Standard Mode Fails to Boot with XMS Handles of 2 or 3

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

If Qualitas' 386MAX program is loaded with the XMSHNDL (extend memory handles) parameter set to 2 or 3, Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1 will not load. Other extended memory managers have similar parameters that can prevent Windows from loading.

Windows generates a message saying that it cannot start in standard mode. There is no mention of extended memory.

MORE INFORMATION

386MAX is a high memory manager that replaces Microsoft's HIMEM.SYS. By specifying a low number of extended memory handles, 386MAX is limited to the number of requests it can make for extended memory. Windows will not run if it cannot allocate enough blocks of extended memory.

To correct the number of extended memory handles, increase the number of available handles, or remove the parameter and accept the default. According to the 386MAX documentation, each XMS handle only occupies 6 bytes of memory, so decreasing the handle count does not save enough memory to matter.

NOTE: You can run into the same problem with Microsoft's HIMEM.SYS if you limit the number of handles using the NUMHANDLES switch on the HIMEM.SYS command line in the CONFIG.SYS file.

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