Tech Arsenal 1/Tech Arsenal (Arsenal Computer).ISO/tek-21/qwhite.zip/QRAMNOTH.TEC

Text File | 1992-03-09 | 5KB | 106 lines

ID:NO QRAM and "Nothing Useful To Do"
Quarterdeck Technical Note #147
by Bob Perry

A. As described on page 1 of your QRAM manual, QRAM has been written to
perform the following four basic functions on your 80286, 8086 or 8088-based
PC:

     1. On PC's with EMS 4 or EEMS expanded memory hardware,
     QRAM converts any EXTRA memory spaces your system may have
     within the high memory address range (640K to 1024K, or
     A000-FFFF hex) into High RAM so you can load and run
     programs there with LOADHI, as described in Chapter 4 of
     your QRAM manual.

     2. On 80286 PC's with Chips & Technologies NEAT CHIPSet
     shadow RAM, QRAM will do the same as item #1 above, as
     described on page 9 of your QRAM manual, even if you don't
     have an expanded memory card.

     3. QRAM enables a user willing to forgo the enhanced
     graphics capabilities permitted by EGA and VGA adapter
     cards, or users with monochrome or CGA adapters, to
     increase the memory used by DOS by as much as 96K. For
     more information on this feature refer to page 11 (the
     NOVIDEOFILL parameter) and page 25 (the VIDRAM program),
     in your QRAM manual.

     4. On machines that have one, QRAM automatically moves the
     eXtended BIOS Data Area (XBDA), which is normally at 639K,
     into another address space.  Doing so usually enables other
     memory management features, such as extending the memory
     available to DOS using the VIDRAM.COM program, and allowing
     larger programs to run in the background in DESQview.

B. If QRAM determines that none of the above four functions of the program can
be performed on your system, it will display a "nothing useful to do" message
to the user.  What can the user do about this message?  After reading Appendix
A in your QRAM manual, page 37, consider the following:

     1. In order for QRAM to "find something useful to do", there
     must be MORE THAN 64K of memory spaces available within the
     640K to 1024K memory address range.  The first 64K is used
     for the "page frame", or port hole into the expanded memory
     pool, and cannot, by default, be used by QRAM.  See pages
     11, 37, and 46 or your QRAM manual, and section "C" of this
     technical note on the subject of using the FRAMELENGTH=0
     parameter.

     2. Perhaps you have not configured your expanded memory card
     correctly to allow more than 64K of memory space above
     640K.  Consult the documentation which came with your memory
     board, or the memory board manufacturer,  and be sure all
     switch settings or software setup options have been
     correctly enabled.  If you use Manifest to examine the
     expanded memory, you can compare your Expanded Pages map
     with those listed in Appendix D of the QRAM manual.

     3. Some memory managers (and early versions of other
     managers) will only allow CONTIGUOUS memory areas to be
     mapped.  With these drivers, moving their page frame as
     LOW as possible, C000 for example, will allow the rest of
     the memory regions to be used by QRAM.  Consult your
     documentation and/or memory board manufacturer.

     4. Another possibility is that your shadow RAM has not been
     enabled.  Again, your documentation or manufacturer might
     be of assistance here.  If your Shadow RAM is not enabled,
     then QRAM can't use it.

     5. QRAM works with your Expanded Memory Manager
     (EMM.SYS).  Often a simple typographical error in your
     CONFIG.SYS can prevent your expanded memory manager
     from loading.  Be certain your CONFIG.SYS file
     contains a line:

               "device=EMM.SYS"

     where the spelling of the EMM driver matches the one you
     have installed on your system.  Watch carefully for a
     banner or statement on the screen saying that it has been
     loaded when you reboot your system.

     6. Some expanded memory boards, and motherboards with
     expanded memory hardware, supply an EMS 4 driver even
     though the expanded memory hardware cannot provide more
     that 64K of expanded memory at a time.  These systems
     give software applications the ability to access expanded
     memory, but the hardware cannot provide the extra support
     for more mappable pages.  QRAM needs more mappable pages.
     Some board manufacturers offer upgrade option chips which
     will enhance their hardware support.  Contact your board
     manufacturer to see whether this is an option for you.

C. If you are NOT going to be using expanded memory in your programs, QRAM can
be made to use your single 64K page frame as an area of High RAM.  This is
done using the FRAMELENGTH=0 parameter, as described in your QRAM manual.
Other programs will no longer be able to detect expanded memory, but you will
be able to use LOADHI to get about 64K of resident programs out of your
conventional memory (below 640K).
  ************************************************************************
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