Workstation Memory Configurations with MS-DOS

See also IPB 1051

There is no single default memory configuration recommendation for all Apricot systems due to differing software environments and system-specific physical restrictions. We hope, however, that the following general information will be useful for most workstations.

The following are addressed:

General Issues

Current Products
XEN-PC (Jade/Ruby)
XEN-PC (P2)
XEN-PC (Revenge)
LS Pro (Caracal)
VS/LS/MS (Diamond)

General Issues

Unless specifically required, remove the following drivers and TSRs from CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT:

DEVICE=SETVER.SYS
DEVICE=SMARTDRV.EXE /DOUBLE_BUFFER
DEVICE=DISPLAY.SYS
MODE CON CODEPAGE...

XEN-PC (Jade/Ruby)

Upper memory area available: D000h-DFFFh

EMM386 may be used to access this upper memory as follows:

First entries of CONFIG.SYS
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=C000-CFFF I=D000-DFFF X=E000-EFFF NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB

Mono upper memory area available: B000-B7FF

The Mono upper memory area can also be used if MS-DOS 6.22 and Windows for Workgroups is run on the workstation. This will increase the total available upper memory area for loading device drivers high. Change the EMM386 line to:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF X=C000-CFFF I=D000-DFFF X=E000-EFFF NOEMS

The Windows SYSTEM.INI file (386 Enhanced section) will need to be changed to:

[386Enh]
Device=C:\Dos\MonoUmb.386

If add-in cards are installed, it will be necessary to incorporate RAM space used by the cards (if any) into the exclusion parameters of the EMM386 line in CONFIG.SYS. For example, if a network card is added with 16Kb of adapter RAM, configure the card so that the adapter RAM starts at D000h and change the EMM386 line to:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF X=C000-D3FF I=D400-DFFF X=E000-EFFF NOEMS

XEN-PC (P2)

Upper memory area available: C800h-E7FFh

The upper memory area may be accessed in the same way as the XEN-PC (Jade) example above, although the EMM386 line will need to read as follows:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=C000-C7FF I=C800-E7FF X=E800-EFFF NOEMS

Add-in card issues are the same as for the XEN-PC (Jade) detailed above.

The Mono upper memory area and issues are the same as for the XEN-PC (Jade) detailed above.

XEN-PC (Revenge)

Upper memory area available: C800h-DFFFh

The upper memory area may be accessed in the same way as the XEN-PC (Jade) example above, although the EMM386 line will need to read as follows:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=C000-C7FF I=C800-DFFF X=E000-EFFF NOEMS

Add-in card issues are the same as for the XEN-PC (Jade) detailed above.

The Mono upper memory area and issues are the same as for the XEN-PC (Jade) detailed above.

LS Pro (Caracal)

BIOS release 3.XX - Upper memory area available: C800h-EFFFh

The upper memory area may be accessed in the same way as the XEN-PC (Jade) example above, although the EMM386 line will need to read as follows:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=C000-C7FF I=C800-EFFF NOEMS

The Mono upper memory area and issues are the same as for the XEN-PC (Jade) detailed above.

VS/LS/MS (Diamond)

Upper memory area available: C800h-DFFFh

The upper memory area may be accessed in the same way as the XEN-PC (Jade) example above, although the EMM386 line will need to read as follows:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=C000-C7FF I=C800-DFFF X=E000-EFFF NOEMS

Add-in card issues are the same as for the XEN-PC (Jade) detailed above.

The Mono upper memory area and issues are the same as for the XEN-PC (Jade) detailed above.

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