KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q163317: MS-DOS Compatibility Mode When Booting from Removable Disk

Article: Q163317
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbhw osr1 diskmem win95 kbHardware kbDiskMemory
Last Modified: 27-JUL-2001

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

- Microsoft Windows 95 
- Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release, version 1.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

If your computer is configured to boot from a removable disk, the Performance
tab in System properties may show that the computer is using MS- DOS
Compatibility mode for virtual memory. This problem is known to occur with
Iomega Zip drives, Iomega Jazz drives, and SyQuest EZ drives, and may also occur
with other IDE or SCSI removable disk drives.


Note that this behavior can also occur if you are using a laptop computer with a
removable or "swappable" hard disk and the Removable check box is selected in
the drive's properties.

RESOLUTION
==========

To work around this problem, configure Windows 95 so that the Windows swap file
is located on a non-removable disk. To do so, follow these steps:

1. In Control Panel, double-click System.

2. Click the Performance tab, and then click Virtual Memory.

3. Click "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings," click a non-removable
  disk in the Hard Disk box, click OK, and then click OK again.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows 95 and Windows 95 OEM
Service Release 1. This problem does not occur with Windows 95 OEM Service
Release 2.

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbhw osr1 diskmem win95 kbHardware kbDiskMemory 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbOPKSearch kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : WINDOWS:95

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

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.