That wouldn't be the fix that pops into my mind, Dan. I truly suspect =
it's a matter of incompatible sticks of RAM or a case of BIOS settings =
being too optimistic.

--=20
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User
=20
"Dan" wrote in message =
...
Gary, if the user posted his computer information to this newsgroup =
then
perhaps we could determine if he needs to flash his BIOS. What do you
think?
=20
"Gary S. Terhune" wrote in message
...
Windows 98 and 98SE don't have Autoexec.bat of Config.sys files by =
default,
but there's no reason you can't add them. On the other hand, you are =
right
in thinking that the "usual" things that these files were used for in =
prior
versions of MS-DOS and Windows are handled in other ways by =
Win98/98SE. In
other words, these two venerable files are perfectly acceptable in =
Windows
98/98SE, but you have to be sure you're employing them appropriately.
=20
Which is all rather beside the point: If you read the responses to =
your case
in this newsgroup, all suggestions for how to remedy your issue =
involve
editing System.ini. Safest way to do that is to use SYSEDIT, launched =
from
the Run box, but Notepad will also suffice (however, don't use WordPad =
or
any more complicated text editor, since they may throw in formatting
characters and destroy the file.)
=20
You really can't read anything into the fact that XP has no problem =
with the
amount of RAM you now have installed, but Win98 does. They employ RAM =
in
significantly different ways, and the amount may really have nothing =
to do
with the issue. What's true is that either OS is more likely to have
problems with RAM upgrades if you are pushing the envelope with regard =
to
the max allowable RAM for the motherboard, or if your RAM sticks =
aren't
matched (sometimes right down to being from the same batch, nevermind =
being
from the same manufacturer.) You may also have other BIOS settings in =
play
that worked fine with only 512 MB of RAM but which are pushing the =
envelope
when you double that.
=20
I could go on, and I hope you can read into the above what I might =
suggest
as solutions. The most *common* reasons for Win98/98SE having problems =
with
the amounts of RAM you are talking about are remedied by the settings
suggestions given thus far, but they don't rule out simple borderline
flakiness that happens to present itself more readily in 98/98SE than =
in XP.
=20
--=20
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User
=20
"NevBud" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all who responded. My Windows 98 SE doesn't have a =
'Config.sys'
file so any editing in it is impossible. Some people have scolded me =
for
even
mentioning 'Config.sys' in the same breath as Windows 98SE because =
it
doesn't
have or require one.
I've tried every suggestion by anyone and articles by Microsoft all =
to no
avail. I've tried editing the System.ini 386Enh
with: MaxPhysPage=3D20000/240000/28000/30000/40000, Vcache with
MaxFileCache=3D512000/524288 & even tried MinFileCache=3D51200,
MaxFileCache=3D56320.
Sometimes I get VFAT, sometimes I get "Not eneough memory..., =
sometimes I
get constant reboots. When in Safe Mode the System sees the quanity =
of
memory
OK but won't normal boot with it.
You talk about confusing, why the amount of memory would confuse the =
OS
into
craping out is beyond me. Now XP doesn't have any of these =
restrictions
and
the fact that it doesn't use DOS is significant I think.

The only thing that works is the line "Reduce the amount of memory =
that is
installed in your computer to 512 MB or less." found in MS article
Q253912.

So I don't believe anything will allow me to install more than 512 =
MB of
memory with the Windows 98SE Operating System. So thanks again and =
if you
come up with any other outlandish suggestions please let me know.


"NevBud" wrote:

I'm running both Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows XP on my =
machine.
I
started with 512MB of memory. Both OS booted fine and all worked =
fine.
So, I
decided to increase the memory. I installed another 512MB of the =
exact
same
type, size and manufacturer memory. The Windows XP boots fine and =
all
works
fine. The Windows 98se fails with a 'VFAT failure' message no =
matter
what I
do.
I've read and tried all the Microsoft remedies on VFAT failures. =
They
all
refer to missing files that are needed for Windows to boot. My =
problem
is
Windows 98se does boot just fine with a limited amount of memory.
First the Windows 98se doesn't have a 'CONFIG.SYS' file. The =
DEVIVE=3D
files
are all loaded by another process, I suspect the HIMEM.SYS file, =
just as
they
do with only one memory module installed.
Now for the big question! What would make Windows 98se fail to =
boot with
a
second memory module installed but work just fine with only one?
Do you suppose something is restricting the amount of memory that =
my
Windows
98se be allowed to use? I've used this OS for years but have never =
added
more
than 512MB of memory until now.
The fact that the Windows XP OS works says to me that the problem =
may
have
something to do with the MSDOS Drivers because XP doesn't use =
them. But
if
the MSDOS drivers were bad why would 98 work with 512MB but not =
1024MB?

Also can anyone tell me where I can get a file editor so I can =
look at
the
contents of these *.sys files?

Bud

=20