EMM386 Memory Manager

[rednek tek]

I have tried for about 2 months now to solve this problem since my PC was first built. System is sluggish because it is not using all the memory available to it, even though the BIOS recognizes all 256MB. As it boots up, the message "emm386.exe not installed" appears. This message has appeared since Windows was first loaded.Since this is at least one of the DOS apps that allows use of extended memory by applications, this is the problem. It is present in the c:\windows and c:\windows\system directories, plus in a couple places in program files for PQ Magic's benefit (part of partition magic) I have tried to copy it from the Windows 98SE CD to the HD. It doesn't work. I have even deleted it from the Windows directories, then tried to copy it again from the CD. No dice. Now, not only do I get the message that emm386 is not installed, but also that XMS manager is not present. Other than Windows being the evil, flaky, lethargic,Alzheimer patient spawn of Bill Gates, what gives? The file is even checked to run in the config.sys file, along with the himem.sys file. Windows simply refuses to recognize that the file is there. Also, right near the end of boot-up, there will be a little window pop in the desktop for just an instant and disappear. The system boots so fast I can't see what if any title is on it. It is identical to the gui that would be used to enter a Windows keycode during installation. I can't even slow my system speed down enough in the BIOS to allow me to get a good look at it. I don't have a clue what program it is associated with. How can I track this vermin down and get rid of it without trashing Windows and/or the registry. I would think it would have to be something in the application events or root section of the registry. It probably ain't hurting anything, other bugging the p**s out of me, but I want it gone, if possible. Any tips on either problem is much appreciated.

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"..640K is all anybody should ever need.."--Bill Gates

[This message has been edited by rednek tek (edited 09-02-2001).]

[rednek tek]

I haven't been and am not now running autoexec.bat, and hadn't been running config.sys until tonight, (and himem.sys is listed first) trying to chase after a solution. I am starting to selectively add semicolons at the beginning of the items in the system.ini and win.ini files (so windows will ignore those items) in an effort to enhance performance by finding out what is not needed. The only items in startup are Norton Antivirus, scan registry, and system tray. I have been told that the later 2 could be safely unchecked, but I am not brave enough to risk it, because I have seen less experienced tech agents (who probably should not have been there anyway!!)where I work crash systems by removing needed items in the startup. I know that the swap file is heavily used, because I often hear the HD going when it shouldn't be. I saw a message in the summary screen a minute ago that there was 86 KB (YIKES) of high memory available out of 256 MB + the swap file, which is 2085 MB. Could there possibly be a problem with the swap file control program (can't remember the name right off). Norton System information indicates 58.3 MB of that total being used. Resource meter: system-66%, user-66%, GDI-67%. Something is lying to me--Windows would not even boot with only 86KB of upper memory available. Something is not configured correctly. 256-58.3MB of memory = way more than 66% available, more like in the vicinity of 78% available. Memory Leak?? Not Likely a virus is eating system resources--I keep my virus definition files updated. Not likely a worm or trojan is eating resources--ditto. I have run a trojan scanner, with nothing found. I use Zone Alarm, and run Ad Aware regularly, so I don't see how any malicious items could be doing this. This is really irritating me because I can't find a solution.

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"..640K is all anybody should ever need.."--Bill Gates

[Rog]

Read this all the way through, it might help sort things out. Make sure you're not overclocked as well.
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q109/8/45.asp

By the way, pay no attention to those figures for "available memory", they change dynamically as Windows frees and reallocates resources and will only mislead you. How much memory does Windows recognize as being installed?
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What the Dormouse said

[This message has been edited by Rog (edited 09-03-2001).]

[MACH2]

rename config.sys to config.bak

I dunno see what happens.. seems like 95a or b upgrade to FE or similar attempts the system reverts back to. might check the bios battery. hope it helps
mach

[rednek tek]

All new hardware. No known hardware problems. All 256 MB of RAM recognized and accounted for. Haven't tried pause or step by step confirmation for the mystery window yet. Seeing as how memory is dirt cheap, I ordered 256 MB more today, as I have planned to for about the last month, so once I get that I will be able to determine if the RAM module is faulty, but I really don't think so. Maybe I'm making much ado about nothing, perfectionist that I am, but the PC is just not performing like I know a highend Athlon system should. Maybe it's the ghost of Packard Bell, as I have the HD and CD-ROM out of it as slave drives. Hey, at least this is how we learn how to t/s and solve a particular problems, although I am already well rounded in troubleshooting, due to having owned a Packard Bell.

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"..640K is all anybody should ever need.."--Bill Gates

[Train]

Maybe it's the ghost of Packard Bell, as I have the HD and CD-ROM out of it as slave drives.

Bet that the slave is on the same ribbon as your other harddrive. I would put the slave on with the cdrom. Might speed things up for you.

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SMILE
and post back
[ Book mark this post to find it again]

[DrMDJ]

So if you completely bypass config.sys (and autoexec.bat) so that nothing in them runs you still get the emm386 message? Is the entire message just "EMM386.EXE not installed"? Nothing after that, no additional messages? If you do a step-by-step startup at what point do you see the message (what's the last message you see before that)?

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Bookmark your post to make it easier to find.
And remember, please post back whether the problem is resolved or not.

[janmar]

I have also experienced this same challenge on rebooting since I reformatted, installed Win 98se last summer. Not everytime I reboot but once in a while.
After the EMM.386.exe and XMS messages additional messages include: Cannot control A20 line - something like that can't remember exactly. Then - himem.sys not installed - check windows directory. What I've done is copy himem.sys from the Windows boot disk. Returned to C: drive - turned off the computer and rebooted. Sometimes the copy seems to have no effect and I get the same messages!! So I have my doubts that that works!!
I know I haven't solved anything with this "answer" but thought I'd pass along additional messages I receive. Would love to be able to correct it. Happens just enough to be a pain. I asked about this when it first happened and believe there is a support document through Microsoft but at the time it seemed really a complicated thing to mess with - at least for me. Rednek you might want to check there.
If anyone knows an "easy" answer would be great!
JMM
PS I don't run config.sys or autoexec. bat at start-up.

[rednek tek]

janmar: I suppose rog's post earlier in the thread is the link you were referring to.

train: I have my secondary channel in use by my cr-rom (slave) and cd-rw (master) so i can copy cd-roms directly w/o dragging and dropping to the hd first, so that is not a viable option. I am willing to accept any minor speed penalties here. As a somewhat unrelated sidenote, I was just told by a colleague at work that the preferred setup for this is to have one of these on one channel and the other on the other IDE channel to avoid conflicts arising from the system trying to read and write at the same time on the same IDE channel. ?????? Maybe I do need to rethink my current configuration a bit.

janmar: All feedback is appreciated--whether it solves the problem or not is to some degree irrelevant, as we are all here to share our insights, tricks, and experience with each other in order to learn.

all: I haven't yet had a chance to try all the tips given but I will--currently at work. I am sure once I find the solution it will be simple, like D'OH HOMER, Why didn't I think of that already--that's the way it usually goes.

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"..640K is all anybody should ever need.."--Bill Gates

[rednek tek]

I think I have one of the problems solved. I meticulously went through the info found in a link on this site and made sure there was no autorun crap in the registry that wasn't needed. I unchecked all of the compatibility modules in win.ini, since I don't to my knowledge have any software or hardware that needs 16 bit compatibility modes enabled, along with various other unneeded garbage. Everything in config.sys and autoexec.bat is unchecked. I am not currently brave enough to fiddle around with system.ini. Nothing in startup except virus scanner, scanreg, and system tray is active. Annoying little popup window now appears to be history. Still having the boot up error “Memory Manager not detected..” so I haven’t yet got that solved. System booting/rebooting much quicker what with all the garbage not loading at startup. Still sluggish once I get a few browser windows and apps open and quickly drops down to the 60-70% range. Can’t be right with 256 megs of ram. My old Packard Bell with 64 megs could do better than that. The fact that a Packard Bell can do anything better is a scary thought. I plan to do memory troubleshooting once I get my second DIMM I have ordered, but I don’t think it is a physical problem with the memory itself. Next stop, Technet, to follow up on some links I have been given.

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"..640K is all anybody should ever need.."--Bill Gates

[WhitPhil]

The percentages you are seeing are measuring System Resources and have nothing to do with the amount of installed ram.

http://www.aumha.org/a/resource.htm
http://www.windows-help.net/techfile...resources.html

This note may help also.Clean Boot TroubleShooting, including the Step by Step as DrMDJ suggested above.

[This message has been edited by WhitPhil (edited 09-10-2001).]

[rednek tek]

I just wanted to let you all know that I finally ended up reinstalling Windows, which is what I have just now finished doing. The situation just progressed from bad to worse, and finally Windows wouldn't even boot, because of the perceived lack of memory (indication of something like 46K of upper memory available during bootup) due to the memory manager refusing to load. Nobody (in their right mind)ever accused Windows of being super stable. I now have 512 MB of memory, as well, so I guess that was just as good of an excuse as any to add more memory, even though I knew it was not a physical problem with the DIMM. Problem appears resolved. Another strange thing I noticed while attempting to resolve was that when reading through some of the text files in the root folder, disk compression appeared to be enabled. I didn't enable disk compression--I know better, so some piece of software has done it. And no, I don't download garbage software (i.e: AOL, Bonzi Buddy or New.net) from the internet, but when I figure out which software I have that did it, it will go into the circular file (and I don't mean CD-R, either)!!

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640K ought to be enough for anybody. Bill Gates

[rednek tek]

This thread continued at http://discussions.virtualdr.com/For...ML/051167.html

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640K ought to be enough for anybody. Bill Gates