💾 Archived View for uscoffings.net › retro-computing › systems › Tandy › t › mic_umb.txt captured on 2023-03-20 at 20:29:22.
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This ASCII file explains how to obtain the use of UPPER MEMORY
BLOCKS on a Tandy 1000SX or TX using the MICRO MAINFRAME EXPANDED
MEMORY BOARD and EMS 4.0 DRIVER.
1. THE 3.2 DRIVER WILL NOT WORK.
2. YOU MUST HAVE A FULL 640K. This means you must be using an
EGA or a VGA board. If you are using the Tandy built in
RGB video you do not have access to a full 640k as a part of
it is used for video.
3. I am using QRAM V1.0. I do not know if other versions will
work.
4. You must not use OPTIMIZE as this will place QRAM back at the
beginning of the CONFIG.SYS file.
5. You must place the line QRAM.SYS FL=1 FEMS after the EMS4.BIN
driver. This will create 48k of UMB's. QRAM.SYS FL=0 FEMS
will create 64k of UMB's but you will not have access to any
of the remaining memory on your expanded memory board. Using
QRAM.SYS should, according to the documentation, do the same
thing, but returns a message saying QRAM has nothing to do.
6. Oddly enough, utilities DO NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIND my
expanded memory. MFT says I have none as does PC Tools and
MEM. MSD says I have 6423K of Extended (DON'T I WISH) and no
EXPANDED, but I do have 23K of free XMS UMB's.
7. Hyperdisk has no trouble finding the expanded memory on my
machine and using it as cache.
8. RAMDRIVE.SYS will not work. You have to create a ram drive
using the driver that came with the MICRO MAINFRAME. I have
found that the ramdrive created on my machine is a bit flaky
so use with caution. Could be a generic driver out there
that will work better.
9. GEOS has no problem finding and using the Expanded memory if
I do not use a ramdrive.
As you can see from my config.sys I am using the PCT 286
accelerator. This also works using the 8088-2 that came with the
SX or a V20. I have tried both. My current DOS version is 5.0.
DRIVPARM=/D:1 /F:2
FILES=40
BUFFERS=5
LASTDRIVE=F
DEVICE=C:\MICRO\EMS4.BIN /Q
DEVICE=C:\MICRO\EMSRAMDK.BIN /B=64
DEVICE=C:\HYPERDKE.EXE C:1024 H S T:05 V OR
DEVICE=C:\QRAM\QRAM.SYS FL=1 FEMS
DEVICE=C:\PCT\EXPRESS.SYS 88 CPU CACHE
DEVICE=C:\QRAM\LOADHI.SYS /R:1 C:\DOS\SETVER.EXE
DEVICE=C:\QRAM\LOADHI.SYS /R:1 C:\MO\MOUSE.SYS BHIGH NORTH S08 3K
DEVICE=C:\QRAM\LOADHI.SYS /R:1 C:\VEGA\VEGAANSI.SYS
DEVICE=C:\QRAM\LOADHI.SYS /R:1 C:\WARPVF.SYS
SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM /E:322 /F /P
The following messages are reported on booting:
VEGA VGA BIOS Version 1.47
(C) Copyright 1988 Video Seven Inc.
BIOS ROM version 01.02.00
Compatibility Software
Copyright (C) 1984, 1985, 1986
Phoenix Software Associates Ltd.
and Tandy Corporation.
All rights reserved.
EMS 4.0 driver created August 1, 1989 for general release.
For use with Micro Mainframe EMS-5150 Expanded memory board.
<MRM> 8-1-89
Micro Mainframe EMS System Software. PY Version 4.0
(c)1989 Micro Mainframe. ALL RIGHTS Reserved. <MRM>
Quick EMS RAM test selected.
Number of MMF EMS Boards Installed : 1
Testing EMS RAM.......
EMS software installed.
Number of EMS pages available 128
Micro Mainframe EMS RAM Disk Software Version 1.1
(c)1986 Micro Mainframe All Rights Reserved.
The Contents of the EMS RAM Disk have been Preserved.
EMS RAM Disk installed.
RAM Disk uses 64 EMS Pages (16k Each).
RAM Disk Size = 1024k
Cluster Size = 2
HyperDisk (TM) V20 Expanded Memory Non-Commercial 4.21,
04/22/91 by HyperWare, RR#1 Box 91, Pall Mall, TN 38577, USA
(615) 864-6868 Copyright 1987-91 by Roger Cross, SN:XXXXXXXXX
HyperDisk installed!
Testing cache buffers. Installation complete.
QRAM 1.00
Copyright (c) 1989-1990 by Quarterdeck Office Systems
Serial number: XXX-XX-XXXX-XXXXXX
Registered to: Les White
High RAM created: 48K (D400-DFFF)
286 Express (tm) GACD V 1.39
Configured for Tandy
(C) 1987 PC Technologies Inc.
8088 left active after initialization
System booted on 8088 CPU
Processor switching supported.
Cache size = 8 KB Cache fence = 256 KB
Board type = 7.22
2,261 bytes used by the driver.
Press ALT and Right-Shift to toggle the cache.
Press ALT and > to switch to the 80286.
Press ALT and < to switch to the 8088.
LOGITICH Mouse Driver Release 5.00
Device Version IBM PC,XT,AT,PS/2 & Compatibles
Copyright (C) 1984, 1990 LOGITECH Inc. All rights reserved.
EGA/VGA connected
Mouse driver installed.
VEGAANSI.SYS Version 2.0
Copyright (C) 1987 Video Seven Inc.
After completion of CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT, a LOADHI command
brings up the following:
Region Area Size Status
1 D400 - D457 1.3K Used (QRAM)
1 D458 - D473 0.4K Used (SETVER)
1 D474 - D7DD 13K Used (MOUSE)
1 D7DE - D85F 2K Used (VEGAANSI)
1 D860 - D8B7 1.3K Used (WARPVF)
1 D8B8 - D8E3 0.6K Used (IOLITE)
1 D8E4 - D8F6 0.2K Used (IOLITE)
1 D8F7 - DA69 5.7K Used (GRAPHICS)
1 DA6A - DA84 0.4K Used (IOLITE)
1 DA85 - DFFF 21K Available
I no longer use WARPVF so there are 23K available as of this
date. I hope you find this information useful.