Windows Low Memory Saver 2.0

Low Memory in Windows Management Utilities

(tabs are set to 4 spaces in this document)

These utilities help reclaim low memory in Windows from 
programs and drivers that use low memory, but don't need it.  
If you run out of low memory, programs will show "Not enough 
memory" even though you have plenty of memory and resources.  
These programs can lessen the likelyhood of that happenning.

This compressed file consists of 4 files:

DOSMEM.DLL		This is a driver that gets loaded during 
				Windows start-up.

DOSFREE.EXE		This program is run at Windows start-up to free 
				low memory reserved by DOSMEM.DLL.

DOSRESV.EXE		This program can be used at anytime to reserve 
				low memory and keep misbehaved applications 
				(such as PC+/Windows fax support) from taking 
				it all.  DOSRESV.EXE will free any memory it 
				takes.

README.TXT		This file.

Decompress these files in their own directory.  Copy DOSMEM.DLL 
to your \WINDOW\SYSTEM directory.  Enter Windows and observe 
the order of automatic program loading (the Startup program 
group or the Load= line in WIN.INI)  Place DOSFREE.EXE 
as the first icon in your Startup group or as the first entry 
after Load= in WIN.INI, depending on which starts first.  The
idea is to have DOSFREE run before any other application in
Windows.

Run SYSEDIT.EXE and edit SYSTEM.INI.  Add to the beginning of 
the "drivers=" line in the [boot] section "DOSMEM.DLL".  For 
example:

[boot]
drivers=DOSMEM.DLL mmsystem.dll

DO NOT have more than one "drivers=" line in the boot section.

Once you have made the above modification, exit Windows and 
restart Windows.  If DOSFREE cannot load, modify the value of 
FreeAmount (see below) in SYSTEM.INI (using EDLIN or EDIT in 
DOS) and try again (DOSMEM.DLL put the FreeAmount line in the 
first time it is run).

[DOSMEM]
FreeAmount=8

The above statements tell DOSMEM.DLL how much low memory to 
leave free.  Do not start with this value too high or you may 
defeat your purpose.  This is the value I use and it works 
well.  It will vary some on different machines.  The value is 
in 1024 (1k) byte increments and can be set from 0 to 640.
The key to the proper value is that DOSFREE can be initiated
when Windows starts up.  If you get a "Not enough memory" message, 
try going lower before going higher.  You may have a program 
allocating a small segment of low memory.

Remember, don't make the value too big too quick or use too 
large increments in your testing.  The amount of free memory 
should be in the range of 4k to 16k, though your system might 
need more.

One set of diagnostic values that is put into SYSTEM.INI is:

AllocAmount=300
TotalAmount=308

These values will appear in the [DOSMEM] section of 
SYSTEM.INI.  They will give you an idea of how much low memory 
is available when DOSMEM.DLL is started by Windows.  Again, the 
values are in 1k increments.

Finally, DOSRESV.EXE can be used interactively or from the 
command line.  The command line syntax is:
DOSRESV [freeamount ["window title" progname [options]]]
For example, to run DOSRESV interactively, run DOSRESV with no 
parameters, ie. DOSRESV.

To run DOSRESV from a batch file that will stop DOSRESV later,
run DOSRESV with the freeamount prarameter, ie. DOSRESV 8.

To have DOSRESV start another program after taking low memory, 
run DOSRESV with the freeamount parameter, the window title, 
and the program's command line, ie.
DOSRESV 8 "Desktop Edit" deskedit.exe c:\config.sys.
The above line will start DOSRESV.  DOSRESV will take all but 
8k of low memory.  DOSRESV will then start DESKEDIT which will 
open C:\CONFIG.SYS.  When DOSRESV sees the window title that 
has the words Desktop Edit in it, DOSRESV will shut itself 
down,  freeing low memory.  Note, DOSRESV simply looks for the 
specified string in the title, so pick something unique to the 
specific instance of the application.  Second, the title string 
CANNOT contain double quotes as they are used to delimit the 
title string.  This method can be extremely useful with ill 
behaved programs by placing the string DOSRESV 8 "title" in 
front of the command line option for the properties of your 
program icons in Program Manager.

I know the last paragraph sounds difficult, but once you get 
the hang of it, you may change all of your program icons.  At 
any rate, if you have troubles, don't hesitate to e-mail us.

After adding multimedia drivers, etc., etc. to my system, I was 
down to 131k of low memory available when Windows started.  
After using DOSMEM.DLL, I now have 281k available.  I think it 
is worth it.  Use it in good health.

NOTE: To those upgrading from 1.0, if you registered 1.0, this 
upgrade is included in the 1.0 registration (free).  If you 
haven't registered version 1.0, how about registering version 
2.0?
Also, you might find a change in the amount of available memory 
(for the worse) after installing 2.0.  This is NOT a problem 
with DOSMEM.  In fact, the new version is faster, thereby 
getting more memory, quicker.  This can cause your start up 
programs to see more low memory available after DOSFREE runs.  
The simple solution is to have DOSRESV your offending program.  
I did this with Norton AntiVirus TSRW and I got another 34k back.

Now for the legal stuff.

These programs were created using Symantec C++ 6.1 & 7.0 and 
have been tested to be free of viruses.  It has been extensively 
testedand is being distributed without any known bugs.  However, 
Analysis & Management Enterprises does NOT warranty this 
software to be free of bugs or viruses and is not responsible 
for any damage that this softare may cause.  This software may 
be freely distributed in the compressed form to other BBS's for 
posting/distribution purposes.

This is shareware.  There are no traps in the software, just 
the belief that most people, if they like and use this 
software, will want to help offset the cost of development and 
support of it.  If you like and use the software after testing 
its effectiveness on your system, please send a check, money 
order, etc. for $15 to:

Analysis & Management Enterprises
P.O. Box 565
Rockwall, TX 75087

Registration is also available via Compuserve by GO SWREG.  The 
programs are listed as:

 Program Title:     WINDOWS LOW MEMORY SAVER 1.0
 Registration ID:   5143
 Fee (US$):         15.00

Because registration for 1.0 gives you the license for 2.0 
free, we may not change the Compuserve description for awhile.

Registration provides you with the license to use the programs, 
but is not a sale of the property nor can does it constitute 
the authorization to modify the programs in anyway.

Corporate and site licenses are available.

If you have any suggestions, bug reports, or just want to send 
us an E-Mail, please address it via the Internet to:
psl@ame.win.net.

We also have a home page on the World Wide Web.  Come visit us 
and check for the latest releases at:
http://www.win.net/~ame/

Our FTP site is ftp.win.net/winnet/ame

Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.  Other product 
names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or 
registered trademarks of their respective companies and are 
hereby acknowledged.

Copyright (c) 1995, Analysis & Management Enterprises