Not Enough Free Conventional Memory...

[LegendaryChild]

Recently, when I attempted to run scanreg /fix from the C: dos prompt, I got a message saying "Not enough free conventional memory. You may need to remove (REM) some device drivers from config.sys or in config.sys, may need to load the EMM386.EXE driver to load other device drivers into upper memory blocks using DEVICEHIGH= statements." And something about if that didn't help, Windows may have to be moved to another directory.... I'm using Windows98 2nd edition and have 160mb of RAM. Looking at config.sys through msconfig, this is what it says:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
FILESHIGH=60
BUFFERSHIGH=40
STACKSHIGH=64,512
LASTDRIVEHIGH=H
rem TShoot: DOS=HIGH,UMB

The computer seems to be working fine, no random error messages or bsods lately, but I'm just wondering if this message is implying a potential problem?
I'm a long time reader of this board, it is extremely helpful and everyone is so knowledgeable here, this is the first time I've posted a question....thanks for your time!

[geebee76]

Hi LegendaryChild, Welcome to the Forum.

Firstly, do not act on any of my suggestions until one of the resident Guru's confirms what I am saying.

I think your problem lies in the line, which reads,

rem TShoot: DOS=HIGH,UMB

I don't know what the TShoot part is, but I think the DOS=HIGH,UMB, should be on a line of its own. The rem at the beginning of this line is telling your computer to ignore the DOS=HIGH,UMB, which in effect causes programs to load in conventional memory instead of the Upper Memory Blocks and the High Memory Area. This uses up precious conventional memory causing the message you received to appear when a program tries to load in conventional memory and there is not enough space.

In the meantime you could make a back-up copy of your Config.sys.
Click Start/Run then type sysedit and click ok. Click on Config.sys to bring it to the front and save a copy of it to somewhere you'll remember.

Out of interest you can click on Start/Run and type mem_/c (replacing the underscore with a space). This will highlight the different areas of memory and their usage. Look at the bottom line it should read "MS-DOS is resident in the High Memory Area"

Hope this helps http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
You are making progress if each mistake is a new one!

Sig from Here (http://www.oneliners-and-proverbs.com/)

geebee76@hotmail.com

[This message has been edited by geebee76 (edited 09-19-2001).]

[mjc]

geebee76, sounds like you may on track...


LegendaryChild, conventional memory is the first 640K, the most that DOS could handle without a memory manager, with DOS loaded low it will eat up a sizable portion of that 640k, also the stacks line on your config.sys seems a little odd....64,512 that seems a little on the high side, but it is being loaded high, so it won't use any low (conventional) memory.

Did this problem just start happenning? If so, did you add, install or change anything?

If it happened after you installed something you may also want to look for something like config.bak, config.old or something else along those lines and the open it in notepad and compare to the current config.sys.

------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[LegendaryChild]

geebee and mjc, thank you for your replies! I should have mentioned that I opened config.sys with Notepad to copy and paste what it said here. When looking at it in msconfig, the TShoot remark isn't there, the box next to DOS=HIGH,UMB is just unchecked. I did the start, run, mem /c thing, and the last line said exactly what you said it should. mjc, I haven't installed or changed anything lately. I was just doing the scanreg /fix as part of a little system maintenance. The last time I did it, quite awhile back, it worked with no problem...I guess since everything is working okay, I should just leave it be....If it ain't broke, don't fix it?! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif Do you think I should check the box next to the DOS=HIGH,UMB or just leave it as is?
Thanks so much for your help and ideas!

[geebee76]

Hi LegendaryChild,

As you said it may just be a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it, but....

I still believe that the line DOS=HIGH/UMB should be on a line of its own.

As MJC said, the STACKSHIGH= line is very high. The recommended maximum before errors appear is 32,512.

Also, the line LASTDRIVE= is only recommended for 3.11 or earlier systems. It can cause problems with Win 95/98.

As before don't make any changes before MJC or someone else advises you to.

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
You are making progress if each mistake is a new one!

Sig from Here (http://www.oneliners-and-proverbs.com/)

geebee76@hotmail.com

[mjc]

Short of getting into every program you are running to figure out if you need those settings for compatability I'd leave them alone, except for the one remarked (rem) line, use msconfig and put it back, that would load DOS in the high memory area freeing up some space in conventional memory...about the only thing that will be affected is performance..it won't be optimal, but it won't be absolutely horrible either. You can change them if you want, but make one change at a time and reboot then run for a while and check out to see if any new errors crop up. Before you start this, if you decide to tweak it, make a backup and put it on a floppy, that way you won't loose the current settings and can always put it back the way it was.

------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[LegendaryChild]

Okay then, I'll check the DOS box in msconfig and leave everything else alone....mjc, geebee, thanks again for your help! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif