No More Than 16 MB of Memory Reported on Some IBM PS/2 Models

• Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you are using Windows 95 on one of the following computers with more than 16 MB of RAM, Windows 95 reports that only 16 MB of RAM are present:

• IBM PS/2 Model 77



• IBM PS/2 Model 90



• IBM PS/2 Model 95



• IBM PS/Note 425 model 2618-M40

CAUSE

These computers use a nonstandard API for reporting memory in excess of 16 MB that is not supported by Windows 95.

RESOLUTION

This issue is resolved by the following updated file(s) for Windows 95 and OSR2, and later versions of these file(s):

   HIMEM.SYS  version 3.95  dated 10/2/95  33,127 bytes 

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 95. An update to address this problem is now available, but is not fully regression tested and should be applied only to computers experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft does not recommend implementing this update at this time. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for additional information about the availability of this update.

This issue is resolved in Microsoft Windows 98.

MORE INFORMATION

The computers listed in this article use INT 15 ax=c700h to report memory above 16 MB. (Other IBM PS/2 Microchannel computers may use INT 15 ax=E881.) The updated version of Himem.sys accepts a /P switch that causes HIMEM to use this API to detect memory in excess of 16 MB. Without the /P switch, the updated HIMEM does not use this API, and functions the same as the shipping version of HIMEM.

The new version of Himem.sys reports itself as version 3.95, the same as the shipping version.

For additional information about Windows 95 updates, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q161020 Implementing Windows 95 Updates

Additional query words: W95QFE

Keywords : win95
Version : 95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb