Tips on Memory Issues in Windows 95/98 Performance All Staff
A Black-and-White Issue
With MemMaker and a Super VGA display, you can free up conventional memory by using the MONOUMB.368 file. Open SYSTEM.INI, add device=c:\dos\monoumb.386 to the [386Enh] section and save the file. Restart your computer and run MemMaker by typing MEMMAKER at the DOS prompt. Choose Custom Setup. On the Advanced Options screen, answer Yes to the question "Use monochrome region (B000-B7FF) for running programs?" Then follow the instructions on your screen.
Add More Memory
The minimum practical memory (system RAM) for a Windows 95 installation is 8MB (16MB to get any real work done...Arrrr!!). Although the base operating system can run in 4MB, some of the applications and accessories like Exchange require more. Without enough memory, Windows 95 will end up swapping to disk, which is a real performance killer. In addition, the design of the Windows 95 user interface encourages you to multitask, and if you run more applications at once you'll need more memory to maintain good performance.
Be Timely
With the advances made in memory management, you should be using the latest versions of HIMEM.SYS and EMM386. In order of increasing preference, use the versions bundled with MS-DOS 5.0, Windows 3.1, MS-DOS 6.0, WFWG 3.11 or Windows 9x.
Be TSR Smart
Save memory when using DOS programs that require a TSR by only loading the TSR just prior to running the program, rather than installing every time you boot up. Create a batch file that loads the TSR and then runs the program. Launch the batch file from Windows to initiate the program. After you use the batch file, the TSR will take up memory until you reboot, but at least it occupies memory only when you use it.
Close the Window!
If you often run out of memory, try opening as few applications as you can. If an application supports multiple windows, keep as few of those windows open as possible.
Controlled Expansion
Control the amount of expanded memory (EMS) allocated to a non-Windows application running under Windows by editing its PIF.
Don't Pretend
For more memory, you can likely remove the SETVER.EXE program line from your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files. It's only needed so DOS can pretend it's an older version. If you don't get an "Incorrect DOS version" message from any of your programs upon rebooting, the trick worked.
Explore New Regions
EMM386 Version 4.45 can scan and free additional memory regions if they've been duplicated elsewhere. To enable this feature, edit your CONFIG.SYS file and add the HIGHSCAN switch to the device= line that loads EMM386.EXE.
Exterminate Dos Mouses
If you use your mouse only in Windows, remove any commands that load mouse drivers from your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files in order to save memory.
Get Physical
Set up a swap file on a hard disk, never on a RAM disk. Using a RAM disk will reduce performance on most systems. (The swap file is used as a substitute when you're short of RAM, so using the RAM you're short of to substitute for the RAM you're short of...oh, just forget it.)
It's Not Nice to Share
Save a nice chunk of memory if you spend all your time in Windows and not in DOS, by not loading Share. Share is seldom needed, and Windows uses a program called VSHARE to do the same job, anyway. Check your CONFIG.SYS file and delete the line that loads Share, if it exists.
Load 'em High
Maximize the amount of lower memory available to Windows by using the LOADHIGH and DEVICEHIGH commands in front of the device drivers and applications your system files are loading. When you do, AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files load all terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) programs and device drivers into the upper memory blocks, wherever possible.
Look at the Colors!
Use just a color for the desktop background instead of wallpaper or bitmaps if you need to free memory for running applications.
Mono-a-Mono
If you never use the VGA adapter's monochrome mode, you can free up an extra memory block. Just add the line VGAMonoText=Off to the [386Enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI file.
Now, Isn't That Special?
Avoid running out of resources in the middle of a task that you don't do often by creating a special boot configuration just for that task. The configuration should consist of the minimum number of drivers needed to get the job done. For example, leave out sound card, CD-ROM, RAM-disk and other drivers, if possible. With DOS 6.0 and above, you can create multiboot configurations that allow you to choose the configuration you want when the system boots.
Proper Expansion
To get the most out of expanded memory in Windows, use the RAM switch and not the NOEMS switch for EMM386.EXE.
Prune Your WIN.INI File
A quick way to gain some memory is to keep your WIN.INI file small. Windows loads the WIN.INI file in memory, so a smaller WIN.INI can save memory. Good candidates for deletion are lines you've REMed-out to disable them, comments thrown in by setup programs, sections for programs you've removed and lines referencing never-used fonts.
Pull the Switch
To temporarily free up memory when using Adobe Type Manager, keep it from loading fonts at startup by switching it off and rebooting.
Redesign Your Color Palette
The fewer colors your video card uses, the more memory you'll have available. So while true-color (24-bit color) or high-color (16-bit color) video looks great, falling back to 256 or 16 colors (8-bit or 4-bit color) can save you some memory.
Run DOS High
Save a lot of conventional memory by loading MS-DOS into high memory. Load HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE with the Device= command in the CONFIG.SYS file. Follow that with dos=high in your CONFIG.SYS file.
Save Conventional Memory
Save some conventional memory by using upper memory buffers. Be sure you load HIMEM.SYS and EMM386. EXE with the Device= command in the CONFIG.SYS file, and follow that with dos=UMB in your CONFIG.SYS file. You can combine these last two lines into one by using DOS=HIGH, UMB instead.
Screen Savers/Memory Wasters
Running low on memory? Disable your screen saver, especially if programs crash when it kicks in. If you're reluctant to do that, use a simple screen saver, such as those that come with Windows.
The Old Switcheroo
If you don't need virtual control program interface (VCPI) support and are using EMM386 version 4.45 or higher, free some memory by using the NOVCPI switch. In prior versions, the NOEMS switch disabled both EMS and VCPI support, but now you need both switches.
Trim the TrueType Threshold
You can trade TrueType rendering speed for memory by adding the Headline Threshold parameter to the [TrueType] section of WIN.INI. Set it equal to between 1 (slower rendering/more memory) and 300 (faster rendering/less memory).
Turn Off Toolbars
Toolbars and button bars eat memory. If you don't need one, turn it off. Most applications provide access to all functions via menus or keystrokes, anyway.
Use It or Lose It
To free some memory, check your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files for unnecessary programs loaded at boot-up. Don't delete the lines; just place a REM (remark) statement in front of them. This way, if you've mistakenly disabled a program you need (gulp!), you can easily remove the REM statement and enable the line.
