Program properties sheet: memory
The Memory Properties Sheet settings control the way an MS-DOS program uses the computer's memory. Any settings changed do not affect Windows 95 operation since they only affect an MS-DOS application's virtual memory.
In most cases Windows 95 automatically adjusts these settings when the program is installed. However, this properties sheet may be used to fine tune the settings to increase program performance.
The following memory properties may be modified:
- Conventional memory
- Expanded (EMS) memory
- Extended (XMS) memory
- MS-DOS protected mode (DPMI) memory
Conventional memory consists of the first 640 Kb of memory available on the computer. This value is set in the 'Total' box.
Expanded (EMS) memory can be installed via an expanded memory card or it can be emulated by an expanded memory manager (EMM). EMM software maps pages of expanded memory onto the system's upper memory area. Click 'Details...' and read the displayed screen to display information about expanded memory on the computer.
Extended memory is essentially a seamless upward extension of the original 1 MB address space available in the memory of 80286 and 80386 computers. Extended memory always starts 1024K, since the upper memory area ends there. High Memory Area (HMA) frees conventional memory for use by MS-DOS-based applications and can further improve performance.
MS-DOS protected mode (DPMI) memory serves as expanded memory for MS-DOS-based applications that require it to run. Windows 95 cannot provide this memory if CONFIG.SYS loads EMM386.EXE with the NOEMS parameter. Use the RAM parameter when loading EMM386.EXE in CONFIG.SYS, or use the x=mmmm-nnnn statement to allocate enough space in the upper memory area to create an EMS page frame.