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Q126567: MindMaze Causes EMM Exception Error #06 on the Compaq Presario

Article: Q126567
Product(s): Microsoft Home Kids Products
Version(s): 1994 edition
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 26-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Encarta 1994 The Complete Multimedia Encyclopedia 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you attempt to play MindMaze from Encarta 1994 on a Compaq Presario with 4
MB of RAM, an EMM Exception Error #06 may occur. The system stops responding
(hangs) and requires you to restart the machine.

WORKAROUND
==========

NOTE: The following instructions discuss editing your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. For
more information about how to edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, see your MS- DOS
documentation.

1. Disable CD-ROM caching by adding the /U switch to the SMARTDRV.EXE line in
  the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. For example, change the SMARTDRV.EXE line to:

  "C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE /U" (without the quotation marks)

  For more information about SMARTDrive (SMARTDRV.EXE), consult your Microsoft
  MS-DOS manual. Systems running Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 and later can access
  comprehensive information about MS-DOS commands by typing "help" (without the
  quotation marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt.

  NOTE: The /U option for SMARTDrive is not available on versions of Microsoft
  MS-DOS earlier than version 5.0.

2. Increase the number of CD-ROM buffers to 20 by editing the line containing
  MSCDEX.EXE in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Increase the number after the /M: switch
  to 20. If this switch is not present, add /M:20 to the line containing
  MSCDEX.EXE.

  For more information about Microsoft CD-ROM Extensions (MSCDEX.EXE), consult
  your Microsoft MS-DOS manual. Systems running Microsoft MS- DOS 5.0 and
  latter can access comprehensive information about MS-DOS commands by typing
  "help" (without the quotation marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt.

3. Ensure that MSCDEX.EXE loads before SMARTDRV.EXE in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

4. Save your changes and restart the computer.

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

According to Compaq, the default SMARTDrive configuration does not cache the
Compaq IDE CD-ROM player correctly. Compaq recommends adding the /U switch to
correct this problem. Compaq also recommends increasing the CD-ROM drive buffers
by adding the /M:20 option to the entry containing MSCDEX.


SMARTDrive (SMARTDRV.EXE)
-------------------------

The /U switch does not load the CD-ROM caching module of SMARTDrive even if you
have a CD-ROM drive. If SMARTDrive is loaded with the /U switch, you cannot turn
on CD-ROM drive caching. If SMARTDrive is loaded without the /U switch, you can
turn off or on the caching of individual CD-ROM drives using the drive+|-
parameter.

Microsoft CD-ROM Extensions (MSCDEX.EXE)
----------------------------------------

The /M:[value] determines how much memory to allocate for caching information on
the CD-ROM. This is a DOS BUFFERS type of statement for the CD-ROM that
specifies the number of sector buffers used to cache the path table of a CD-ROM.
Typically, each drive should have a minimum of four to five buffers. The larger
this number is, the less your computer will have to read directly from the
CD-ROM drive.

The Compaq Presario computer is manufactured by a vendor independent of
Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's
performance or reliability.

Additional query words: 1994 multi media multimedia multi-media mmtitles encarta mindmaze compaq cdrom hardware smart drive mind maze

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbHomeProdSearch kbEncartaSearch kbEncartaEncycSearch kbEncartaEnCyc1994
Version           : :1994 edition

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