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- Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.setup
- Path: sparky!uunet!gatech!rpi!usc!venice!gumby.dsd.trw.com!deneva!mamacass!reimert
- From: reimert@mamacass.etdesg.trw.com (Scott P. Reimert)
- Subject: Re: Which Extnd. Mem. - EMM386 or SMARTDRV??
- Message-ID: <2AAFF795.5138@deneva.sdd.trw.com>
- Sender: news@deneva.sdd.trw.com
- Organization: TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA
- References: <1992Sep8.160708.23798@awdprime.austin.ibm.com>
- Date: Fri, 11 Sep 92 01:34:12 GMT
- Lines: 44
-
- In article <1992Sep8.160708.23798@awdprime.austin.ibm.com> ken@netmail.austin.ibm.com (Ken Goach) writes:
- >
- >My machine (386 25mhz 2 meg RAM) was using the SMARTDRV
- >extended memory for Windows 3.1. I got a game that uses
- >extended memory out in DOS, and it said that extended
- >memory was not found. So a friend suggested that I use
- >EMM386 instead of SMARTDRV. The game plays well, but
- >how will this effect Windows?
- >
- >Also, I heard QMM is better than EMM386. Anyone know?
- >
- [signature deleted]
-
- Hmmmm, it would seem that we are rather new to computers, or at least to
- computer memory schemes. No problem, we all started from scratch at one
- point.
-
- EMM386 is the memory manager from MicroSoft, and SMARTDRV is the disk cache.
- These to programs are *not* the same thing. EMM386 gives DOS the ability to
- fiddle with memory above 1MB. If you don't have a memory manager, you can't
- do anything with your higher memory. SMARTDRV is a diskcache; it attempts to
- hold the most recently accessed data in RAM so your CPU doesn't have to call
- to your hard disk for it. Hard disk access is *VERY* slow compared to RAM
- access.
- So the answer is - you should have both because they are complimentary
- and not mutually exclusive. With both of these in place, your games, and
- Windows, and most everything else will run better.
-
- QEMM is an alternative to EMM386, and a clearly superior one. The only dig
- is, it costs between $60.00 and $100.00 depending on where you look. You
- may be able to find it cheaper, I haven't priced it lately. Another memory
- manager that is comperable in capability and price to QEMM is 386MAX. I have
- tried both, and on *my* system, I was better off with QEMM.
-
- I hope this helps,
-
- Scott
-
-
- --
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Scott Reimert \ reimert@mamacass.etdesg.trw.com /Standard disclaimer:
- Redondo Beach, CA \______________________________________/"Blah blah blah ... "
- __________________|Always store beer in a cool dark place|_____________________
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