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Q77182: Using MS-DOS 5.0 or later EMM386.EXE on Altima NSX

Article: Q77182
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

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

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

If you are trying to use the MS-DOS 5.0, 6.0, or 6.2 EMM386.EXE device driver on
an Altima NSX 80386SX computer, the following message may be displayed:

  EMM386 not installed - insufficient memory

This message appears regardless of the amount of extended memory you have on your
machine.

CAUSE
=====

The Altima NSX computer is only available as an 80386SX system. The Altima NSX
also has an 8-bit ROM that significantly reduces the system's floppy disk access
time. As a result, Altima made some changes to the BIOS to compensate. The
Altima NSX has an Award BIOS version 3.1.

The changes to the BIOS include dedicating 64K of extended memory for shadow ROM
and 320K of extended memory for EMS (expanded memory specification). Neither of
these options can be disabled or turned off. Because of the nonstandard BIOS on
the Altima NSX, EMM386.EXE cannot be used on these machines regardless of the
amount of extended memory.

WORKAROUND
==========

The only alternative is to use a third-party memory manager. According to
Altima, Quarterdeck's QEMM can be used to successfully manage the upper memory
area.

MS-DOS can be loaded into the high memory area (HMA) on an Altima NSX 386SX by
including the following lines in the CONFIG.SYS file:

     device=[drive:][path]himem.sys
     dos=high

The products included here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft;
we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance
or reliability.

Additional query words: 6.22 3.10 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 3rdparty

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS500a
Version           : MS-DOS:5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

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

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