Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!hp-pcd!hplsla!davidr
From: davidr@hplsla.HP.COM (David M. Reed)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Insufficient Memory
Message-ID: <3130052@hplsla.HP.COM>
Date: 8 Feb 91 19:43:50 GMT
References: <1853@devildog.att.com>
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA
Lines: 23

I support PC's here, and so far I have come across 5 systems that had a
similar problem (that COMMAND.COM would not load due to insufficient
memory, or when loaded only had ~40 KBytes of free memory).  Nothing
'normal' seemed to fix this: using the Run command to start COMMAND.COM,
using an icon such as DOS PROMPT, defining a PIF file, moving COMMAND.COM
to different locations on the disc, new copies of COMMAND.COM.  

We discovered a workaround.  Make a copy of COMMAND.COM using a different
name:

    C:>  COPY COMMAND.COM BOGUS.COM

Now have your icons, PIF files, or other programs use this new program.
It seems that any name _EXCEPT_ COMMAND.COM will work just as COMMAND.COM
should (we have tried DOS_CMD.COM, JUNK.COM, CMND.COM, DOS.COM, etc.).
We still boot up with "SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM C:\DOS /P /E:1024"; it is
only under MSWindows that we have to reference the renamed copy of 
COMMAND.COM.

P.S. I have had this problem and solution verified by others here, and we
come away scratching our heads.  Why doesn't the name COMMAND.COM allow
it to work?  Does anyone out there have any clues?  I'd be happy with
some reasonable theories.