Greater Than 16MB of RAM in FTs and FTe Servers Running NetWare 3.11

As announced in Novell Newsletter - Issue 15, it is now possible to configure FTs and FTe servers to run with more than 16MB of RAM. In order to have the memory recognised by NetWare 3.11, a number of software configuration steps need to be carried out. These are explained below. (Note: this IPB assumes that the server is fitted with a suitable memory expansion card, and it is correctly configured.)

Firstly, ensure that you have at least Release 5 of the NetWare 3.xx (386) Server Environment Pack (product code SE45341 - see Novell Newsletter Issue 15 for details of how to upgrade if you have an earlier release). This release of environment pack includes version 2.22 of the Adaptec AHA1640.DSK driver, which will be required by the installation. It also includes a utility called ABOVE16.EXE which must be run prior to running SERVER.EXE.

1. Install the Server Environment Pack as normal.
2. Copy ABOVE16.EXE from the \ABOVE16 directory on the Server Environment Pack install disk to the DOS boot disk/partition of the NetWare server.
3. Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT so that ABOVE16.EXE is run before SERVER.EXE
4. Edit the server's STARTUP.NCF file, appending ABOVE16=Y to all lines loading AHA1640, i.e.
   LOAD AHA1640 SLOT=7 ABOVE16=Y
   LOAD AHA1640 SLOT=8 ABOVE16=Y
5. Add the following line to STARTUP.NCF (the value can be anything between 32 and 200)
   SET RESERVED BUFFERS BELOW 16 MEG = 32
6. Add the REGISTER MEMORY command, with appropriate parameters (see note below) to the server's AUTOEXEC.NCF file. This command should ideally be placed near the beginning of AUTOEXEC.NCF (directly after file server name and ipx internal net have been defined).

NB: The REGISTER MEMORY command is documented briefly in the NetWare 3.11 Installation Manual on Page 127. There is however an issue with using this command on MCA machines that use the Chips and Technologies MCA chipset, whereby a 'hole' is left between the standard system memory and the memory that is added above 16MB.

The program ABOVE16.EXE is used to map the system RAM around this 'hole', but as a result, 512K usable memory is lost. Therefore, when calculating the value for the length of the memory for the REGISTER MEMORY command, deduct 512K (80000h). This gives the following possible values;

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