WinME memory limit

Hi everyone

I will be "destroying" 2 PCs to build a "new" one the final result will be:

Abit BP6 with 2 Celeron 500Mhz processors, 640 MB Ram, ATA66 integrated +
ATA133 Promise PCI card.

ATI All-in-Wonder 128 (Rage chipset) 32 MB AGP video card.

3 HD, 1 x 4.3 gb (C: WinME + progs), 1 x 80 gb (Data), 1 x 20 gb (E: Win
XPpro + progs)

I already have all the drivers that I'll need for both OS.

It will be dual boot and my question concerns the WinME part. I understand
that it will use only one processor but I've heard that Win 98 and ME have
problems with memory above 512 MB and there need to be some command(s)
added somewhere (.ini files?). It will be the first time I run ME above 384
MB RAM.

Anyone could guide me in the right direction?

TIA

Dominique

Mike
Sat Apr 12 13:31:02 PDT 2008

Win Me, like all Win 9x operating systems, can support and use up to 2GB
of memory although there are a number of caveats and exceptions to that
details of which are contained in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base
articles with the first essential reading where more than 512MB of memory
is installed.

For more details see:
MS KB 253912 - ""Out of Memory" Error Messages with Large Amounts of RAM
Installed" (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=253912). The reason is that
allocating more than 512MB of RAM to vcache will exhaust all available
upper memory addresses and thus prevent them being used for other
purposes. This problem is easily fixed as follows:
To limit vcache, open system.ini and add the lines
[VCache]
MaxFileCache=512000
Note that this will still mean that all memory is available to
applications but is simply limiting the amount used as virtual cache
memory.

MS KB 296773 - "Computer May Not Hibernate with More Than 192 MB of
Memory"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=296773). This makes reference to an
updated file vmm.vxd. Unfortunately due to Win Me being out of support
this file can no longer be obtained from Microsoft.

MS KB 304943 - "Computer May Reboot Continuously with More Than 1.5 GB of
RAM" (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=304943).
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com


DG <me@domain.net> wrote:

> Hi everyone
>
> I will be "destroying" 2 PCs to build a "new" one the final result
> will be:
>
> Abit BP6 with 2 Celeron 500Mhz processors, 640 MB Ram, ATA66
> integrated + ATA133 Promise PCI card.
>
> ATI All-in-Wonder 128 (Rage chipset) 32 MB AGP video card.
>
> 3 HD, 1 x 4.3 gb (C: WinME + progs), 1 x 80 gb (Data), 1 x 20 gb (E:
> Win XPpro + progs)
>
> I already have all the drivers that I'll need for both OS.
>
> It will be dual boot and my question concerns the WinME part. I
> understand that it will use only one processor but I've heard that
> Win 98 and ME have problems with memory above 512 MB and there need
> to be some command(s) added somewhere (.ini files?). It will be the
> first time I run ME above 384 MB RAM.
>
> Anyone could guide me in the right direction?
>
> TIA
>
> Dominique

DG
Sat Apr 12 14:50:01 PDT 2008

Thank you for your answer, since I don't use hibernate on this one (I
think) and most of the time, it will be running XPpro, I will probably
begin the "destruction" soon now.

Thanks again,
Dominique


"Mike M" <No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> écrivait
news:#sVFrwNnIHA.4664@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

> Win Me, like all Win 9x operating systems, can support and use up to
> 2GB of memory although there are a number of caveats and exceptions to
> that details of which are contained in the following Microsoft
> Knowledge Base articles with the first essential reading where more
> than 512MB of memory is installed.
>
> For more details see:
> MS KB 253912 - ""Out of Memory" Error Messages with Large Amounts of
> RAM Installed" (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=253912). The reason
> is that allocating more than 512MB of RAM to vcache will exhaust all
> available upper memory addresses and thus prevent them being used for
> other purposes. This problem is easily fixed as follows:
> To limit vcache, open system.ini and add the lines
> [VCache]
> MaxFileCache=512000
> Note that this will still mean that all memory is available to
> applications but is simply limiting the amount used as virtual cache
> memory.
>
> MS KB 296773 - "Computer May Not Hibernate with More Than 192 MB of
> Memory"
> (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=296773). This makes reference to
> an updated file vmm.vxd. Unfortunately due to Win Me being out of
> support this file can no longer be obtained from Microsoft.
>
> MS KB 304943 - "Computer May Reboot Continuously with More Than 1.5 GB
> of RAM" (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=304943).

ClueLess
Mon Apr 14 17:35:23 PDT 2008

On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:08:57 -0700, DG <me@domain.net> wrote:

>It will be dual boot and my question concerns the WinME part. I understand
>that it will use only one processor but I've heard that Win 98 and ME have
>problems with memory above 512 MB and there need to be some command(s)
>added somewhere (.ini files?). It will be the first time I run ME above 384
>MB RAM.

I am running ME on my 3.4 gHz box with 768 mb memory without any
problem.

I have heard earlier that problems arise only if you have more than
this and needs vcache trick.

HTH


Thanks for your time and attention

ClueLess

Mike
Tue Apr 15 03:48:45 PDT 2008

You're living on the edge if you have 764MB of RAM and haven't limited
vcache as explained in MS KB 253912 - ""Out of Memory" Error Messages with
Large Amounts of RAM Installed"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=253912).

> HTH

Not really as IMO opinion it is bad practice to try and run with 768MB of
RAM and not limit vcache and this is likely to cause regular "out of
memory" errors. That you manage to have none is fortunate but others are
unlikely to be so lucky.
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com


ClueLess <clueless@wilderness.org.invalid> wrote:

> I am running ME on my 3.4 gHz box with 768 mb memory without any
> problem.
>
> I have heard earlier that problems arise only if you have more than
> this and needs vcache trick.
>
> HTH
>
>
> Thanks for your time and attention
>
> ClueLess

Claudehl
Tue Apr 15 11:05:40 PDT 2008

I use Windows Me in a dual-boot system (actually quadruple-boot but
never mind) on a computer that has 2GB of RAM, with the following
lines added to system.ini

[386Enh]
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=3D1
MaxPhysPage=3D40000

[vcache]
MaxFileCache=3D524288

The [vcache] line is necessary, as explained by the other posters, I
don't quite remember why the ConservativeSwapfileUsage=3D1 and
MaxPhysPage=3D40000 limits the memory used by Windows Me to 1GB. I've
read that things can get unstable above that, I never tried but why
take the chance? Having more than 1 GB of RAM available to Windows Me
won't make it happier anyway.


On Apr 12, 1:08=EF=BF=BDpm, DG <m...@domain.net> wrote:
> Hi everyone
>
> I will be "destroying" 2 PCs to build a "new" one the final result will be=
:
>
> Abit BP6 with 2 Celeron 500Mhz processors, 640 MB Ram, ATA66 integrated +
> ATA133 Promise PCI card.
>
> ATI All-in-Wonder 128 (Rage chipset) 32 MB AGP video card.
>
> 3 HD, 1 x 4.3 gb (C: WinME + progs), 1 x 80 gb (Data), 1 x 20 gb (E: Win
> XPpro + progs)
>
> I already have all the drivers that I'll need for both OS.
>
> It will be dual boot and my question concerns the WinME part. I understand=

> that it will use only one processor but I've heard that Win 98 and ME have=

> problems with memory above 512 MB and there need to be some command(s)
> added somewhere (.ini files?). It will be the first time I run ME above 38=
4
> MB RAM.
>
> Anyone could guide me in the right direction?
>
> TIA
>
> Dominique

Mike
Tue Apr 15 17:20:07 PDT 2008

To be honest there's little or nothing to be gained and perhaps even a
negative impact, in having ConservativeSwapfileUsage set equal to 1 when
running Win Me as this reverts swap file usage to the model used in
Windows 95.

From KB223294 "Windows 98 added a new feature,
PageFile_Call_Async_Manager, that allows the Memory Manager to
asynchronously write out page file (swap file) buffers during periods of
time when VFAT file system activity is not busy."

With 2GB of RAM setting MaxPhysPage=40000 is most sensible.
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com


Claudehl@aol.com <Claudehl@aol.com> wrote:

> I use Windows Me in a dual-boot system (actually quadruple-boot but
> never mind) on a computer that has 2GB of RAM, with the following
> lines added to system.ini
>
> [386Enh]
> ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1
> MaxPhysPage=40000
>
> [vcache]
> MaxFileCache=524288
>
> The [vcache] line is necessary, as explained by the other posters, I
> don't quite remember why the ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 and
> MaxPhysPage=40000 limits the memory used by Windows Me to 1GB. I've
> read that things can get unstable above that, I never tried but why
> take the chance? Having more than 1 GB of RAM available to Windows Me
> won't make it happier anyway.

ClueLess
Wed Apr 16 17:43:15 PDT 2008

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:48:45 +0100, "Mike M"
<No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> wrote:

>Not really as IMO opinion it is bad practice to try and run with 768MB of
>RAM and not limit vcache and this is likely to cause regular "out of
>memory" errors. That you manage to have none is fortunate but others are
>unlikely to be so lucky.

In addition I have also ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 in the system.ini
file.

I never ever had any out of memory problems, no BSOD etc

Thanks for your time and attention

ClueLess

Mike
Wed Apr 16 19:12:57 PDT 2008

ClueLess <clueless@wilderness.org.invalid> wrote:

>> Not really as IMO opinion it is bad practice to try and run with
>> 768MB of RAM and not limit vcache and this is likely to cause
>> regular "out of memory" errors. That you manage to have none is
>> fortunate but others are unlikely to be so lucky.
>
> In addition I have also ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 in the system.ini
> file.

Why don't you run Win 95 whilst your at it?

> I never ever had any out of memory problems, no BSOD etc

Not really surprising if you are using ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 since
you are unnecessarily throttling your PC. I can only assume that you like
to live up to the name you have chosen for yourself.
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

Heather
Wed Apr 16 20:01:40 PDT 2008

ROFL!! Just came on here and saw this "Sir Michael Gem".....you are
quite obviously more hilarious and wittier at 3 am than noon time.
LOL!! Love that British sense of humour......

Get to bed, young man!!

XX Figgs

"Mike M" <No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> wrote in message
news:OLvSPCDoIHA.5016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> ClueLess <clueless@wilderness.org.invalid> wrote:
>
>>> Not really as IMO opinion it is bad practice to try and run with
>>> 768MB of RAM and not limit vcache and this is likely to cause
>>> regular "out of memory" errors. That you manage to have none is
>>> fortunate but others are unlikely to be so lucky.
>>
>> In addition I have also ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 in the system.ini
>> file.
>
> Why don't you run Win 95 whilst your at it?
>
>> I never ever had any out of memory problems, no BSOD etc
>
> Not really surprising if you are using ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1
> since you are unnecessarily throttling your PC. I can only assume
> that you like to live up to the name you have chosen for yourself.
> --
> Mike Maltby
> mike.maltby@gmail.com
>
>

Mike
Thu Apr 17 05:31:09 PDT 2008

Heather <figgyd@nospam.invalid> wrote:

> ROFL!! Just came on here and saw this "Sir Michael Gem".....you are
> quite obviously more hilarious and wittier at 3 am than noon time.
> LOL!! Love that British sense of humour......
>
> Get to bed, young man!!

I hadn't realised how late it was my time. I was shutting down my systems
and doing some general housekeeping (computers of course <g>) before
heading for bed and popped in here to see if anyone had posted. Perhaps I
should confine my postings to the morning after I've had a couple of mugs
of caffeine. <g>--
Mike

Joan
Thu Apr 17 08:09:37 PDT 2008

Perhaps he's trying to make up for all those missing at the Pow Wow this
week <g>
Joan

--
Joan Archer
http://www.freewebs.com/crossstitcher
http://lachsoft.com/photogallery

"Heather" <figgyd@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:ep9lycDoIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> ROFL!! Just came on here and saw this "Sir Michael Gem".....you are quite
> obviously more hilarious and wittier at 3 am than noon time. LOL!! Love
> that British sense of humour......
>
> Get to bed, young man!!
>
> XX Figgs
>
> "Mike M" <No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> wrote in message
> news:OLvSPCDoIHA.5016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> ClueLess <clueless@wilderness.org.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>>> Not really as IMO opinion it is bad practice to try and run with
>>>> 768MB of RAM and not limit vcache and this is likely to cause
>>>> regular "out of memory" errors. That you manage to have none is
>>>> fortunate but others are unlikely to be so lucky.
>>>
>>> In addition I have also ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 in the system.ini
>>> file.
>>
>> Why don't you run Win 95 whilst your at it?
>>
>>> I never ever had any out of memory problems, no BSOD etc
>>
>> Not really surprising if you are using ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 since
>> you are unnecessarily throttling your PC. I can only assume that you
>> like to live up to the name you have chosen for yourself.
>> --
>> Mike Maltby
>> mike.maltby@gmail.com
>>
>>
>
>

ClueLess
Fri Apr 18 17:36:43 PDT 2008

On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:12:57 +0100, "Mike M"
<No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> wrote:

>Not really surprising if you are using ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 since
>you are unnecessarily throttling your PC. I can only assume that you like
>to live up to the name you have chosen for yourself.

I have only stated my experience. I also wish to add that I edit lots
of movies and audio files and have never experienced any problem
whatsoever.

I may be clueless as to what is happening but what I have stated is a
fact, my expereince. Nothing to do with my cluelessness.

ClueLess, rarely.


Thanks for your time and attention

ClueLess

Claudehl
Mon Apr 21 14:08:25 PDT 2008

On Apr 16, 7:12=EF=BF=BDpm, "Mike M" <No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> wrote:

>
> Why don't you run Win 95 whilst your at it?
>

Now that you mention it :) Win 95 can live happily in a computer with
lots of memory too, as long as you only have 512Mb of RAM when you
install it and afterwards it's good to limit the amount of RAM Win 95
uses to 768Mb with

[386Enh)
MaxPhysPage=3D30000

Claude

Greegor
Tue Apr 22 13:54:09 PDT 2008

Was the reported 768MB instability chalked up to the vcache setting?
Was it real in WinME or a Win95 problem projected onto WinME?
Is it acknowledged at all for WinME?

What WERE the MS patches for memory size on WinME?
I seem to recall seeing at least one.

Thanks everybody.

Notes:

[386Enh]
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=3D1 [ Unlikely to help. any other
options? ]
MaxPhysPage=3D40000 [ 1 Gig memory limit ]

[vcache]
MaxFileCache=3D524288


On Apr 15, 7:20=A0pm, "Mike M" <No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> wrote:
> To be honest there's little or nothing to be gained and perhaps even a
> negative impact, in having ConservativeSwapfileUsage set equal to 1 when
> running Win Me as this reverts swap file usage to the model used in
> Windows 95.
>
> From KB223294 "Windows 98 added a new feature,
> PageFile_Call_Async_Manager, that allows the Memory Manager to
> asynchronously write out page file (swap file) buffers during periods of
> time when VFAT file system activity is not busy."
>
> With 2GB of RAM setting MaxPhysPage=3D40000 is most sensible.
> --
> Mike Maltby
> mike.mal...@gmail.com
>
>
>
> Claud...@aol.com <Claud...@aol.com> wrote:
> > I use Windows Me in a dual-boot system (actually quadruple-boot but
> > never mind) on a computer that has 2GB of RAM, with the following
> > lines added to system.ini
>
> > [386Enh]
> > ConservativeSwapfileUsage=3D1
> > MaxPhysPage=3D40000
>
> > [vcache]
> > MaxFileCache=3D524288
>
> > The [vcache] line is necessary, as explained by the other posters, I
> > don't quite remember why the ConservativeSwapfileUsage=3D1 and
> > MaxPhysPage=3D40000 limits the memory used by Windows Me to 1GB. I've
> > read that things can get unstable above that, I never tried but why
> > take the chance? Having more than 1 GB of RAM available to Windows Me
> > won't make it happier anyway.

Mike
Tue Apr 22 17:23:53 PDT 2008

Yes acknowledged and I have already given the reference but since you
appear not to have read the thread from the start I will repeat it for
you.

MS KB 253912 - ""Out of Memory" Error Messages with Large Amounts of RAM
Installed" (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=253912). If you bring up
this KB you will see it quite clearly stated that it applies to Win Me
which has the same architecture as Win 98/98SE.

> What WERE the MS patches for memory size on WinME?

Again reading the entire thread will help you here starting with DG's
initial post and my reply. The only patch was for hibernation problems -
see MS KB 296773 but the updated copy of vmm.vxd has not been available
from Microsoft for some years.
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com


Greegor <Greegor47@gmail.com> wrote:

> Was the reported 768MB instability chalked up to the vcache setting?
> Was it real in WinME or a Win95 problem projected onto WinME?
> Is it acknowledged at all for WinME?
>
> What WERE the MS patches for memory size on WinME?
> I seem to recall seeing at least one.
>
> Thanks everybody.
>
> Notes:
>
> [386Enh]
> ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 [ Unlikely to help. any other
> options? ]
> MaxPhysPage=40000 [ 1 Gig memory limit ]
>
> [vcache]
> MaxFileCache=524288