# I lack conventional memory to run an old MS-DOS programm
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 23, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667 "2003-04-23T19:34:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/1 "2003-04-23T19:34:33Z")
Ok…So, I want to play with this old MS-DOS game, but I can’t. It tells me I’ve not enough conventional memory available. It needs says 580 Ko to run, and there are only 510 Ko available.
How do I free some conventional memory?
And also, how could I know what is using the missing memory?
---
### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/2 "2003-04-23T20:16:57Z")
Are you playing it under Windows in a DOS box or are you starting the computer in DOS mode?
---
### Author:  [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/3 "2003-04-23T20:31:55Z")
Under DOS and the older Windowses you should get a picture of memory usage by typing **mem /c** on the command line ( **mem /d** for a more detailed picture).
In your autoexec.bat file you should try to load as many drivers as possible into high memory (with **lh** ). Possibly you’d need to specify himem.sys as a device in config.sys if it is not already there. The line DOS=HIGH,UMB in config.sys also frees some conventional memory at the expense of high memory.
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/4 "2003-04-23T20:54:53Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sailor \*
> \*\*Are you playing it under Windows in a DOS box or are you starting the computer in DOS mode? \*\*
In a DOS box. I just can’t get the game to even install itself when I strat the computer in DOS mode . I type “install”…and then…nothing happen, it freezes and I have to reboot…
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/5 "2003-04-23T21:05:48Z")
[QUOTE]
\*Originally posted by tschild \*
\*\*Under DOS and the older Windowses you should get a picture of memory usage by typing **mem /c** on the command line ( **mem /d** for a more detailed picture).
[quote]
This I did, reading a “MS-DOS for the dumb” book. And indeed, 151 Ko of concentional memory are already in use. But then?? ☹
And when I type mem/d…how can I slow down what appears on the screen…I can’t read it…
> [@](#):
>
> In your autoexec.bat file you should try to load as many drivers as possible into high memory (with **lh** ). Possibly you’d need to specify himem.sys as a device in config.sys if it is not already there. The line DOS=HIGH,UMB in config.sys also frees some conventional memory at the expense of high memory. \*\*
Err…I don’t understand at all what all this means in practice. I know nothing about MS-DOS, and more generally about computers. I’ve no clue what “autoexec.bat” is , I don’t know how to load drivers in high memory, how to specify himem.sys as a device, etc…So, I don’t know what I must do practically to follow these advices…
😕
Is there something to do a clueless person can understand?
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/6 "2003-04-23T21:14:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by clairobscur \*
> \*\* And when I type mem/d…how can I slow down what appears on the screen…I can’t read it…
>
> \*\*
OK…this I found in my “MS-DOS for dumb people” book. Now I can read what my memory is used for.
The “thing” which is using by far the most memory is…well…the line looks like that :
024E 90 464 (88K) MEM Programm
What is that? Can I get rid of this ? How?
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/7 "2003-04-23T21:18:51Z")
Well…the spaces don’t appear in the post. So it looks more like this :
024E… 90 464… (88K)… MEM… Programm
Other things which appears either don’t use much space, or seem best not be removed at first glance (like the 64 Ko used for “system datas”)
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/8 "2003-04-23T21:46:32Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tschild \*
> \*\*The line DOS=HIGH,UMB in config.sys also frees some conventional memory at the expense of high memory. \*\*
Ok…I found this line somewhere…don’t ask me where. So, apparently, it’s already done.
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/9 "2003-04-23T21:51:45Z")
And I also found the line :
Device=C:\WINDOWS\Himem.Sys
in the “advanced parameters” of the “programm properties” screen. So, I assume it’s already done to. So is there something else I could do?
What about these 88 Ko used by this “MEM” programm?
Sorry for the multiple posts, but I answer when I find something new…
---
### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/10 "2003-04-23T21:54:39Z")
Make yourself a DOS boot diskette. What version of Windows are you running?
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/11 "2003-04-23T22:01:54Z")
I’m using Windows 95.
How can I make a DOS boot diskette and how should I use it?
---
### Author:  [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/12 "2003-04-23T22:02:43Z")
Reboot the computer in safe mode (hold the F8 key down while its restarting). This will limit the number of drivers that load and should free up enough memory.
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/13 "2003-04-23T22:17:23Z")
OK…I searched on google and I _believe_ I created a DOS boot diskette (I typed "format a: /s…with a diskette in the drive A, of course…is this correct? Is it all I had to do to create said diskette?)
Assuming I’m actually now the proud owner of a DOS boot diskette, what should I do with it???
---
### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/14 "2003-04-23T22:20:27Z")
Now you’ll need to put a basic CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT on your new boot diskette:
> [@](#):
>
> Open Notepad; make two new files as follows and save them to the A: drive
>
> DOS=NOAUTO
> DOS=HIGH
> DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
> FILES=30
> BUFFERS=30
>
> Save this as Config.sys
>
> SET TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
> SET PROMPT=$p$g
> SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND
> SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6 (Remember that these numbers must match your system)
> C:(Your mouse driver).COM
> C:
> CD\ULTIMA7
> [MOSLO.COM](http://MOSLO.COM) /50 [ULTIMA7.COM](http://ULTIMA7.COM)
>
> Save this as Autoexec.bat
>
> Put the floppy in the A: drive and reboot your computer.
From [url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~rsd/three.html#boot]this page].
---
### Author:  [@puggyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puggyfish)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/15 "2003-04-23T22:25:32Z")
Running DOS programs in Windows is convenient but often problematic. Try using EMM386. That can help considerably by managing a 384KB UMB (upper memory block) which can act as “conventional memory” (which was limited when Bill Gates stated “Noone will ever need more than 640KB RAM” and coded MS-DOS with the ability to only index this amount directly). Add a line such as:
DEVICE=EMM386.EXE AUTO
to CONFIG.SYS if something similar does not exist already. Then ensure you also have DOS=HIGH,UMB as already mentioned. If this and the other advice already given doesn’t help then your only choice is to boot to DOS (using F8 on startup). EMM386 will still help here.
If you search for info on the game the authors may often have supplied more detailed info when the game was originally released.
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/16 "2003-04-23T22:36:47Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by xizor \*
> \*\*Reboot the computer in safe mode (hold the F8 key down while its restarting). This will limit the number of drivers that load and should free up enough memory. \*\*
It didn’t work. When I launch the programm, it tells me it can’t find the disk (the game is on a CD-ROM and apparently, in safe mode, you don’t have access to the drive D:…
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/17 "2003-04-23T22:54:44Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \*
> SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6 (Remember that these numbers must match your system)
> C:(Your mouse driver).COM
How do I know what number “match my system”, and how do I know what my mouse driver is?
> [@](#):
>
> C:
> CD\ULTIMA7
> [MOSLO.COM](http://MOSLO.COM) /50 [ULTIMA7.COM](http://ULTIMA7.COM)
Isn’t “ultima 7” the name of a game? Should I use another name or is it completely unimportant (like I could type as well :
CD\WHATNOT5
[MOSLO.COM/50](http://MOSLO.COM/50) [WHATNOT5.COM](http://WHATNOT5.COM) ) ?
---
### Author:  [@puggyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puggyfish)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-lack-conventional-memory-to-run-an-old-ms-dos-programm/170667/18 "2003-04-23T22:56:55Z")
If you can’t get the game to work in Windows visit [http://home.houston.rr.com/djsmith7/cdrom\_info.htm](http://home.houston.rr.com/djsmith7/cdrom_info.htm) and use OAKCDROM.SYS (file there). It’s a generic DOS CD driver that works with most drives. I’d recommend placing it in the COMMAND sub-directory of your Windows folder. If you don’t you may have to modify the following lines to include the absolute path. Add:
CONFIG.SYS :
DEVICEHIGH=OAKCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD000
AUTOEXEC.BAT:
LH MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD000
You should then be able to access your CD drive.