MDGx MS-DOS 6.xx MEMory Specs

MS-DOS 6.xx MEMory Specs

Take Control of Your OS at DOS Level

Take control of your MS-DOS 6.xx + Windows/WfWG 3.1x machine at DOS level!
After all Windows/WfWG 3.1x is a 16-bit Graphical User Interface (GUI) protected mode virtual environment, which still depends on the good ol' MS-DOS 6.xx TSR modules (IO.SYS + COMMAND.COM), MS-DOS mode memory manager (HIMEM.SYS) and compatibility (legacy) drivers (IFSHLP.SYS) to load on top of the plain DOS command line based layer!
The good news is Microsoft released Windows XP (eXPerience)/2003/Vista/2008/7/8/8.1/2012/10/2016/2019/11/2022, true 32-bit/64-bit multitasking, multithreading and Symmetrical MultiProcessing (SMP) graphical OSes, which aim to do away once for all with the "ancient" 16-bit MS-DOS command line.
NOTE:
Unfortunately Microsoft removed 16-bit application support from all Windows 64-bit (x64) OSes. 😞
And the bad news is these advanced/modern OSes do not fully support native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode natively (by themselves, without adequate hardware + software virtualization support), necessary for some old DOS based programs/games that require exclusive access to memory/video/audio/network hardware resources, and most of whom are still memory "hungry", especially the ones that canNOT run from a DOS session/box/console/window inside Windows.
Therefore you need to master your CONFIG.SYS + AUTOEXEC.BAT command lines, and your SYSTEM.INI parameters in case you're using Windows/WfWG 3.xx, in order to BOOT into your system the way YOU want!
Solutions [free(ware)]:
  ● DOSBox
  ● DOS Memory Managers
  ● UMBPCI.SYS
  ● Virtualization Software
  ● DOS Emulators

Overview

Here is my native MS-DOS 6.22 mode MEMory stats screen [running "MEM /A/C/P"], using Microsoft's "combo": HIMEM.SYS v3.95 High/Extended MEMory Manager and EMM386.EXE v4.95 Upper/Expanded/Extended MEMory Manager, ALL devices/drivers/TSRs loaded in UPPER Memory, which gives me 625 KB of FREE conventional [low] memory [RAM], maximum available on any X86 IBM compatible PC/AT using a color VGA video card, and 34 KB of FREE upper memory.
Get HIMEM.SYS v3.95 + EMM386.EXE v4.95 [55 KB, free], part of Windows 98 SE [a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.10].
MEM.EXE similar tool for DOS (free).
See also my Über-clocked PC hardware specs and a list of benchmarks.
And this is how I did it... just take a look at my startup files:
- CONFIG.SYS
- AUTOEXEC.BAT
NOTES:
- All lines beginning with a semicolon (;) in CONFIG.SYS and double colon (::) in AUTOEXEC.BAT are comments, and are similar to using the REMark (REM) batch file command.
- All 3rd party add-on/alternative/replacement MS-DOS mode device drivers/TSRs I am using in my Startup files below are linked at my ESSENTIAL DOS 5.00 - 8.00 Power Toys + Speed-Up + Benchmark Tools pages for direct download, as are also my related ©Tricks + Secrets articles.
- Most of these settings are valid for ALL MS-DOS 6.xx releases, and some even for Windows 95/98/ME [a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.xx/8.00], if not specified otherwise.
- This page is a compilation of my MEM62.TXT + MEM31.TXT files, both part of my Windows/WfWG 3.1x + DOS 6.xx ©Tricks + Secrets files [W31-11D.ZIP], freeware.
- Download W31-11D.ZIP and read MEMORY.TXT for detailed ©Tweaks + Guidelines to MAXimize and optimize your WinDOwS memory resources. [and much, much more... 😎]

Reference

Computer Memory Management Terms + System Files @ Wikipedia [separate page]

Numerical Measurement Standards, Systems + Units [separate page]

Back 2 Top

My MS-DOS 6.22 + Windows for WorkGroups 3.11
Native DOS Mode MEMory Screen

First take a look at my MS-DOS 6.22 + Windows for WorkGroups 3.11 "MEM /A/C/P" screen, in native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode (outside Windows), using Microsoft's HIMEM.SYS v3.95 High/Extended MEMory Manager + Microsoft's EMM386.EXE v4.95 Upper/Expanded/Extended MEMory Manager "combo" in my CONFIG.SYS:

Modules using memory below 1 MB:

 Name           Total       =   Conventional   +   Upper Memory
 --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
 MSDOS        9,917   (10K)      9,917   (10K)          0    (0K)
 HIMEM        1,168    (1K)      1,168    (1K)          0    (0K)
 EMM386       3,264    (3K)      3,264    (3K)          0    (0K)
 RECALL       2,544    (2K)          0    (0K)      2,544    (2K)
 DOSMAX         240    (0K)          0    (0K)        240    (0K)
 XDVD2        2,272    (3K)          0    (0K)      2,272    (3K)
 IFSHLP       3,904    (4K)          0    (0K)      3,904    (4K)
 NANSI        3,536    (3K)          0    (0K)      3,536    (3K)
 FILES        4,448    (4K)          0    (0K)      4,448    (4K)
 FCBS            96    (0K)          0    (0K)         96    (0K)
 WKBUFFER       528    (1K)          0    (0K)        528    (1K)
 LASTDRIV       720    (1K)          0    (0K)        720    (1K)
 INSTALL        160    (0K)          0    (0K)        160    (0K)
 CTMOUSE      3,584    (3K)          0    (0K)      3,584    (3K)
 COMMAND      3,696    (4K)          0    (0K)      3,696    (4K)
 ZENO174      1,120    (1K)          0    (0K)      1,120    (1K)
 MSCDEX      16,080   (16K)          0    (0K)     16,080   (16K)
 SMARTDRV    35,264   (33K)          0    (0K)     35,264   (33K)
 HYPERKEY     2,880    (3K)          0    (0K)      2,880    (3K)
 Free       675,504  (660K)    640,314  (625K)     35,200   (34K)

Memory Summary:

 Type of Memory       Total   =    Used    +    Free
 ----------------  ----------   ----------   ----------
 Conventional         655,360       15,056      640,314
 Upper                125,792       90,592       35,200
 Reserved             393,216      393,216            0
 Extended (XMS)*   65,934,496    5,280,928   60,653,568
 ----------------  ----------   ----------   ----------
 Total memory      67,108,864    5,779,792   61,329,072

 Total under 1 MB     781,152      105,648      675,504

 Total Expanded (EMS)                33,947,648 (33,152K)
 Free Expanded (EMS)*                33,505,280 (32,720K)

 * EMM386 is using XMS memory to simulate EMS memory as needed.
   Free EMS memory may change as free XMS memory changes.

 Largest executable program size        640,288   (625K)
 Largest free upper memory block         31,776    (31K)
 Available space in High Memory Area     15,920    (16K)
 MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

Back 2 Top

... And this is how I did it:

My MS-DOS 6.22 + Windows for WorkGroups 3.11
CONFIG.SYS File

; Skip 2 seconds boot delay SWITCHES line:
SWITCHES=/F
; Load DOS HIGH + provide DOS UMA (Upper Memory Area):
DOS=HIGH,UMB
; Optimal BUFFERS line when using SMARTDRV:
BUFFERS=11,0
; Optimal FILES line:
FILES=60
; My LASTDRIVE line:
LASTDRIVE=H
; Disable old FCBS support:
FCBS=1,0
; Disable DOS STACKS:
STACKS=0,0
; HIMEM.SYS v3.95 HIGH + Extended MEMory Manager [MANDATORY for Windows/WfWG 3.1x!]:
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
; EMM386.EXE v4.95 Upper/Expanded/Extended MEMory manager [expanded memory enabled: RAM switch]:
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=B800-C7FF I=C800-EFFF I=B000-B7FF RAM M3 A=64 H=128 D=256 AUTO NOTR
; Move BUFFERS, FCBS, FILES, LASTDRIVE + STACKS "high" using DOSMAX.EXE v1.2:
DEVICE=C:\MAX\DOSMAX.EXE N+ P- R- U02 U08 U09 U0A U0B U0C U0D U0E U70 U72 U73 U74 U76 U77
; XDVD2.SYS universal MS-DOS mode IDE/ATAPI CD/DVD driver:
DEVICEHIGH /L:1 C:\CDROM\XDVD2.SYS /D:DVDROM /D:CDRW
; Enable MS-DOS mode NANSI.SYS v4.0d CONsole accelerator driver [ANSI.SYS replacement]:
DEVICEHIGH /L:1 C:\MAX\NANSI.SYS /X
; Enable MS-DOS support for Windows 32-bit Fast Disk Access driver [MANDATORY for Windows/WfWG 3.1x!]:
DEVICEHIGH C:\WIN31\IFSHLP.SYS
; Zeno v1.74 DOS text mode VGA BIOS accelerator:
DEVICEHIGH=C:\MAX\ZENO174.EXE /Q
; Increase COMMAND environment SHELL line using SHELLMAX.COM, part of DOSMAX v1.2:
SHELL=C:\MAX\SHELLMAX.COM /N+ /P- /R- /S- C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:1280 /P
; TEMPorary files path [next 2 lines]:
SET TEMP=E:\TEMP
SET TMP=E:\TEMP

Back 2 Top

My MS-DOS 6.22 + Windows for WorkGroups 3.11
AUTOEXEC.BAT File

:: Disable CONsole display [similar to using > NUL]:
@CTTY NUL
:: Enable FastVid v1.10 DOS/Windows video acceleration [Intel Pentium Pro/II/III/IV ONLY!]:
C:\3D\FASTVID.EXE XX1 128 C0000000
:: Enable Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold ISA sound card Audio + MIDI in all MS-DOS modes [next 7 lines]:
SET CTCM=C:\AWE64
SET SOUND=C:\AWE64
C:\AWE64\CTCM.EXE /B
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
C:\AWE64\AWEUTIL.COM /S
C:\AWE64\MIXERSET.EXE /P /Q
:: Set EMM386 to AUTO mode [using EMM386.EXE in CONFIG.SYS]:
C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE AUTO
:: MicroSoft CD-rom EXtensions driver v2.25 [using XDVD2.SYS in CONFIG.SYS]:
LOADHIGH=C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:DVDROM /D:CDRW /M:20 /E
:: MS-DOS SmartDrive v5.02 disk cache driver:
SMARTDRV.EXE 8192 16 A+ B- C+ D+ E+ F+ G /N /E:32768
:: DOS Mouse driver INItialization path [location of MOUSE.INI]:
SET MOUSE=C:\MAX
:: Logitech Mouse INItialization path [location of MOUSEDRV.INI]:
SET LMOUSE=C:\MAX
:: MS-DOS Cute Mouse v2.1 DOS Mouse driver:
LOADHIGH=C:\MAX\CTMOUSE.EXE /R44
:: Move part of COMMAND environment using ENVIMAX.COM, part of DOSMAX v1.2:
C:\MAX\ENVIMAX.COM N+
:: HyperKey v4.70 DOS mode Keyboard accelerator:
C:\MAX\HYPERKEY.EXE XS A:+ C:1 C:- CR:- D:300 H:127 KW:- L:1 P:30 R:30 W:+ OK:- OX:+
:: Fastest MS-DOS mode Keyboard response:
MODE.COM CON: RATE=32 DELAY=1
:: Recall v1.2c driver [DOSKEY.COM replacement]:
LOADHIGH=C:\MAX\RECALL.COM -I
:: Quantum3D Obsidian2 X-24 PCI TV 3dfx Voodoo2 SLI 3D video card SET <variable> [next 2 lines]:
SET FX_GLIDE_NO_SPLASH=1
SET FX_GLIDE_SWAPINTERVAL=0
:: My PATH line:
SET PATH=C:\;C:\BAT;C:\MAX;C:\DOS;C:\WIN31;C:\WIN31\SYSTEM;C:\AWE64;C:\3D;C:\ZIP;C:\AD;
:: Disable COPY/MOVE commands confirmation prompt:
SET COPYCMD=/Y
:: DIR command sort settings:
SET DIRCMD=/A/O:GEN/P
:: MS-DOS + Windows PROMPT [next 2 lines]:
SET PROMPT=HI+EMS: DOS 6.22 + Windows/WfWG 3.11$_$P$G
SET WINPMT=DOS Box: Hit Insert 2 return 2 Windows!$_$P$G
:: Reenable CONsole display:
CTTY CON
:: F1-F12 remapped keys [using NANSI.SYS in CONFIG.SYS]:
@TYPE C:\MAX\KEY.TXT

Back 2 Top

©1996-2024 MDGx (a.k.a. AXCEL216): Everything here at MDGx.com, except for my ©photos, is FREEware.
Always free of ad(vertisement)s, cookies, tracking, malware + spyware.
I have created [August 1996], maintain and update these web pages entirely by hand using Programmer's File Editor [replaced Notepad].
I am not affiliated with, don't advertise/promote, speak on the behalf/name of, nor work for any for profit business/entity.
All ©copyrights and ®registered ™trademarks retain owners' property.