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Q65794: Using Quarterdeck QEMM386 with Windows 3.0

Article: Q65794
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 24-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article provides information about the use of Quarterdeck QEMM386 with
Microsoft Windows version 3.0. However, Microsoft has not officially tested
Windows 3.0 with QEMM386. If the tips contained in this article do not prove
helpful in resolving a problem, contact Quarterdeck Technical Support for
assistance.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Quarterdeck's QEMM386 is a 386 expanded/extended memory manager that provides a
"loadhigh" capability.

QEMM386 versions 5.10 and later support Windows 3.0 in all of its modes (real,
standard, and enhanced). QEMM386 versions earlier than 5.10 may be used with
Windows 3.0 only in its real mode of operation.

The version of QEMM386 that you have can be identified by the version number it
displays during the system boot, or by the presence of a QEMM386.SYS statement
in the CONFIG.SYS file. Versions of QEMM386 earlier than 5.10 use the filename
QEMM.SYS rather than QEMM386.SYS.

QEMM386 versions 5.10 and later provide functionality that duplicates the Windows
3.0 HIMEM.SYS driver. In effect, QEMM386 replaces HIMEM.SYS. Loading both
QEMM386 and HIMEM should cause no problems, but does waste the 2.8K of
conventional memory occupied by HIMEM. It is necessary to load only QEMM386 for
operation in any Windows mode.

The QEMM386 upgrade booklet gives some specific instructions for the setup of
QEMM386 to ensure Windows compatibility. If you follow these instructions you
should find that Windows 3.0 operates correctly with QEMM386 in all three modes.
Quarterdeck reports that for the most part, QEMM386 setup demonstrates no
problems when run in real or standard modes. However, due to the broad range of
hardware and software that can be combined in some systems, Quarterdeck has
encountered configurations that have experienced various problems when trying to
run QEMM386 with Windows 3.0 in enhanced mode.

These problems include the following:

- Failure of Windows to start up in enhanced mode

- System crashes when exiting Windows in enhanced mode

- Problems while running Windows, which do not occur when QEMM386 is not used

Use the following troubleshooting techniques if you experience problems using
QEMM386 with Windows 3.0 in enhanced mode. Note that if you receive memory
paging errors from Windows, an upgrade to QEMM386 version 5.11 or later may be
necessary, especially on IBM PS/2 machines.

Windows Will Not Start in Enhanced Mode, or Crashes on Exit
-----------------------------------------------------------

Check your system to be sure that it has been set up as suggested in the "QEMM
5.10 Upgrade Booklet." The following are some items that are important to
enhanced mode operation:

1. Be sure the QEMM386 statement in the CONFIG.SYS file includes the RAM
  command-line parameter. Or if the RAM parameter is not used, the parameter
  "X=B000-B7FF" must be used to exclude QEMM386's use of the monochrome video
  area.

2. If you have a machine that has different speeds of memory, you need to use
  the NOSORT parameter. Examples of such configurations include 386 machines
  that use 16-bit memory boards (such as the Intel Above Board or AST RAMPage),
  in addition to 32-bit motherboard memory. If you are not sure, use the
  parameter; it has no negative effect.

3. If you are running on a machine that would normally have less than 640K
  conventional memory (such as the original Intel SYP302, which is limited to
  512K conventional memory), you must use the NOFILL parameter to prevent
  QEMM386 from backfilling conventional memory to 640K. If you are not sure,
  use the parameter; it has no negative effect.

4. If you have a machine such as an IBM PS/2, HP Vectra, or micro channel bus
  compatible, which has an extended BIOS data area (EBIOS), you must use the
  NOXBDA parameter so that the extended BIOS data area isn't moved. QEMM386
  versions 5.11 and later do not require this parameter.

Problems or Crashes While Running Windows in Enhanced Mode
----------------------------------------------------------

QEMM386 is mostly disabled while enhanced mode Windows is running. However,
QEMM386 may have made changes to the system before being disabled which may
later cause problems for Windows. If you suspect QEMM386, first try disabling
QEMM386 entirely by making a backup copy of your CONFIG.SYS file and temporarily
removing the QEMM386.SYS line for testing purposes.

If removing QEMM386 seems to correct the problem, restore QEMM and try undoing
some of the changes to the system that QEMM has made.

1. Try loading QEMM386, but not loading any of your resident programs or drivers
  into high memory.

2. If you are using Quarterdeck's FILES.COM and/or BUFFERS.COM, try loading
  normal files and buffers instead.

3. If the system has shadow RAM, try the QEMM386 NOSHADOWRAM parameter.

4. Try using the QEMM386 X=F000-FFFF parameter to exclude any mapping in the
  F000-FFFF area.

5. If, when starting Windows 3.0 in enhanced mode, unreadable characters appear
  on the display, the computer beeps, and you are returned to the MS-DOS
  prompt, verify that the file WINHIRAM.VXD is present in the QEMM directory on
  your hard disk. Make sure this file is the same version as present on the
  distribution disks for the QEMM386 version that you are running. New versions
  of this file are shipped with each QEMM386 update.

6. Windows 3.00 enhanced mode will not function with an EMS page frame located
  at 9000 hex. Check the location of the page frame by running QEMM.COM. If the
  frame is at 9000, see if you can move it somewhere between C000 and E000
  hexadecimal. If you have a page frame at 9000, problems may occur when
  running DOS programs that use expanded memory under Windows 3.0.

7. If you are running QEMM386 5.10 and have trouble running Novell's XMSNET, or
  anything that uses XMS memory before entering Windows 3.0 enhanced mode,
  update to QEMM386 version 5.11.

8. In some cases, adding the following line to the [386Enh] section of the
  Windows 3.0 SYSTEM.INI file may be helpful in resolving memory conflicts
  between Windows and QEMM386:

        [386Enh]
        EMMExclude=E000-EFFF
        DualDisplay=true

Additional query words: 3.00 3.0 3.0a 3.00a 3rdparty QEMM 386 quarter deck 5.1 5.0 XMS winmem win30

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a

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

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