[Trlog] Parameters on EMM386.EXE

[Paul Kirley]

My logging machine runs pure DOS 6.22, no Windows files at all.  This gives me access to the DOS help files.

Typing HELP EMM386.EXE at the DOS prompt provides a lot of information.  But be sure to include the ".EXE" or you will get a different help item.

EMS is expanded memory.  XMS is extended memory.  Apparently the recent versions of POST run OK with XMS, but TR version 7 requires EMS.

The NOEMS parameter allows no access to expanded memory, but does allow DOS to be loaded in the UMB, upper memory blocks.  Simply removing NOEMS probably results in DOS being loaded into regular memory, which may not be a problem if TRLog is loading into expanded memory.  On the other hand, the Notes portion of the HELP EMM386.EXE helpfile states that substituting the RAM parameter for the NOEMS parameter allows both access to the upper memory area and expanded memory.

So I replaced my NOEMS parameter with the RAM parameter and haven't encountered any problems yet.  I tried both TR and POST.

Whatever changes you make, try running the DOS command MEM /C /P (2 screens, hence /P), and read what it has to say about your extended XMS memory and expanded EMS memory.

73, Paul W8TM


P.S.:  Here's what MEM /C has to say about my logging machine after I started and then shut down TRLog:

Modules using memory below 1 MB:

  Name           Total       =   Conventional   +   Upper Memory
  --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
  MSDOS       23,597   (23K)     23,597   (23K)          0    (0K)
  HIMEM        1,168    (1K)      1,168    (1K)          0    (0K)
  EMM386       4,144    (4K)      4,144    (4K)          0    (0K)
  COMMAND      3,232    (3K)      3,232    (3K)          0    (0K)
  SETVER         512    (1K)          0    (0K)        512    (1K)
  ANSI         4,240    (4K)          0    (0K)      4,240    (4K)
  SMARTDRV    29,024   (28K)          0    (0K)     29,024   (28K)
  Free       649,584  (634K)    623,072  (608K)     26,512   (26K)

Memory Summary:

  Type of Memory       Total   =    Used    +    Free
  ----------------  ----------   ----------   ----------
  Conventional         655,360       32,288      623,072
  Upper                 60,288       33,776       26,512
  Reserved             196,608      196,608            0
  Extended (XMS)*   11,670,656    2,593,920    9,076,736
  ----------------  ----------   ----------   ----------
  Total memory      12,582,912    2,856,592    9,726,320

  Total under 1 MB     715,648       66,064      649,584

  Total Expanded (EMS)                12,058,624 (11,776K
  Free Expanded (EMS)*                 9,322,496 (9,104K)

  * 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        622,976   (608K)
  Largest free upper memory block         16,432    (16K)
  MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.