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Text File | 1996-05-11 | 24.4 KB | 548 lines

┬┬──┐ ┬┬──┐ ┌┬──┐ ┌┬──┐ ┌┐ ┬ ┌┬─┬┬─┐ ┬┬─┐ ┌┐ ┌┐ ┌┬──┐ ││ │ ││ │ ││ │ ││ ││ │ ││ ││ │ ││ │ ─┤│ ─┤│ ││ │├─┬┘ ││ │ ││ │ └┴─┬┐ ││ │ ││ ││ │ │├─┴┐ ││ ││ ││ ││ └┐ ││ │ ││ │ ││ ││ │ ││ ││ │ ││ │ ││ ┌┐ ││ ││ └┘ └ ┴┴──┘ └┴──┘ └──┴┘ └┴──┘ └┘ └┘ ┴ └┘──┘ ─┴┴─ └┘ ─┴┴─ └┴──┘ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Written by Roman Dolejsi (RDOS of DIMENSION) June 11, 1995 This is the documentation belonging to and explaining the use of: RDOSUMB version 1.1C Upper memory manager for users of MS-DOS 5.00 and higher not needing Protected Mode memory server TOPICS covered in this document: DISCLAIMER APOLOGIZE PURPOSE OF RDOSUMB REQUIREMENTS GENERAL INFO INSTALLATION OF RDOSUMB RDOSUMB IN ACTION PROGRAM DIALOG LINES (PARAMETERS) HARDWARE MEMORY CHIPS CURRENTLY SUPPORTED MESSAGES FINAL TIPS WHERE TO FIND RDOSUMB HOW TO REGISTER THANX CONTACTING ME DISCLAIMER: ----------- Although RDOSUMB has been tested on several systems, I cannot guarantee that it is without bugs. Therefore I do not take responsibility for any damage directly or indirectly caused by RDOSUMB as a result of known or unknown errors in it or errors caused by its access to your device ports. APOLOGIZE: ---------- Sorry, english is not my native language. However, I wrote this nice docy in english without any help. I APOLOGIZE for all the mistakes in this file. Take it easy... Nobody is perfect.. PURPOSE OF RDOSUMB: ------------------- RDOSUMB works as an memory manager which enables extra memory for use with MS-DOS operating system without Protected mode. This memory is then available as an UMB - Upper Memory Block. Maximal size of this memory is 192kB (not available on all systems due to VGA ROMs and others..). Memory can be used for programs such as: - part of MS-DOS core (cca 5 kB) - HIMEM.SYS - XMS memory driver (cca 1 kB) - RDOSEMS.COM - EMS on XMS emulator (cca 70kB) - COMMAND.COM, NDOS.COM.. - shells (cca 3 kB) - STACKER, DOUBLESPACE.. - utilities for compression on the fly (cca 50 kB) - SMARTDRV, NCACHE.. - caching programs (cca 30 kB) - NC, VC - file managers (cca 12 kB) - DPMI16BI - DPMI driver used by Borland products (BC3.1, BP7) - (cca 50 kB) - GMOUSE, MOUSE.. - mouse drivers (cca 15 kB) - THELP, NGUIDE.. - Hypertext databases (cca 60 kB) - MICROSOFT WINDOWS 3.1 - full use of available UMB ! and some applications, which do not want QEMM/EMM386/386MAX in memory: - COMANCHE - copper simulator game (accepts only HIMEM & RDOSUMB) - AMNESIA - demo from Rennaisance (accepts only HIMEM & RDOSUMB) - COMPOSD669 - digital channel music editor (accepts only RDOSUMB) - BOOTLIN - booter of Linux (Unix/386) (accepts only RDOSUMB) and other programs... UMB is memory in range 0C0000h-0EFFFFh. It's about 192kB memory, but it's usually filled with some ROMs (Read Only Memory). At address 0C0000h there is often VGA ROM (32 kB) and sometimes there are also some SCSI ROMs sitting around. Therefore there is usually about 96kB-160kB of free memory area. After loading RDOSUMB in CONFIG.SYS you can use commands like DEVICEHIGH, LH or LOADHIGH for loading programs into Upper Memory Block. If everything is successful, you have about 640000 bytes of free conventional memory then. REQUIREMENTS: ------------- To execute RDOSUMB 1.1C you will need at least 80286 microprocessor or compatible. RDOSUMB works only with MS-DOS 5.00 and higher. Sorry for DR-DOS or NOVEL-DOS users - these op.systems are not supported yet. RDOSUMB doesn't need any raw/XMS/EMS/VCPI or DPMI compliant memory. It needs about 10kB of basic memory (but only for installation). It ussually cooperates fine with any other memory manager (such as HIMEM, EMM386, QEMM, 386MAX). You also need one motherboard of these supported by RDOSUMB (explanated below). GENERAL INFO: ------------- Before you start using RDOSUMB I would like to point out a few things which you might take into consideration. This program does not enable UMB using Protected Mode therefore it can be used together with any protected memory manager such as EMM386, QEMM, 386MAX, S-ICE... Then you will have UMB and EMS. These Protected Mode progs automatically detect RDOSUMB and then you have about 96kB more EMS memory. This program enables memory using onboard switches. These switches depend on type of motherboard used in system. If you know the name of your memory controller chip used on motherboard of your computer and you find its name in list of all available chips, you can specify it to RDOSUMB. Otherwise RDOSUMB will try to detect your hardware automatically. If nothing finds, you are not a lucky owner of one of supported platforms.. This program was tested with MS-DOS 5.0, 6.0 and 6.2. Maybe it will not work with later versions of this op.system. INSTALLATION OF RDOSUMB: ------------------------ - first you have to make some directory on your hard/floppy drive, copy there archive file RUMB11Cx.EXE and run it. It is self-extracting archive. Then you can delete the file. (you probably did all this when you read these lines :-). - RDOSUMB pack should consist of these files: RDOSUMB.COM - Main file - UMB manager UPLOAD.COM - MS-DOS strategy routine redirector SETUP.COM - Installation and Setup program TYPEDET.COM - Hardware detection utility SAVEBIOS.COM - Utility which stores System BIOS in file ROM.BIN RDOSUMB.DOC - Documentation written in English language (this file) RDOSUMB.CZ - Documentation written in Czech language MYCOMP.FIL - Format of your letter prepared for posting (to me). RDOSUMB.REV - RDOSUMB revision history - Now you must run your BIOS System Setup and there find options for System Shadow. (If you have AMI/AWARD, these options are in ADVANCED CMOS SETUP.) These should look like "Adaptor ROM Shadow at address XXXX". You must switch all these options to ENABLED position (memory in area C000-EFFF). - Then you have two posibilities how to continue with installation procedure of RDOSUMB: You can simply run INSTALL.EXE or you can install RDOSUMB manually (RECOMMENDED for experienced users). - Manual installation procedure consist of few steps: A) Insert this line in config.sys file: DEVICE=C:\UMB\RDOSUMB.COM * DOS=UMB,HIGH Delete all extra lines from config.sys to have "clean"config. Make sure no EMS/UMB managers (like EMM386/QEMM/386MAX) are loaded. B) Try to reboot your computer and then look what's happening. If RDOSUMB is installed, you should see (after typing DOS command MEM) you have up to 192kB of free UMB memory. C) If you have (after all this) free UMB, continue on step D. If RDOSUMB wrote Invalid chipset or something like that, you have two posibilities what to do: 1) run program TYPEDET.COM and try to detect your hardware type. If you get your hardware number put it in CONFIG.SYS line (parameter #). 1) try directly all hardware types which RDOSUMB supports by changing this line in CONFIG.SYS: DEVICE=C:\UMB\RDOSUMB.COM * #X (where X is hardware number 0-1C - hex form - i.e. 0-F, 10-1C) (It's because TYPEDET.COM can't be succesfully applied to some hardware types). 2) if RDOSUMB doesn't work with any hardware number, continue now on step Z. D) Modify CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to this form: config.sys: FILES=8 FCBS=1,0 DEVICE=C:\UMB\RDOSUMB.COM..... (parameters took from steps A,C) DOS=UMB,HIGH . . (some programs loaded with DEVICEHIGH) . (such as DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS) . INSTALL=C:\UMB\UPLOAD.COM /E autoexec.bat: C:\UMB\UPLOAD.COM /D . . (some programs loaded with LH or LOADHIGH) . (such as LH C:\DOS\SMARTDRV) . E) This step apply only if you want to use some memory manager for EMS memory. Otherwise you have RDOSUMB successfully installed on your system. If you want to use RDOSUMB together with EMM386, QEMM, 386MAX, follow these lines: - Modify config.sys lines of RDOSUMB: DEVICE=C:\UMB\RDOSUMB.COM $89AB ...... (parameters from steps A,C) DOS=UMB,HIGH . . (there place your EMS mem.manager) . (such as DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE RAM FRAME=E000) . F) Installation is complete. ------ Z) If RDOSUMB doesn't work with your motherboard's memory chip, there are few reasons what's going on: 1) You did not switch Shadow ROM option in System Setup to ENABLE. 2) Your memory chip doesn't support ROM memory shadowing. (Probably when is no option for shadowing in system setup avail.) 3) Your memory chip is not yet supported in this version of RDOSUMB. If you think this is your case (you have at least 286 and in BIOS there is shadow option for at least one block in range C800-EFFF), run utility SAVEBIOS.COM. This program generates file ROM.BIN, in which BIOS of your computer will be stored. WARNING! don't run this program if QEMM is running! Because of QEMM's STEALTH ROM technology there is no BIOS available during QEMM session. Send me this ROM.BIN with filled file MYCOMP.FIL. I'll try to add your hardware in RDOSUMB. Then I'll send you another unregistered version (using E-mail) and you can try again if RDOSUMB works with your hardware. Then you should let me know if it works or not and I will try to examine hardware closely or I'll release next version with your hardware implemented. Because of specific code for every chipset will RDOSUMB work only on a few computers. RDOSUMB have been made especially for computers with AMI/AWARD BIOS (if you have these BIOSes you have pretty posibility that RDOSUMB will work there), but it probably will run also with other BIOSes. (BIOS is made for the chipset, not chipset for BIOS). Every chipset has its hardware detection routine which is made to detect BIOS - not the chipset (it's because chipset detection is not easy thing to do).. So if you have something other than AMI/AWARD (MR, PHOENIX) you should look on motherboard to see which chipset you have and then determine it to RDOSUMB manually. Memory chip on motherboard is in most of the cases the second biggest square chip after microprocessor (it's easy to find it). Many of the chipsets included in RDOSUMB had no names. To identify them a bit, i gave them the names of owners of the computers with these chipsets (I did not know the name of chips in these cases). So you'll see only faked names - but the chipset works with your computer. In this case - say me (by E-mail) which number of chipset it is and what is its real name. Thanx. If you realize your hardware type name doesn't corespond to the name of type you are using in RDOSUMB send me some reply. Maybe I include your hardware's name in next version in RDOSUMB. RDOSUMB IN ACTION: ------------------ RDOSUMB enables UMB by accessing memory chip ports. Therefore there are many installation procedures in it - for every hardware one procedure. These procedures have to map free RAM into area 0C0000h - 0EFFFFh where is normally nothing. This area is originally prepared for ROMs (Read Only Memory) of some cards (video, scsi, net, etc.). These cards automatically map their ROMs into this area after hard-boot of computer. RDOSUMB detects these ROMs and doesn't use RAM space on their location in memory. So the less ROMs you have - the bigger RAM is available and vice versa. After beginning RDOSUMB detects chipset or uses predefined chipset. When it starts to initialize hardware it goes through every page in memory and looks if it is ROM or not. RDOSUMB also looks if this page should be used or not (looks on the dialog line). After these steps RDOSUMB again looks which pages are selected for RAM and then it reports to MS-DOS which takes control of these blocks and enables UMB services. After this RDOSUMB end its work and leaves memory. Now you can use special commands of MS-DOS for loading programs into UMB. These commands are: in CONFIG.SYS: DEVICEHIGH=..; in AUTOEXEC.BAT and dialog line: LH ... or LOADHIGH .... For programs which don't want to go in UMB there is a UPLOAD. This utility redirects MS-DOS strategy routine for loading programs. After enabled, MS-DOS will automatically load every program into UMB. But in this case you have only the UMB memory so there is a posibility to switch it back to normal mode. Some of the programs automatically detect UMB and load themselves up. Among them belong: NCache2, Microsoft Windows 3.1, Iplay etc... Some programs don't want to be in UMB. These are: DPMS.EXE, EMM386.EXE, QEMM386.SYS, etc... These will tell you it or will hang up comp. (like DPMS), when they go up. PROGRAM DIALOG LINES (PARAMETERS): ----------------------------------- A) RDOSUMB.COM [#{0-F,10-1C} ${0-B} &{0-B} * ? !] [] All commands are optional. No one of them must be specified. {} List of acceptable parameters after command #x - x = number of hardware. This command is used when hardware detection routine fails. (in this case try every number!) $012.. - This command tells RDOSUMB not to use some page. Pages are accepted in form numbernumbernumber (357, 2A9, etc..) Numbers, which are allowed: 0=c000-c3ff 4=d000-d3ff 8=e000-e3ff 1=c400-c7ff 5=d400-d7ff 9=e400-e7ff 2=c800-cbff 6=d800-dbff A=e800-ebff 3=cc00-cfff 7=dc00-dfff B=ec00-efff &012.. - This command tells RDOSUMB to use some page. If you see RDOSUMB doesn't use some page and you think no ROM is there, you can specify to use the page by this command. Params are the same as with command $. * - This command has no parameters. With this specified, RDOSUMB will automatically look for previously enabled RAM pages. If you have BIOS which automatically enables RAM pages, you can specify this option. ? - Writes short help for program. The same help will be written when you run RDOSUMB.COM from command line. ! - FastBoot code will be installed. (On many motherboards it does not work well because of imposibility to catch FFFF:0000 boot vector - sorry). B) UPLOAD [/e] [/d] /e - Redirect MS-DOS strategy routine up (enables UPLOAD). MS-DOS will automatically load programs into UMB since now. (Works like a permanent LOADHIGH) /d - Redirect MS-DOS strategy routine down (disables UPLOAD). MS-DOS will automatically load programs into basic memory since now. (Standart type of program loading) - Without parameters UPLOAD writes a short help. CURRENTLY SUPPORTED HARDWARE MEMORY CHIPS : ------------------------------------------ This list covers about 80% of chips with AMI/AWARD BIOS I've ever seen around me. The names of some chips are fictical. It's because I had no opportunity to look inside the computers with these chipsets. So to simply name these chipsets I gave them names of their owners. These chips are marked with *. No. Specification Name 0. A Symphony chipset 1. B * unknown chipset, Owner: David PVT 2. A,nE UMC chipset 3. B FORX chipset 4. B,D- ALI-1419 chipset 5. B MXIC chipset 6. A OPTi-82c291 chipset 7. A,V+ OPTi-82c495slc / PCchips4L chipset 8. B,V+,R+,! SiS chipset - new revision 9. A,?? ScampSX chipset A. A,nD,nE,?? Contaq chipset B. A Condor chipset C. A * unknown chipset, Owner: Loskot D. A * unknown chipset, Owner: M-Centrum E. B,nE ALI-1429 chipset F. B Acer chipset 10. B * unknown chipset, Owner: Coda/desk 11. B * unknown chipset, Owner: Coda/note 12. A Uni4800-VLX chipset 13. B,V+,R+ SiS chipset - old revision 14. A Intel Neptune chipset 15. A Efar / OPTi-82c495aw chipset 16. A generic VIA chipset 17. A,nE DFI VIA chipset 18. A OPTi Viper 82c557 Pentium chipset 19. A * unknown chipset, Owner: David Voracek 1A. A,V+,R+ UMC UM8886AF chipset 1B. A Assus SiS/P5 chipset 1C. A Laser 4LOF/286 chipset A - System uses 16k mapping (every page is 16k length). B - System uses 32k mapping (every page is 32k length). In this configuration if you force/disable some page, the page which is in conjuction is forced/disabled too. (For example: command $2 has the same meaning like $3 or $23 here.) nD - chipset is not able to map RAM in address space D000-DFFF. (Finally you have 64kB less free memory.) nE - chipset is not able to map RAM in address space E000-EFFF. (Finally you have 64kB less free memory.) D- - Detection routine does not work well with this system. ?? - Hardware has not yet been tested. V+ - When RDOSUMB initializes some of RAM pages, VideoROM is remapped and RAM is mapped instead. No problems were discovered with this "disadvantage". You (or some faked program) can simply change VideoROM! It's an error of chipset, not RDOSUMB! (memory range: C0000-C7FFF) (everything is normal after reboot of your computer.) R+ - When RDOSUMB initializes some of RAM pages, System BIOS is mapped in RAM (the same case as V+) - memory range: F0000-FFFFF. ! - RDOSUMB IS WITH THIS CHIPSET UNUSABLE !!!!!!! It's because System ROM (BIOS) is in RAM and after executing some of it's subroutines it OVERWRITES ITSELF !! (This error mostly appears in Prot.mode programs and the only chipset with this problem is the new SiS chipset (#8), the old one (#13) works ok although it has System BIOS in RAM too.) MESSAGES: --------- After starts RDOSUMB tells you what's going on. If everything is ok you'll see something like this: BIOS hardware #7 (OPTi-82c495slc / PCchips4L chipset) startup ok. Available upper memory: 6 x 16k (96kB) Used pages: C800h,CC00h,D000h,D400h,D800h,DC00h Unused pages: C000h,C400h,E000h,E400h,E800h,EC00h If this is your case, RDOSUMB is installed ok. Otherwise it will tell you what's wrong: ERR: Hardware type not detected / Unknown type of hardware. Driver Aborted ! - RDOSUMB did not found your hardware. Next time try also * parameter. ERR: Hardware type not detected & No free pages found. Driver Aborted ! - RDOSUMB did not found your hardware nor free pages (param * specified) ERR: Hardware initialization failure. Driver Aborted ! - You specified hardware but RDOSUMB-init was not able to enable pages. ERR: Hardware initialization failure & No free pages found. Driver Aborted ! - You specified hardware type and scan for free pages but everything failed. FINAL TIPS: ----------- - If RDOSUMB is properly installed, try to load all programs up with MS-DOS command LH (LOADHIGH). If some of them don't work try to use UPLOAD. - If you want to load COMMAND.COM in upper memory try this: 1) insert line at the end of CONFIG.SYS: install=c:\umb\upload.com /e 2) insert line at the beginning of AUTOEXEC.BAT: c:\umb\upload.com /d This is because COMMAND.COM is loaded after last line of CONFIG.SYS is executed. - If RDOSUMB fails to initialize your hardware first of all look in your System BIOS Setup if all pages are ENABLED for Shadowing (C000-EFFF). Without this option init of most of chipsets will not work.. - If you have SiS chipset you can throw RDOSUMB away. There is no hope for RDOSUMB to work without errors on this hardware (#8). This hardware is supported by RDOSUMB, but because of its fucked memory mapping you can not enjoy possibilities of RDOSUMB. - If everything fails, fill up file MYCOMP.FIL and run program SAVEBIOS.COM. Then you have to send me files MYCOMP.FIL and ROM.BIN. This program is made especially for AMI/AWARD BIOS. In these BIOSes there is not a big problem for me to find init routines of memory chipset. In other BIOSes this is a big problem. But maybe also this problem could I solve. Send me your BIOS but if you have not AMI/AWARD prepare for long time which take me answer you. Sorry for this.. - With some cards (net, sound, video) with memory mapped regions be sure RDOSUMB is not enabled at these memory locations. It may cause cards don't work properly. Example: Net Card WD80x3 has memory mapped region. When this region is CC00 I have to run RDOSUMB with parameter $3 or completely disable it (on boards with one ROM/RAM switch) to ensure card will work properly. WHERE TO FIND RDOSUMB: ---------------------- Each time I have a new version of RDOSUMB available, I'll upload it to these places: sorry.vse.cz (FTP site in Prague, Czech Republic) romeo.pf.jcu.cz (FTP site in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic) Ask your local Internet or FTP expert on how to reach them. HOW TO REGISTER: ---------------- The unregistered demo version of RDOSUMB has two limitations: - size of usable memory is automatically reduced to 1/2 of free UMB (it means if you get 160kB of UMB you will have about 80kB UMB) - SETUP program is not included in DEMO package. If you want full registered version send me filled file MYCOMP.FIL and $15 in envelope to my address. DON'T send me money if RDOSUMB doesn't work with your hardware !!! First you have to contact me by I-net and send me your ROM !!! (also with filled MYCOMP.FIL). When you send me money you must be sure RDOSUMB works with your hardware !!! If (after buying RDOSUMB) you upgrade your motherboard and RDOSUMB will not work with new chipset i can try to implement it in RDOSUMB for $5. But i not guarantee you i will be able to implement new chipset. There is an advice for you: if you plan to buy a new motherboard first try there RDOSUMB. When it won't work send me ROM.BIN (generated by SAVEBIOS) and i'll see what I can do for you. If I add it you can upgrade RDOSUMB for $5 otherwise try to buy some other computer or forget RDOSUMB. THANX: ------- Although I did nearly all the programming, there are few friends which helped me finish this program. Thanx go to: Jaroslav Kysela (PEREX) - UMB manager was originally his idea and other friends for their hardwares, chipsets, suggestions, etc.. CONTACTING ME: -------------- If you want to contact me, write to address listed below. I prefer E-mail way of addressing. If you want to send me any suggestions, tips or simply your ROM.BIN, send it to me by E-mail please. It's faster, cleaner and safer. I'll answer ONLY to E-mail addresses. If you send me money I will send you full version of RDOSUMB my normal post, but I would like to use E-mail and if it is possible I use it. My address: E-Mail: (non-commercial) Roman Dolejsi (RDOS) roman@sorry.vse.cz Husova 419, Vcelna roman@romeo.pf.jcu.cz 37382 Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic Plese put all your materials sent to me as attachments to the E-mail coded in this way: ZIP, ARJ, AIN, LZH/LHA, RAR or UC2, then use UUENCODE *** end of RDOSUMB V1.1C documentation ***