Win 98 memory above 512meg

"Out of Memory" Error Messages with Large Amounts of RAM Installed (Q253912)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:


Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
If a computer that is running any of the versions of Windows that are listed above contains more than 512 megabytes (for example, 768 megabytes) of physical memory (RAM), you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

You may be unable to open an MS-DOS session (or command prompt) while Windows is running. Attempts to do so may generate the following error message:

There is not enough memory available to run this program.
Quit one or more programs, and then try again.
The computer may stop responding (hang) while Windows is starting, or halt and display the following error message:

Insufficient memory to initialize windows. Quit one or more memory-resident programs or remove unnecessary utilities from your Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files, and restart your computer.


CAUSE
The Windows 32-bit protected-mode cache driver (Vcache) determines the maximum cache size based on the amount of RAM that is present when Windows starts. Vcache then reserves enough memory addresses to permit it to access a cache of the maximum size so that it can increase the cache to that size if needed. These addresses are allocated in a range of virtual addresses from 0xC0000000 through 0xFFFFFFFF (3 to 4 gigabytes) known as the system arena.

On computers with large amounts of RAM, the maximum cache size can be large enough that Vcache consumes all of the addresses in the system arena, leaving no virtual memory addresses available for other functions such as opening an MS-DOS prompt (creating a new virtual machine).


WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use one of the following methods:

Use the MaxFileCache setting in the System.ini file to reduce the maximum amount of memory that Vcache uses to 512 megabytes (524,288 KB) or less.

For additional information about how to use the MaxFileCache setting, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q108079 32-Bit File Access Maximum Cache Size
Use the System Configuration utility to limit the amount of memory that Windows uses to 512 megabytes (MB) or less.

For additional information about how to use the System Configuration utility, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q181966 System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings
Reduce the amount of memory that is installed in your computer to 512 MB or less.


STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
Vcache is limited internally to a maximum cache size of 800 MB.

This problem may occur more readily with Advanced Graphics Port (AGP) video adapters because the AGP aperture is also mapped to addresses in the system arena. For example, if Vcache is using a maximum cache size of 800 MB and an AGP video adapter has a 128-MB aperture mapped, there is very little address space remaining for the other system code and data that must occupy this range of virtual addresses.

Click to expand...

Reported Memory Does Not Match Amount of Installed Memory (Q146912)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:


Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SYMPTOMS
When you view the Performance tab in System properties, the amount of memory reported may differ from the actual amount of memory installed in the computer.



CAUSE
This behavior can occur for any of the following reasons:


Himem.sys is not using all the memory on an EISA computer.


A driver or program loading from the Config.sys or Autoexec.bat file is claiming a portion of random access memory (RAM).


A virtual device driver loading from the System.ini file is claiming a portion of RAM.


A protected-mode driver is causing the memory mismatch.


The registry is damaged.


A CMOS setting is disabling some of the RAM.


You have the "maxphyspage=" setting in your System.ini file set to restrict Windows from using some of the installed memory.


Ramdrive.sys is being loaded in the Config.sys file.


You are using a video adapter that is integrated into the motherboard.





RESOLUTION
To resolve the issue, use the method in the appropriate section.


Himem.sys Not Using All the Memory on an EISA Computer
If you have an EISA computer, determine whether Himem.sys is addressing all the available memory. To do so, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q82712 Q82712
TITLE : HIMEM.SYS /EISA Switch


Device or Program Loading from the Config.sys or Autoexec.bat File
To determine whether a real-mode device or program is claiming a portion of RAM, follow these steps to bypass the loading of the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files:

Restart your computer. For Windows 95, press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Step-By-Step Confirmation from the Startup menu.

For Windows 98, press and hold down the CTRL key after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose Step-by-Step Confirmation from the Startup menu. For more information about Windows 98 startup, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q178548
TITLE : No "Starting Windows 98" Message at Startup



Press Y at each prompt except the following prompts:
Process your startup device drivers (CONFIG.SYS)?
Process your startup command file (AUTOEXEC.BAT)?



After Windows loads, check the memory reported on the Performance tab in System properties.


The real-mode CD-ROM driver from Teac for their 4x CD-ROM drive loading in the Autoexec.bat file has the parameter "xmssize= -1." This parameter can cause this behavior. The resolution is to change the parameter to "xmssize=0."

Virtual Device Driver Loading from the System.ini File
To determine whether this behavior is caused by a virtual device driver being loaded from the System.ini file, replace the System.ini file with a clean version. To do so, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q140441
TITLE : Creating a New System.ini File Without Third-Party Drivers


Protected-Mode Driver Causing Memory Mismatch
To determine whether a protected-mode device driver is causing a memory mismatch, perform the following steps:

Click Start , point to Settings , click Control Panel , and then double- click System .


Click the Device Manager tab.


Double-click a listed device, and then click the Original Configuration (Current) check box to clear it. When you are prompted to restart the computer, click No .


Repeat step 3 for each listed device.

NOTE: Do not repeat step 3 for devices listed on the System Devices branch. When you disable the hard disk controller, click Yes to restart the computer if the hard disk controller is a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) device. PCI hard disk controllers cannot be loaded and unloaded dynamically.

For additional information about PCI hard disk controllers, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q136106
TITLE : Re-enabling CMD PCI IDE Controller Hangs Computer



Restart the computer.


After Windows loads, check the memory reported on the Performance tab in System properties.


Registry Is Damaged
To determine whether the registry is damaged, replace the current registry with a backup copy. For information about how to do so, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q131431
TITLE : How to Troubleshoot Registry Errors


A CMOS Setting Is Disabling Some of the RAM
Some computers have CMOS settings that can disable a portion of the computer's RAM or prevent Windows from recognizing the RAM. Computers known to have such a setting include:

The Cyrix 166. This computer has a CMOS setting labeled "Hold to 15 MB RAM." If this setting is enabled, Windows reports only 15 MB of RAM on a computer that has more than 15 MB of RAM installed. Disable this CMOS setting to cause Windows to recognize all the RAM in the computer.


Maxphyspage Setting in System.ini File
Remove or disable the "maxphyspage=" line in the System.ini file, and then restart your computer. To disable the line, use a text editor (such as Notepad) to edit the System.ini file and place a semicolon ( at the beginning of the line.

Ramdrive.sys Being Loaded
Check your Config.sys file for a line containing "Ramdrive.sys." If you have this line, it means you are using a RAM drive. To disable the RAM drive, remove or disable the line in the Config.sys file that contains "ramdrive.sys." To disable the line, use a text editor (such as Notepad) to edit the Config.sys file and place a semicolon ( at the beginning of the line.

Click to expand...