KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q65438: Low-System Memory Messages in Virtual Machines of Windows

Article: Q65438
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 08-OCT-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you run the MS-DOS Prompt from Microsoft Windows in 386 enhanced mode, you
see less than the 640K total system memory if you run utilities such as CHKDSK.

CAUSE
=====

If Windows 3.0 or 3.1 is installed on a system with an earlier version of
Windows (including run-time versions), the system may have retained the [pif]
section in the WIN.INI file. The [pif] section was used in earlier Windows
versions to set the memory size for certain applications. In particular, it may
have a memory size listed for COMMAND.COM that limits the size of the virtual
machine created when you run the MS-DOS Prompt. As a result, you may get an
inaccurate reading of your system memory.

If you have these limited [pif] settings, you may also generate the

  Insufficient memory

messages when you try to execute the MS-DOS Prompt, or the "Processing cannot
continue" message when you execute commands from within the MS-DOS virtual
machine.

Additional query words: 3.00 3.0 3.0a 3.00a 3.1 invoke run start dos window mode

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.