EMM386, HIDOS=ON, and MEM /A

For a user having a problem whereby EMM386 is ignoring the 
/BDOS=xxxx line and placing the kernel randomly in upper memory. 

The customers were setting /BDOS=D000 (D000 is just an example). 
When the machine was rebooted, the EMM386 sign-on screen did not 
echo /BDOS=D000 as it normally does when the BDOS is successfully 
moved. MEM /A would show what appeared to be the kernel at CE00 
(For example). The customers are sure that EMM386 is ignoring 
their instructions to place the BDOS at D000.

What is REALLY happening is this. EMM386 is trying to move 
BDOS to D000, and is not finding the 37K of contiguous memory 
available and is therefore not able to move the kernel. If EMM386 
can not move the kernel, the kernel is left in conventional memory 
and "/BDOS=D000" is not echoed. The booting process continues and 
HIDOS=ON comes into play. It will move everything it can from the 
conventional memory to upper memory using a "best fit" strategy. 
It finds the kernel in conventional memory and moves it wherever 
possible in upper memory. The customer has no idea all this is 
going on. They just see the kernel at a strange address.

IF the BDOS is successfully moved to a specified address by 
EMM386, "/BDOS=xxxx" will be echoed at bootup. MEM /A will NOT 
show that address at all. If one checks the addresses displayed, 
one will find a "hole" at xxxx. 

age)



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	SAMPLE LOGIN.BAT  
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	MEMMAX +U
	HILOAD C:\