KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q74825: MS-DOS 5.0 Setup Doesn’t Always Copy HIMEM.SYS

Article: Q74825
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 26-NOV-1999

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

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system version 5.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

The Microsoft MS-DOS 5 Upgrade includes version 2.77 of the Microsoft XMS driver
HIMEM.SYS. If SETUP.EXE detects an earlier version of the Microsoft HIMEM.SYS
driver in use, Setup replaces it. If Setup detects any other XMS 2.0 driver,
however, Setup does not copy HIMEM.SYS 2.77 to your hard drive to avoid any
possible conflicts with your present XMS driver.

To use HIMEM.SYS, you must expand it and copy it to the hard drive separately.

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

The compressed file HIMEM.SY_ is located on Disk 1 of the 720K MS-DOS disk set
and Disk 2 of the 360K disk set. If you want to expand and copy it from the
MS-DOS disk in drive A to your C:\DOS directory, use the following command:

  C:\>expand a:\himem.sy_ c:\dos\himem.sys

If you were using MS-DOS version 4.0x and another XMS driver, it is possible that
you will still have HIMEM.SYS version 2.04, which was part of MS-DOS 4.0x, in
your DOS directory. It is possible to load MS-DOS 5.0 high using HIMEM.SYS 2.04,
but not recommended.

If EMM386.EXE is loaded after HIMEM.SYS 2.04, it will display the following and
may not work properly with HIMEM.SYS 2.04:

  Warning : This version of HIMEM.SYS may cause conflicts with EMM386.

HIMEM.SYS version 2.77 should be used with MS-DOS 5.0.


Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS500
Version           : MS-DOS:5.0

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

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.