Dig deep - Windows 3.1 question

[Mr N8]

What's the max amount of RAM I can put in a Windows 3.1 machine? The machine mostly prints out payment books (loan) all day, and its more frequent use lately has brought the need for a little more memory. I googled it, and didn't come up with anything. Thanks.

[morriswindgate]

I really don't think it matters what the max RAM the OS will support as it is what the motehrboard will support. If the machine is that old it probably won't support very much RAM anyway.

[reboot]

Win3.1 is just a GUI on top of DOS.
You're probably using DOS 6.x which has a basic memory requirement of 640k.
If too much stuff gets loaded into that 640k, it slows down.
There are ways to get stuff loaded into highmem (the area between 640k and 1088k if you have more than 1 meg RAM), that frees up the 640 for use by programs. Once the program is loaded, it should use any memory needed above the 1024 mark.
Boot to DOS (exit windows), and at the prompt, type "memmaker".
Follow the prompts. This will move the mouse driver, video drivers, and anything else in autoexec and config into high memory, and free up the base 640k.
Depending on your version of memmaker (himem.sys), you can use up to 16 megabytes of RAM. Some earlier versions (DOS 5.x) were limited to 8 meg.
More: http://www.le.ac.uk/cc/dsss/docs/dos-mem.shtml
The offical MS view on the issue: http://support.microsoft.com/default...NoWebContent=1

[Mr N8]

Thanks.

[morriswindgate]

I don't mean to sound judgmental, but if the computer running the 3.1 is of that era, it is bad business practice to keep using it. Sooner of later (probably sooner) it is going to have a part fail and you cannot get very many replacements for machines of that era. I have worked with a couple of business owners that had older computers running programs that died on them and really created a problem.
If like a lot of people you are running a DOS program you should consider a Celeron or even a duron machine running 98SE. Not only would it be more stable, but the hardware end will be up to date with the ability to have replacements. It wouldn't cost that much to build a small SOcket 370 machine anyway.

[Mr N8]

I've told the net admin and the COO that its bad practice to have the machine running, but I am expected to keep it running as long as possible. They expect machines to last 6 or more years, and with the way technology and software moves, that's no longer possible.

The machine isn't on the network, so I'm not worried about security risks, but I do know the possibilities when it comes to business resumption. The only reason I'm wanting to upgrade at all is that I can't get a new or even new to us machine approved.

Ironic, though, as I am currently setting up 10 new Dell Optiplex GX270 machines with 512MB DDR, 80GB HDD, XP Pro, CDRW/DVD drives and a 17" Dell Ultrasharp TFT. These are for people who use Word, Email, and thin-client apps that would run on a Celeron or PIII.

[archie]

I'm 99% sure that it will max out at 32 MB [have 2 win 3.1 running as such on 486 DX4 100] ... but have not tried any higher.
For memory running out [having to do with the 640k], one option is to disable the CD-ROM drivers by editing either autoexec.bat or config.sys or both. If more info needed on that, let me know as I can easily dig it up.

[reboot]

Memmaker will move the CD-ROM and mouse drivers into himem, freeing up the base 640k. No need to manually edit the autoexec or config.

[archie]

Actually yes, memmaker is the utility to free up that memory. Still, for some games, that is not enough ... and the editing of those files has to do with having a boot option to either load the cd-rom drivers or not, in order to free up even more memory.