Using Compaq EXMEM.EXE with Windows, WFWG, and MS-DOS

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11
• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11
• Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22

SUMMARY

Compaq Corporation is now including the EXMEM.EXE memory manager with its COMPAQ desktop computers. According to Compaq, this memory manager should be removed prior to the installation of Windows, Windows for Workgroups, or MS-DOS Upgrade.

During installation of Windows or MS-DOS, EXMEM.EXE may be detected as an incompatible terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program, and other problems may cause Setup to fail.

MORE INFORMATION

EXMEM.EXE with Windows 3.1 and 3.11

The EXMEM.EXE memory manager is a combined extended and expanded memory manager for COMPAQ desktop computers. According to Compaq Technical Support, EXMEM.EXE was designed to eliminate the need for two memory managers in the CONFIG.SYS file (HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE).

Windows 3.1 does not recognize EXMEM.EXE as an expanded memory provider. If you need expanded memory support, use EMM386.EXE and HIMEM.SYS, which are provided on the Windows disks, instead of EXMEM.EXE.

To use EXMEM.EXE with Windows 3.1 in 386 enhanced mode, your CONFIG.SYS file should include the following line:

   Device=C:\DOS\EXMEM.EXE NoEMS

EXMEM.EXE with MS-DOS 6.x

EMM386.EXE is included with MS-DOS 6.x as well. The MS-DOS 6.x MemMaker utility does not recognize EXMEM.EXE and its loadhigh component, RUNHI.EXE.

Compaq includes the RUNHI command with its version of MS-DOS 5.0. This command replaces both DEVICEHIGH and LOADHIGH, and provides more control over where programs are loaded. RUNHI is compatible with MS-DOS 6.x, but the following problems can occur:

• DoubleSpace cannot be loaded high with RUNHI.
• Setup does not parse lines in CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT that start with RUNHI, so you may end up with duplicate driver invocations.

  For example, if you have RUNHI MOUSE.COM in AUTOEXEC.BAT, Setup finds that you have a mouse driver loaded and tries to update it, but it cannot find the line in AUTOEXEC.BAT where the driver is loaded, and adds C:\DOS\MOUSE at the end of AUTOEXEC.BAT. The original line is undisturbed.