upper                  92,640        57,248        35,392
23  Reserved              309,792       309,792             0
24  Extended (XMS)    535,813,120     3,211,264   532,601,856
25  ----------------  -----------   -----------   -----------
26  Total memory      536,870,912     3,608,112   533,262,800
27
28  Total under 1Mb       748,000        87,056       660,944
29
30  Total Expanded (EMS)                 17,170,432  (16,768K)
31  Free Expanded (EMS)                  16,744,448  (16,352K)
32
33  Total Extended (XMS)                535,813,120 (523,255K)
34  Free Extended (XMS)                 532,601,856 (520,119K)
35
36  Largest executable program size         625,456     (611K)
37  Largest free upper memory block          16,608      (16K)
38  Available space in High Memory Area       2,288       (2K)
39  MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

I would try to load smartdrv first . To do this, I would try this (EDIT : this is a loader that enables loading SYS files in autoexec.bat or from the command line) https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/fr … ml/devload.html
Which should allow you to remove

1DEVICEHIGH /L:1,11264 =C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
2DEVICEHIGH /L:1,4560 =C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS

from config.sys

and replace them with (assuming you copy devload.com to c:\ )

1C:\DEVLOAD /H C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
2C:\DEVLOAD /H  C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS

immediately after the line loading smartdrv in autoexec.bat .

So your Autoexec.bat would look like :

1SET COMSPEC=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM
2SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
3SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
4LH /S SMARTDRV
5C:\DEVLOAD /H C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
6C:\DEVLOAD /H  C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
7LH C:\MSDOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:DVD-ROM /E /M:12
8LH /S CTMOUSE
9C:\UNI\UNISOUND
10PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\MSDOS;C:\SB16;%PATH%
11PROMPT $P$G
12CLS

and config.sys :

1SWITCHES=/F
2DOS=HIGH,UMB
3BUFFERS=10,0
4FILES=20
5LASTDRIVE=H
6FCBS=1,0
7STACKS=0,0
8DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
9DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\EMM386.EXE 16384 RAM I=B000-B7FF I=E000-E7FF
10SHELL=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM /E:512 /P
11SET PATH=C:\MSDOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\SB16;..;
12SET TEMP=C:\TEMP
13SET TMP=C:\TEMP

EDIT : Smartdrv will not cache your CD-ROM drive by default in this scenario. However, you should be able to invoke smartdrv a second time, with "smartdrv d+" (assuming d: is your CDROM drive) once MSCDEX.EXE is loaded to enable CDROM caching, if desired .

darry wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:50:

I would try to load smartdrv first . To do this, I would try this (EDIT : this is a loader that enables loading SYS files in aut […]
Show full quote

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:22:

I have to pop out the SD card and put it in my main PC to copy the texts, hehehe. It is up to 611k; getting there! […]
Show full quote

I have to pop out the SD card and put it in my main PC to copy the texts, hehehe. It is up to 611k; getting there!

Config.sys:

Copy code to clipboard

1SWITCHES=/F
2DOS=HIGH,UMB
3BUFFERS=10,0
4FILES=20
5LASTDRIVE=H
6FCBS=1,0
7STACKS=0,0
8DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
9DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\EMM386.EXE 16384 RAM I=B000-B7FF I=E000-E7FF
10DEVICEHIGH /L:1,11264 =C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
11DEVICEHIGH /L:1,4560 =C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
12SHELL=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM /E:512 /P
13SET PATH=C:\MSDOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\SB16;..;
14SET TEMP=C:\TEMP
15SET TMP=C:\TEMP

Autoexec.bat:

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1SET COMSPEC=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM
2SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
3SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
4LH /S SMARTDRV
5LH C:\MSDOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:DVD-ROM /E /M:12
6LH /S CTMOUSE
7C:\UNI\UNISOUND
8PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\MSDOS;C:\SB16;%PATH%
9PROMPT $P$G
10CLS

Mem/p/c:

Copy code to clipboard

1
2Modules using memory below 1Mb:
3
4  Name           Total       =   Conventional   +   Upper Memory
5  --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
6  SYSTEM      11,824   (12K)      9,552    (9K)      2,272    (2K)
7  HIMEM        1,152    (1K)      1,152    (1K)          0    (0K)
8  EMM386       4,304    (4K)      4,304    (4K)          0    (0K)
9  SMARTDRV    29,136   (28K)     12,736   (12K)     16,400   (16K)
10  VIDE-CDD     5,008    (5K)          0    (0K)      5,008    (5K)
11  IFSHLP       3,856    (4K)          0    (0K)      3,856    (4K)
12  COMMAND     10,240   (10K)          0    (0K)     10,240   (10K)
13  CTMOUSE      3,328    (3K)          0    (0K)      3,328    (3K)
14  MSCDEX      16,144   (16K)          0    (0K)     16,144   (16K)
15  FREE       660,944  (645K)    625,552  (611K)     35,392   (35K)
16
17Memory summary:
18
19  Type of Memory       Total    =     Used    +     Free
20  ----------------  -----------   -----------   -----------
21  Conventional          655,360        29,808       625,552
22  Upper                  92,640        57,248        35,392
23  Reserved              309,792       309,792             0
24  Extended (XMS)    535,813,120     3,211,264   532,601,856
25  ----------------  -----------   -----------   -----------
26  Total memory      536,870,912     3,608,112   533,262,800
27
28  Total under 1Mb       748,000        87,056       660,944
29
30  Total Expanded (EMS)                 17,170,432  (16,768K)
31  Free Expanded (EMS)                  16,744,448  (16,352K)
32
33  Total Extended (XMS)                535,813,120 (523,255K)
34  Free Extended (XMS)                 532,601,856 (520,119K)
35
36  Largest executable program size         625,456     (611K)
37  Largest free upper memory block          16,608      (16K)
38  Available space in High Memory Area       2,288       (2K)
39  MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

I would try to load smartdrv first . To do this, I would try this (EDIT : this is a loader that enables loading SYS files in autoexec.bat or from the command line) https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/fr … ml/devload.html
Which should allow you to remove

Copy code to clipboard

1DEVICEHIGH /L:1,11264 =C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
2DEVICEHIGH /L:1,4560 =C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS

from config.sys

and replace them with (assuming you copy devload.com to c:\ )

Copy code to clipboard

1C:\DEVLOAD /H C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
2C:\DEVLOAD /H  C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS

immediately after the line loading smartdrv in autoexec.bat .

So your Autoexec.bat would look like :

Copy code to clipboard

1SET COMSPEC=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM
2SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
3SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
4LH /S SMARTDRV
5C:\DEVLOAD /H C:\MSDOS\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:CD-RW /D:DVD-ROM
6C:\DEVLOAD /H  C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
7LH C:\MSDOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:DVD-ROM /E /M:12
8LH /S CTMOUSE
9C:\UNI\UNISOUND
10PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\MSDOS;C:\SB16;%PATH%
11PROMPT $P$G
12CLS

and config.sys :

Copy code to clipboard

1SWITCHES=/F
2DOS=HIGH,UMB
3BUFFERS=10,0
4FILES=20
5LASTDRIVE=H
6FCBS=1,0
7STACKS=0,0
8DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
9DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\EMM386.EXE 16384 RAM I=B000-B7FF I=E000-E7FF
10SHELL=C:\MSDOS\COMMAND.COM /E:512 /P
11SET PATH=C:\MSDOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\SB16;..;
12SET TEMP=C:\TEMP
13SET TMP=C:\TEMP

EDIT : Smartdrv will not cache your CD-ROM drive by default in this scenario. However, you should be able to invoke smartdrv a second time, with "smartdrv d+" (assuming d: is your CDROM drive) once MSCDEX.EXE is loaded to enable CDROM caching, if desired .

Awesome, I'll give it a shot! I wasn't sure if it needed to be loaded in a certain order in order to cache my optical drives. I remember Wing Commander III movies being herky-jerky without certain settings.

I had removed IFSHLP.SYS prior, but it is still being loaded from somewhere... Well, if I can figure out how to leave it, it will be easier for me to set up my WFW 3.11 card...

EDIT: I missed where you mentioned the caching... I'm jumping around a lot here, hehehe..

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:47:

I was going to use an external LS-120 and an external CD-RW, though I got lucky and found these two Gateways with internal LS-12 […]
Show full quote

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:24:

Her's my 289s config.sys file. I load a BackBack external CDRom and external LS120 drive daisy chained to that and it leaves plenty of ram for Dos. As well as plenty to for up Windows with nic packet driver and winpkt loaded.

I was going to use an external LS-120 and an external CD-RW, though I got lucky and found these two Gateways with internal LS-120 drives, and I am missing the power cable to the external drive (it looks proprietary.) Now I'll use the external LS-120 on my 486. I love them. I'm trying to find a parallel port PCI-e card that will allow me to use my spare parallel LS-120 on my main PC and then use the SuperDisks to transfer files between the systems, and I am looking at a USB version for my AthlonXP/WinXP PC. I do use an RCA/Lyra parallel port CF reader so that I can add a storage "drive," and I use CF/SD adapter cards. It will read up to 128GB cards in Windows 98, but only up to 8GB in DOS (despite it being DOS 7.1 with FAT32 support.)

I plan on adding a NIC to this PC I am working on now; I had to remove the one that came with this Gateway, because it was loading it's ROM into the available RAM. I hope to find a NIC with DOS support (for using Arachne) that doesn't use RAM. It was the same with an ATA133 PCI card - it used some of the 640k, so I removed it. I had a Voodoo1, Voodoo2, AND Voodoo5 in the system, but I removed the V2 so I could add a NIC and a USB 2.0 card, though I haven't tested it yet. Once I tweak the available memory to my liking, I'll try Bret Johnson's DOS USB drivers. I need to find a better program for reading and interpreting the 640-1024k memory map.

The person from this site, http://www.mdgx.com/mem6.htm , manages to load a bunch of drivers, but has the maximum possible available RAM for programs. He is using some 3rd party drivers, however. It is frustrating since I am trying to load less drivers. 611k is a lot better though, and I have faith that I can get it to at least 620k.

611k is plenty enough for 98% of Dos related applications Some will fail if the is too much Believe it or not......😉

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:01:

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:47:

I was going to use an external LS-120 and an external CD-RW, though I got lucky and found these two Gateways with internal LS-12 […]
Show full quote

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:24:

Her's my 289s config.sys file. I load a BackBack external CDRom and external LS120 drive daisy chained to that and it leaves plenty of ram for Dos. As well as plenty to for up Windows with nic packet driver and winpkt loaded.

I was going to use an external LS-120 and an external CD-RW, though I got lucky and found these two Gateways with internal LS-120 drives, and I am missing the power cable to the external drive (it looks proprietary.) Now I'll use the external LS-120 on my 486. I love them. I'm trying to find a parallel port PCI-e card that will allow me to use my spare parallel LS-120 on my main PC and then use the SuperDisks to transfer files between the systems, and I am looking at a USB version for my AthlonXP/WinXP PC. I do use an RCA/Lyra parallel port CF reader so that I can add a storage "drive," and I use CF/SD adapter cards. It will read up to 128GB cards in Windows 98, but only up to 8GB in DOS (despite it being DOS 7.1 with FAT32 support.)

I plan on adding a NIC to this PC I am working on now; I had to remove the one that came with this Gateway, because it was loading it's ROM into the available RAM. I hope to find a NIC with DOS support (for using Arachne) that doesn't use RAM. It was the same with an ATA133 PCI card - it used some of the 640k, so I removed it. I had a Voodoo1, Voodoo2, AND Voodoo5 in the system, but I removed the V2 so I could add a NIC and a USB 2.0 card, though I haven't tested it yet. Once I tweak the available memory to my liking, I'll try Bret Johnson's DOS USB drivers. I need to find a better program for reading and interpreting the 640-1024k memory map.

The person from this site, http://www.mdgx.com/mem6.htm , manages to load a bunch of drivers, but has the maximum possible available RAM for programs. He is using some 3rd party drivers, however. It is frustrating since I am trying to load less drivers. 611k is a lot better though, and I have faith that I can get it to at least 620k.

611k is plenty enough for 98% of Dos related applications Some will fail if the is too much Believe it or not......😉

Indeed. A workaround for that specific issue is the loadfix utility .

https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/LOADFIX

EDIT : This is a DOSBox example, but it exists in actual MS-DOS as well .

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:01:

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:47:

I was going to use an external LS-120 and an external CD-RW, though I got lucky and found these two Gateways with internal LS-12 […]
Show full quote

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:24:

Her's my 289s config.sys file. I load a BackBack external CDRom and external LS120 drive daisy chained to that and it leaves plenty of ram for Dos. As well as plenty to for up Windows with nic packet driver and winpkt loaded.

I was going to use an external LS-120 and an external CD-RW, though I got lucky and found these two Gateways with internal LS-120 drives, and I am missing the power cable to the external drive (it looks proprietary.) Now I'll use the external LS-120 on my 486. I love them. I'm trying to find a parallel port PCI-e card that will allow me to use my spare parallel LS-120 on my main PC and then use the SuperDisks to transfer files between the systems, and I am looking at a USB version for my AthlonXP/WinXP PC. I do use an RCA/Lyra parallel port CF reader so that I can add a storage "drive," and I use CF/SD adapter cards. It will read up to 128GB cards in Windows 98, but only up to 8GB in DOS (despite it being DOS 7.1 with FAT32 support.)

I plan on adding a NIC to this PC I am working on now; I had to remove the one that came with this Gateway, because it was loading it's ROM into the available RAM. I hope to find a NIC with DOS support (for using Arachne) that doesn't use RAM. It was the same with an ATA133 PCI card - it used some of the 640k, so I removed it. I had a Voodoo1, Voodoo2, AND Voodoo5 in the system, but I removed the V2 so I could add a NIC and a USB 2.0 card, though I haven't tested it yet. Once I tweak the available memory to my liking, I'll try Bret Johnson's DOS USB drivers. I need to find a better program for reading and interpreting the 640-1024k memory map.

The person from this site, http://www.mdgx.com/mem6.htm , manages to load a bunch of drivers, but has the maximum possible available RAM for programs. He is using some 3rd party drivers, however. It is frustrating since I am trying to load less drivers. 611k is a lot better though, and I have faith that I can get it to at least 620k.

611k is plenty enough for 98% of Dos related applications Some will fail if the is too much Believe it or not......😉

I definitely agree! I just want to see if it can be accomplished with this set up, and to make sure I have the best configuration for when I play with WFW 3.11. I have been collecting period games and apps and will be installing them all and giving the Win 3.x version of multitasking a run for it's money. I'll be switching between the OriginFX screensaver and the Highlander TV Show screensaver, playing with different office suites, art programs, etc.

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:05:

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:01:

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 03:47:

I was going to use an external LS-120 and an external CD-RW, though I got lucky and found these two Gateways with internal LS-120 drives, and I am missing the power cable to the external drive (it looks proprietary.) Now I'll use the external LS-120 on my 486. I love them. I'm trying to find a parallel port PCI-e card that will allow me to use my spare parallel LS-120 on my main PC and then use the SuperDisks to transfer files between the systems, and I am looking at a USB version for my AthlonXP/WinXP PC. I do use an RCA/Lyra parallel port CF reader so that I can add a storage "drive," and I use CF/SD adapter cards. It will read up to 128GB cards in Windows 98, but only up to 8GB in DOS (despite it being DOS 7.1 with FAT32 support.)

I plan on adding a NIC to this PC I am working on now; I had to remove the one that came with this Gateway, because it was loading it's ROM into the available RAM. I hope to find a NIC with DOS support (for using Arachne) that doesn't use RAM. It was the same with an ATA133 PCI card - it used some of the 640k, so I removed it. I had a Voodoo1, Voodoo2, AND Voodoo5 in the system, but I removed the V2 so I could add a NIC and a USB 2.0 card, though I haven't tested it yet. Once I tweak the available memory to my liking, I'll try Bret Johnson's DOS USB drivers. I need to find a better program for reading and interpreting the 640-1024k memory map.

The person from this site, http://www.mdgx.com/mem6.htm , manages to load a bunch of drivers, but has the maximum possible available RAM for programs. He is using some 3rd party drivers, however. It is frustrating since I am trying to load less drivers. 611k is a lot better though, and I have faith that I can get it to at least 620k.

611k is plenty enough for 98% of Dos related applications Some will fail if the is too much Believe it or not......😉

I definitely agree! I just want to see if it can be accomplished with this set up, and to make sure I have the best configuration for when I play with WFW 3.11. I have been collecting period games and apps and will be installing them all and giving the Win 3.x version of multitasking a run for it's money. I'll be switching between the OriginFX screensaver and the Highlander TV Show screensaver, playing with different office suites, art programs, etc.

You'll be fine.....)

Remember simpler is better. Some of the stuff in Darrys examples I wouldn't even bother with. But that is just me. Back in the day when I got my first x86 system, a 286/16, magigines were full of examples. As a noob I'm going "ke?" they don't need to be that long to free that amount of conventional memory. I was using DR Dos 6.0 at the time. It was cheaper and had way my options/functions than MS Dos ever had and work well. Learnt a lot from using it.... Of course OS/2s config.sys was another matter.

A lot of the unofficial Enhanced DRDos programs got move to the FreeDos project.

Say hi to #retrodreams every one.! From my 1990 Zenith286LP Plus.

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:21:

You'll be fine.....) […]
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Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:05:

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:01:

611k is plenty enough for 98% of Dos related applications Some will fail if the is too much Believe it or not......😉

I definitely agree! I just want to see if it can be accomplished with this set up, and to make sure I have the best configuration for when I play with WFW 3.11. I have been collecting period games and apps and will be installing them all and giving the Win 3.x version of multitasking a run for it's money. I'll be switching between the OriginFX screensaver and the Highlander TV Show screensaver, playing with different office suites, art programs, etc.

You'll be fine.....)

Remember simpler is better. Some of the stuff in Darrys examples I wouldn't even bother with. But that is just me. Back in the day when I got my first x86 system, a 286/16, magigines were full of examples. As a noob I'm going "ke?" they don't need to be that long to free that amount of conventional memory. I was using DR Dos 6.0 at the time. It was cheaper and had way my options/functions than MS Dos ever had and work well. Learnt a lot from using it.... Of course OS/2s config.sys was another matter.

Say hi to #retrodreams every one.! From my 1990 Zenith286LP Plus.

That is cool that you have a Zenith286LP Plus. I regret not having some of my older systems. I like to experience everything and try to do cool things with everything, which is why I like messing with start up files, or surfing the internet via broadband on a 486 in DOS, just to experience it.

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:48:

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:21:

You'll be fine.....) […]
Show full quote

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:05:

I definitely agree! I just want to see if it can be accomplished with this set up, and to make sure I have the best configuration for when I play with WFW 3.11. I have been collecting period games and apps and will be installing them all and giving the Win 3.x version of multitasking a run for it's money. I'll be switching between the OriginFX screensaver and the Highlander TV Show screensaver, playing with different office suites, art programs, etc.

You'll be fine.....)

Remember simpler is better. Some of the stuff in Darrys examples I wouldn't even bother with. But that is just me. Back in the day when I got my first x86 system, a 286/16, magigines were full of examples. As a noob I'm going "ke?" they don't need to be that long to free that amount of conventional memory. I was using DR Dos 6.0 at the time. It was cheaper and had way my options/functions than MS Dos ever had and work well. Learnt a lot from using it.... Of course OS/2s config.sys was another matter.

Say hi to #retrodreams every one.! From my 1990 Zenith286LP Plus.

That is cool that you have a Zenith286LP Plus. I regret not having some of my older systems. I like to experience everything and try to do cool things with everything, which is why I like messing with start up files, or surfing the internet via broadband on a 486 in DOS, just to experience it.

It also helps keeping ones memory in tune with what it was really like and not some revisionists fairy tail...😉

I like to get the maximum out of any systems I own old or new. Some just don't understand some of the things I do with my kit. "that's impossible on a system that old blah blah blah.."

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:52:

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:48:

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-05, 04:21:

You'll be fine.....)

Remember simpler is better. Some of the stuff in Darrys examples I wouldn't even bother with. But that is just me. Back in the day when I got my first x86 system, a 286/16, magigines were full of examples. As a noob I'm going "ke?" they don't need to be that long to free that amount of conventional memory. I was using DR Dos 6.0 at the time. It was cheaper and had way my options/functions than MS Dos ever had and work well. Learnt a lot from using it.... Of course OS/2s config.sys was another matter.

Say hi to #retrodreams every one.! From my 1990 Zenith286LP Plus.

That is cool that you have a Zenith286LP Plus. I regret not having some of my older systems. I like to experience everything and try to do cool things with everything, which is why I like messing with start up files, or surfing the internet via broadband on a 486 in DOS, just to experience it.

It also helps keeping ones memory in tune with what it was really like and not some revisionists fairy tail...😉

I like to get the maximum out of any systems I own old or new. Some just don't understand some of the things I do with my kit. "that's impossible on a system that old blah blah blah.."

I used to have an Atari 400, along with programming tutorial books. I got rid of it when I was a stupid teenager, and have regretted it ever since. I will probably try to obtain another one. A childhood friend used to have an Atari 800, which ran cartridges and disks form the 400, and I am going to find out if his family still has it. I got rid of Commodore 64s as a teen, and I lost my Commodore 128 in a move, and I am trying to replace them as well. I also want to buy an Ultimate 64 to play with. I am not a fan of Apple, though I want an Apple IIgs for the 80's/early 90's nostalgia factor, since my school and some friends had Apple computers. I was also introduced to some sort of Texas Instruments computer as a child, so I want one of those as well.

I just fired up the Gateway to play with the memory some more. My next goal is a multi-config.sys with submenus. I bought Moslo Deluxe, and it has options to emulate different past PCs, such as a 386, 486, Pentium 166, etc. I'm going to set up a config.sys to run different emulated systems (by using moslo on command.com) and have the option to run them with and without emm386. That way I can run games like Ultima VII without troubles. I'll also use moslo deluxe on command.com for my Windows 95 SD card and hopefully emulate a Pentium 166 for the early Win9x and Voodoo1 games.

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 16:24:

I used to have an Atari 400, along with programming tutorial books. I got rid of it when I was a stupid teenager, and have regretted it ever since. I will probably try to obtain another one. A childhood friend used to have an Atari 800, which ran cartridges and disks form the 400, and I am going to find out if his family still has it. I got rid of Commodore 64s as a teen, and I lost my Commodore 128 in a move, and I am trying to replace them as well. I also want to buy an Ultimate 64 to play with. I am not a fan of Apple, though I want an Apple IIgs for the 80's/early 90's nostalgia factor, since my school and some friends had Apple computers. I was also introduced to some sort of Texas Instruments computer as a child, so I want one of those as well.

You do realize that once you acquire these things, most of them are going to end up getting stuffed into a corner to collect dust, right..? Especially if you're already "not a fan" or barely have any experience with them aside from an "introduction" many years ago? (You are almost certainly thinking of the TI-99/4a, btw.)

I bought Moslo Deluxe, and it has options to emulate different past PCs, such as a 386, 486, Pentium 166, etc.

The accuracy of those various options is likely to be hugely exaggerated.

That way I can run games like Ultima VII without troubles.

I mean, have you actually played any of the Ultima games before? Is it worthwhile to go to enormous lengths to be able to play something you have no particular interest in, especially when numerous wholly-acceptable substitutes exist? Doesn't using an SD card already represent a significant departure from authenticity?

But this is all getting far away from the topic of the thread.

You do realize that once you acquire these things, most of them are going to end up getting stuffed into a corner to collect dust, right..? Especially if you're already "not a fan" or barely have any experience with them aside from an "introduction" many years ago?

They will be set up and used. I used to have a parallel cable that allowed me to run Commodore software images on my PC hard drive. The other end connected to the Commodore cartridge port. I used Apple computers for years at school.

(You are almost certainly thinking of the TI-99/4a, btw.)

Yes, that sounds right.

The accuracy of those various options is likely to be hugely exaggerated.

I agree, but approximations are close enough. I used regular moslo for many years, even when I had a 486 and tried running 286 and 386 games. It is close enough that I don;t feel the need to build anything older than my 4DPS based 486. Using a Pentium III 700 with a Voodoo5 and a Voodoo1 with a SB Live! and some form of SB AWE card, and using moslo, I can set up a config.sys to comfortable run software from 1980-2000+.

I mean, have you actually played any of the Ultima games before?

It is my favorite game series of all time. Origin was my favorite company of all time.

Is it worthwhile to go to enormous lengths to be able to play something you have no particular interest in, especially when numerous wholly-acceptable substitutes exist? Doesn't using an SD card already represent a significant departure from authenticity?

But I do have interest in it, and I am thus confused. I didn't think that I indicated that I lack an interest. I go to great lengths to maintain old hardware and to keep the past alive. I have a 36" CRT TV in the corner of my living room with all but a few of the consoles that were available from 1983-2002. SD cards are a departure, though that is due to a lack of mechanical drives (though I did recently buy a NOS 120GB IDE HDD for one pf the builds - it would have been the slave to this SD drive, but the LS-120 changed those plans.) SD cards are cheap, portable, and easy and quick to back up. Plus, I can use them like little cartridges. With that said, I also play around with DosBox, 86box, and various other emulators. I'll build a sleeper PC that uses 86box once it works in the ways that I am hoping it does. All of this is my main hobby.

But this is all getting far away from the topic of the thread.

In a way, I suppose. Though tweaking my RAM and debating whether or not 611k is related content. It is about making sure I can experience all of these games and apps properly when I use the system, just like having original hardware with past computers.

Attached pic is but a small portion of my software collection, and the collection spans multiple computer and system types.

EDIT: I also draw Ultima-style pixel art. I haven't worked on it in a few months (and I have a lot more than what I uploaded to the facebook page) due to these projects and getting my house rewired and raising children, and my motorcycle accident makes it hard to work on too much at once.

https://www.facebook.com/Scythifuge/

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 17:20:

Attached pic is but a small portion of my software collection, and the collection spans multiple computer and system types.

EDIT: I also draw Ultima-style pixel art. I haven't worked on it in a few months (and I have a lot more than what I uploaded to the facebook page) due to these projects and getting my house rewired and raising children, and my motorcycle accident makes it hard to work on too much at once.

https://www.facebook.com/Scythifuge/

Wow you are an Ultima fan ! I also see Wing Commander, Systemshock and Bioforge. Good collection !

Horun wrote on 2021-07-05, 23:42:

Scythifuge wrote on 2021-07-05, 17:20:

Attached pic is but a small portion of my software collection, and the collection spans multiple computer and system types.

EDIT: I also draw Ultima-style pixel art. I haven't worked on it in a few months (and I have a lot more than what I uploaded to the facebook page) due to these projects and getting my house rewired and raising children, and my motorcycle accident makes it hard to work on too much at once.

https://www.facebook.com/Scythifuge/

Wow you are an Ultima fan ! I also see Wing Commander, Systemshock and Bioforge. Good collection !

Thank you. I tried to collect every Origin game, though I am missing a couple, such as 2400 A.D. and Caverns of Callisto, and the Jane's games that they made. I also collect Sierra and SSI games, and all sorts of other games like Darklands and Drakkhen (with the miniature feelie.) I recently acquired Evil Islands and Alien Earth for Windows, and Sword of the Samurai and Pirates! for DOS. If I see a game that is complete and in one of the genres I like, I try to snag it. I am tired a lot from crappy sleep due to complications, so a lot of good stuff slipped through my fingers because if you snooze you lose.

I also have a beat up Ultima IX Dragon's Edition. I played it, ironically, on my Gateway I had back in 1999, with a Voodoo3 card. I hated it for various reasons, but I played it until the end, and I will probably try it out with my Voodoo5, as Origin built it with Glide in mind.

It is why I must get my retro systems properly set up with memory settings and with the right hardware. I play everything. I have a lot of games I purposefully haven't completed, because if I finish them all, there will be no more...

Nice games collection man. I'm play the occasional game not hard core at all. Rather be riding my old Honda CB550F. I'm in the keep old systems and memories alive camp as well...😀 Have a functioning Apple Mac SE because the all-in-one is iconic. Have quite a few Acorn systems as well but mainly I'm into old x86-XT-Turbos through to P1mmx systems as thats the era I started my adventure into computers. Operating systems and GUIs are also an interest of mine. My original 286/16 was totally MickySoft free. I ran DRDos 6 and GeoWorks Ensemble Pro 1.2 for around three years just to get use to these x86 computer thingies. When I upgraded the mobo to 486DX33 that's when I tossed MS Windows 3.1 on the thing. I t ran well with 8megs of ram. Used that a few years then upgraded the mobo to a Pentium 133. Never put Win9x on that as I was quite happy with my set up until I got a good offer for an IBM PC300GL.Ran that with MS Windows 98rtm on it. Ran that for 4-5 years then folk started throwing those hated P4 thingies no one likes and that was that ..😉.

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-07-06, 01:15:

Nice games collection man.

Thanks!

I'm play the occasional game not hard core at all. Rather be riding my old Honda CB550F. I'm in the keep old systems and memories alive camp as well...😀 Have a functioning Apple Mac SE because the all-in-one is iconic. Have quite a few Acorn systems as well but mainly I'm into old x86-XT-Turbos through to P1mmx systems as thats the era I started my adventure into computers. Operating systems and GUIs are also an interest of mine. My original 286/16 was totally MickySoft free. I ran DRDos 6 and GeoWorks Ensemble Pro 1.2 for around three years just to get use to these x86 computer thingies. When I upgraded the mobo to 486DX33 that's when I tossed MS Windows 3.1 on the thing. I t ran well with 8megs of ram. Used that a few years then upgraded the mobo to a Pentium 133. Never put Win9x on that as I was quite happy with my set up until I got a good offer for an IBM PC300GL.Ran that with MS Windows 98rtm on it. Ran that for 4-5 years then folk started throwing those hated P4 thingies no one likes and that was that ..😉.

There is a Mac I used in school and they let me borrow it for the summer, so sometimes I want to grab one of those, though I can't recall the model, so I would be judging by looks and release date.

I am definitely not as hard core as I used to be, though I have a feeling that I will start getting some hours in once I get these systems to my liking and certain games working properly. My era of focus is 1993-1999. I had a 486SX/33 which was upgraded to a DX2/66 (and why I have a 486DX2/66 now,) then upgraded that to a Pentium 90, and then in 1999 I got that Gateway P3 450, and after that I built all of my systems. It is ironic and nostalgic that I got my hands on this Gateway and it feels neat. Each SD is to have a different OS on it with the maxxed out settings.

The 486DX2/66 certainly was an iconic cpu. I picked up a slimline DecPClp+, AcerAcross and some other 486 systems. Quite a few were shipped with 486SX25 cpus. One originally had a Texas Istruments 486DLC33.. All the previous owners upgraded the cpus to either 468DX2/50s or 486DX2/66s. The AcerAcross has a 486DX50. I switched the cpu speed from 25mhz to 33mhz and it is as stable as anything. It's my early-mid '90s GUs/Operating system box with two 500ish hdds and 32megs of ram. It's got OS/2 v3 Connect with the OS/2 v4 tcpip client pack which supports DHCP and is fully 32-bit. OS/2 shares the system with MS Dos 6.22, GeoWorks Pro 1.2, Breadbox Ensemble 4, Deskveiw/X , MS Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Quarterdecks Manifest with EMM386 memory manager and a lot of other stuff from that period...😉