Anyone being able to run Win98 in a 2GB RAM machine?

Anyone being able to run Win98 in a 2GB RAM machine?

With a Nvidia GPU I simply can't have 2GB of RAM in my
machine even limiting the physical memory and file cache
size in SYSTEM.INI
If I have 1GB I don't have any problem.
If I have 2GB I can't run Win98
Curious to notice if I use a ATI GPU I can have 1GB or
even 2GB but with Nvidia GPU I simply can't.

I don't want to use 2GB of RAM with Windows 98, the 2GB
are for XP but I want to continue having a dual boot with
both Win98 and XP cause of old games that do not run very
well under XP, so that is why I'm trying to make it work.

My options a
.. If using 1GB I can have any GPU I want.
.. If using 2GB I can either use ATI or if I choose Nvidia
I must physically remove a 1GB DIMM each time I boot to
Win98 which I'm really afraid to eventually damage my
memory. Other option with 2GB is using Nvidia GPU and
stop using Win98 but I really do not want to cause I do
own many old games that run better under Win98.

The issue of using Nvidia instead of ATI is cause my
ATI GPU is a Radeon 9600 SE and my Nvidia a 6600 and it
is clear the Nvidia is better so that is why I would
want to use it instead of ATI.

If anyone has managed to make a 2GB RAM machine with a
Nvidia GPU work in Windows 98 please tell me how so I
can probably take some clues on how to make it work in
my system.
Obviously it is not a tragedy not being able to use 2GB
with a Nvidia GPU under Win98 but I'm curious to know if
anyone else managed to make it work.
Thanks

"pcgames" wrote in message
ups.com...
Anyone being able to run Win98 in a 2GB RAM machine?

With a Nvidia GPU I simply can't have 2GB of RAM in my
machine even limiting the physical memory and file cache
size in SYSTEM.INI
If I have 1GB I don't have any problem.
If I have 2GB I can't run Win98
Curious to notice if I use a ATI GPU I can have 1GB or
even 2GB but with Nvidia GPU I simply can't.

I don't want to use 2GB of RAM with Windows 98, the 2GB
are for XP but I want to continue having a dual boot with
both Win98 and XP cause of old games that do not run very
well under XP, so that is why I'm trying to make it work.

My options a
. If using 1GB I can have any GPU I want.
. If using 2GB I can either use ATI or if I choose Nvidia
I must physically remove a 1GB DIMM each time I boot to
Win98 which I'm really afraid to eventually damage my
memory. Other option with 2GB is using Nvidia GPU and
stop using Win98 but I really do not want to cause I do
own many old games that run better under Win98.

The issue of using Nvidia instead of ATI is cause my
ATI GPU is a Radeon 9600 SE and my Nvidia a 6600 and it
is clear the Nvidia is better so that is why I would
want to use it instead of ATI.

If anyone has managed to make a 2GB RAM machine with a
Nvidia GPU work in Windows 98 please tell me how so I
can probably take some clues on how to make it work in
my system.
Obviously it is not a tragedy not being able to use 2GB
with a Nvidia GPU under Win98 but I'm curious to know if
anyone else managed to make it work.
Thanks


What MaxPhysPage setting are you using?? - I'd suggest no more than 40000
(in combination with a MaxFileCache setting of 512000 - which you may need
to decrease to 374000)

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

Noel Paton wrote:

What MaxPhysPage setting are you using?? - I'd suggest no
more than 40000 (in combination with a MaxFileCache
setting of 512000 - which you may need to decrease to
374000)

Thanks for the suggestions Noel.

Since now I've been using the following in SYSTEM.INI:
MaxPhysPage=20000
MaxFileCache=524288

The value of MaxPhysPage=40000 you suggested did improve,
but the MaxFileCache=374000 didn't so I tested and found
out only with 37400 (a zero less than your number) or
lower was I able to boot Win98 and in 16bit color... the
problem is Direct3D is disable and I can't enable it and
cause I wanted to use Win98 for games this doesn't solve
my problem...
But at least I'm able to boot and have the desktop in 16
bit color which is better than nothing...
So the following are so far the best values in SYSTEM.INI
MaxPhysPage=40000
MaxFileCache=37400
Anything lower than the MaxFileCache=37400 doesn't change
Direct3D being disabled.
Now the only thing missing is enabling Direct3D...
Thanks again Noel

"pcgames" wrote in message
oups.com...
Since now I've been using the following in SYSTEM.INI:
MaxPhysPage=20000
MaxFileCache=524288

The value of MaxPhysPage=40000 you suggested did improve,
but the MaxFileCache=374000 didn't so I tested and found
out only with 37400 (a zero less than your number) or
lower was I able to boot Win98 and in 16bit color... the
problem is Direct3D is disable and I can't enable it and
cause I wanted to use Win98 for games this doesn't solve
my problem...
But at least I'm able to boot and have the desktop in 16
bit color which is better than nothing...
So the following are so far the best values in SYSTEM.INI
MaxPhysPage=40000
MaxFileCache=37400
Anything lower than the MaxFileCache=37400 doesn't change
Direct3D being disabled.
Now the only thing missing is enabling Direct3D...
Thanks again Noel

Hmmm - I've never heard of anyone needing to drop the MaxFileCache entry
that far to get Win98 to work!

What other entries do you have in the [386Enh] and [vcache] sections of
system.ini??

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

Noel Paton wrote:

Hmmm - I've never heard of anyone needing to drop the
MaxFileCache entry that far to get Win98 to work!

I also notice I'm limited to 640x480... if I try to use a
superior resolution like 800x600 the display goes blank...
So I don't have Direct3D and I'm limited to 640x480...
Probably we should not use the word "work"

What other entries do you have in the [386Enh] and
[vcache] sections of system.ini??

[386Enh]
ebios=*ebios
woafont=dosapp.fon
mouse=*vmouse, msmouse.vxd
device=*dynapage
device=*vcd
device=*vpd
device=*int13
device=*enable
MaxPhysPage=40000
keyboard=*vkd
display=*vdd,*vflatd
EMMExclude=C000-CFFF

[vcache]
MaxFileCache=37000

With the exceptions of MaxPhysPage and MaxFileCache I have
not changed or added anything in the SYSTEM.INI cause I'm
not that tech savy to do it.

"pcgames" wrote in message
ups.com...
Noel Paton wrote:

Hmmm - I've never heard of anyone needing to drop the
MaxFileCache entry that far to get Win98 to work!

I also notice I'm limited to 640x480... if I try to use a
superior resolution like 800x600 the display goes blank...
So I don't have Direct3D and I'm limited to 640x480...
Probably we should not use the word "work"

What other entries do you have in the [386Enh] and
[vcache] sections of system.ini??

[386Enh]
ebios=*ebios
woafont=dosapp.fon
mouse=*vmouse, msmouse.vxd
device=*dynapage
device=*vcd
device=*vpd
device=*int13
device=*enable
MaxPhysPage=40000
keyboard=*vkd
display=*vdd,*vflatd
EMMExclude=C000-CFFF

[vcache]
MaxFileCache=37000

With the exceptions of MaxPhysPage and MaxFileCache I have
not changed or added anything in the SYSTEM.INI cause I'm
not that tech savy to do it.


Nothing wrong with those sections that I can see

May be worth checking out the Device Manager...
Boot to Safe Mode
Open DM
check for flagged entries (remove ALL)
check for duplicated entries - remove ALL instances of any found outside the
'System Device' branch, and post back with a list of those found within the
SD branch.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

pcgames wrote:
Anyone being able to run Win98 in a 2GB RAM machine?

....fwiw, I know there was a time where some of our long time MVP's like Ron
Martell and Richard Harper (and others) have friends who have been able to
(briefly anyway) been able to use 1.5 GB of RAM in W98 - but never 2GB;
however, these days with all the new MotherBoards out with the new specs I
have not seen anyone yet, including myself, been able to get any stability
over 1GB of RAM to be installed - let alone 1.5 - and not even to mention
2! ..if it was possible I would have done it by now since I triple boot
and also want to use 2GB for W2K & WXP too, but since I also have SE on
this partition I cannot - and I have tried every trick in the book I can
assure you of that, but nothing ''''is stable'''' with the 2GB installed no
matter what I do or what trick there is out there to be used ...and so
it's not even worth the risk imho, and the risk of fatal OS corrupting
hangs and memeory abnormalities trying for those who don't use partition
backups beforehand makes it not advisable to even try it. (unless doing it
for play and testing then of course always have a backup partition image
first)

For me it's come down to if I want to use 2GB in 2K or XP when I boot them,
I will just plug in the extra GB stick (it only takes a second) and away I
go; but since at the moment anyway, I also want to leave W98SE on board
then for simplicity sake I just leave the 1GB stick in all the time now.
It's not stable in anyway no matter what I do if I have 2 GB even plugged
in when booting to SE.

With a Nvidia GPU I simply can't have 2GB of RAM in my
machine even limiting the physical memory and file cache
size in SYSTEM.INI
If I have 1GB I don't have any problem.
If I have 2GB I can't run Win98
Curious to notice if I use a ATI GPU I can have 1GB or
even 2GB but with Nvidia GPU I simply can't.

I don't want to use 2GB of RAM with Windows 98, the 2GB
are for XP but I want to continue having a dual boot with
both Win98 and XP cause of old games that do not run very
well under XP, so that is why I'm trying to make it work.

My options a
. If using 1GB I can have any GPU I want.
. If using 2GB I can either use ATI or if I choose Nvidia
I must physically remove a 1GB DIMM each time I boot to
Win98 which I'm really afraid to eventually damage my
memory. Other option with 2GB is using Nvidia GPU and
stop using Win98 but I really do not want to cause I do
own many old games that run better under Win98.

The issue of using Nvidia instead of ATI is cause my
ATI GPU is a Radeon 9600 SE and my Nvidia a 6600 and it
is clear the Nvidia is better so that is why I would
want to use it instead of ATI.

I use the Nvidia 6600GT video card and my intel MB with an 865 Chipset.
The 1.5 or 2 GB problem is further complicated with these modern day video
cards adding their toll with this too since the complexity of their
architecture uses extra memory addresses making it even more unlikely one
was to succeed plugging in 1.5 not to mention 2 GB in their MB while Win98
is running.

For me anyway the only consolation is there's not much I need the 2GB for
anyway on XP except occasional heavy duty video processing, etc... (unless
you have some needy computer games you like to play (which at my young
age I don't have that desire to play them) ..otherwise 1GB is more than
just fine - or again I'll plug the extra stick in for XP when needed.

Rick


If anyone has managed to make a 2GB RAM machine with a
Nvidia GPU work in Windows 98 please tell me how so I
can probably take some clues on how to make it work in
my system.
Obviously it is not a tragedy not being able to use 2GB
with a Nvidia GPU under Win98 but I'm curious to know if
anyone else managed to make it work.
Thanks

Rick Chauvin wrote:

...fwiw, I know there was a time where some of our long time MVP's like Ron
Martell and Richard Harper (and others) have friends who have been able to
(briefly anyway) been able to use 1.5 GB of RAM in W98 - but never 2GB;
however, these days with all the new MotherBoards out with the new specs I
have not seen anyone yet, including myself, been able to get any stability
over 1GB of RAM to be installed - let alone 1.5 - and not even to mention
2! ..if it was possible I would have done it by now since I triple boot
and also want to use 2GB for W2K & WXP too, but since I also have SE on
this partition I cannot - and I have tried every trick in the book I can
assure you of that, but nothing ''''is stable'''' with the 2GB installed no
matter what I do or what trick there is out there to be used ...and so
it's not even worth the risk imho, and the risk of fatal OS corrupting
hangs and memeory abnormalities trying for those who don't use partition
backups beforehand makes it not advisable to even try it. (unless doing it
for play and testing then of course always have a backup partition image
first)

This is were you realize its time to stop...
Thanks Rick for your post cause if experts like you didn't
manage to make it work it will for sure not be me
I will choose Windows 98 over 2GB... and it is really not a
hard decision for me to take cause I do want to continue use
Windows 98.
Thanks again.

Noel Paton wrote:

Nothing wrong with those sections that I can see

Noel and to all others that gave me suggestions and
tried to help, Thank you very much but I'm giving up.

Please realize there wasn't been anyone that has in
fact said they could run Windows 98 with 2GB of RAM
and using a modern Nvidia GPU. Probably what I am
trying to do is really impossible.

I'll take out the 1GB and be happy with what I now
have. 2GB only for my next computer in two years
time, in the meanwhile I will need to live with 1GB
which is already plenty.
Thanks Noel and all, but I will no longer pursue the
goal of making Windows 98 run with 2GB of RAM.

Greg Rozelle wrote:
[....]

Pcgames,
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca/tips.htm
I found this website that might help.
Scroll down do the article titled
How much memory can Windows 95/98/Me handle?

Greg Rozelle

That is MVP Ron Martell's website as I first alluded to, and it's an
excellent article about it, however, all variants of what Ron offers as
advice has been already mentioned in this thread, and also unfortunately
there's no way in common that pcgames will be able to have his 2 GB of RAM
even plugged in its slots let alone being able to set a compatible
MaxPhysPage restriction for its existence there in W98 with any stability
even being able to run it. This is especially true when it comes to these
modern MB's combined with the modern VC's like what he's using, where maybe
with older hardware setups you could get away with its existence.

Rick