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From: PDS2@psuvm.psu.edu (Paul D. Shan)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Himem.sys
Message-ID: <91130.081102PDS2@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: 10 May 91 12:11:02 GMT
References: <1991May9.203448.5597@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: Penn State University
Lines: 25


In article <1991May9.203448.5597@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>, eger@nu.cs.fsu.edu (Robert
Eger) says:
>
>Sorry if this is a frequently asked or stupid/obvious question, but
>what exactly does HIMEM.SYS do, and is it necessary?  I am running
>Windows on a 386SX with 2MB RAM.  I am asking because I am trying to
>free up memory, and if HIMEM.SYS is not really needed, then I am
>taking it out of my CONFIG.SYS.
>
  HIMEM.SYS is simply an extended memory manager.  That's it.  Windows need
  access to extended memory to have more room to run.  In your case, with a
  386SX, if you have 1024K of free extended RAM, you can run in Enhanced mode.
  So yes, you DO need HIMEM.SYS (or another extended memory manager).  QEMM
  is an extended memory manager that allows you to install some drivers in
  the upper memory block (area from 640k to 1 Meg).  You might look into
  one of these if you're trying to free up some conventional RAM.

Paul D. Shan
Microcomputer and Personal Workstation Support
Center for Academic Computing
12 Willard Building
University Park, PA  16802
(814) 863-4356
PDS2@PSUVM.psu.edu