# Trying to play old dos game



## Frag-Tek (Oct 5, 2001)

I'm trying to play an old dos game called Master of Magic. Whenever I double click magic.exe(supposed to launch the game), it says something like "You need at least 2700k expanded memory."

So I right-clicked magic.exe and went to properties. Then I clicked the memory tab to see what I have for expanded memory. All of the other memory types have pull-down menus except for Expanded Memory. For Expanded Memory it says:

The computer is not configured for expanded memory in MS-DOS sessions. [Details]

So I click the Details and it says:

The 'device=EMM386' line in your CONFIG.SYS contains the 'noems' keyword. To enable expanded memory, use Notepad to remove that keyword and restart the system.

That sounded simple enough so I opened my config.sys in notepad and it doesnt say noems anywhere... this is what my config.sys says:

rem device=c:\dos\himem.sys
device=c:\windows\himem.sys
rem devicehigh=c:\dos\emm386.exe ram 
devicehigh=c:\windows\emm386.exe ram
dos=high,umb

[common]
buffers=40
; SBPCI mod: device=c:\windows\himem.sys /testmemff

DEVICEHIGH=c:\cdrom\OakCdRom.SYS /D:IDECD000

I'm not as smart as most of you are at computer things... but if this may be of any help this is what 'mem' in dos prompt says:

Memory Type Total Used Free
---------------- -------- -------- --------
Conventional 636K 64K 572K
Upper 75K 75K 0K
Reserved 0K 0K 0K
Extended (XMS) 65,393K ? 195,132K
---------------- -------- -------- --------
Total memory 66,104K ? 195,704K

Total under 1 MB 711K 138K 572K

Largest executable program size 572K (586,112 bytes)
Largest free upper memory block 0K (0 bytes)
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

Please help me to solve this problem, I've been looking through tons of different online help forums and no one has talked about this problem.


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## Frag-Tek (Oct 5, 2001)

Also, when I type 'emm386' in dos prompt it says this:

Windows Expanded Memory Driver Version 4.95
Copyright 1988-1995 Microsoft Corp.

Expanded memory services unavailable.

Total upper memory available . . . . . . 0 KB
Largest Upper Memory Block available . . 0 KB
Upper memory starting address . . . . . . FFFF H

EMM386 Active.


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## Shadow2531 (Apr 30, 2001)

assuming you have the physical memory requirments and don't have ME.....

create a shortcut to c:\command.com

right click on the shortuct>properties>program tab>advanced>uncheck suggest msdos mode>check msdos mode>uncheck warn before entering dos>check specify new msdos configuration>.....

get rid of all the entries already in there first.

now under config.sys put
device=c:\windows\himem.sys
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe
dos=high,umb

now under autoexec.bat put nothing except

the driver for your sound card or the SET BLASTER=A220 I2 D1 T4 blaster command if needed.

If it still doesn't work. Then get rid of the device=c:\windows\emm386.exe

After you have it all set up and ok out. then when you click on the icon, it will restart your computer in dos where you can go to the directory of the dos game and load up the exe.

If the game runs off of the cd, you will have to load the driver for that too.

It will work if you catch what I am throwin.

once you load the game and then exit it, you will need to type exit to get back to windows.

You can also add the exe file to the autoexec.bat and automatically load the game. However, I don't recommend that cuz you can get stuck in a loop sometimes.

also not that the files loaded in the config.sys might not be in the location I specified, so just make sure they are or adjust the location entries.

gotta go. won't be able to reply until sunday night.


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## Frag-Tek (Oct 5, 2001)

will this enable expanded memory on that tab under properties?


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## Frag-Tek (Oct 5, 2001)

thanks dude but it didnt work... when i go to the directory the program is in and load it, it still tells me that i need at least 2700k expanded memory... how do i "make expanded memory available"?


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## Dan O (Feb 13, 1999)

Try this:

device=c:\dos\himem.sys
device=c:\dos\emm386.exe RAM NOEMS
dos=high,umb

in the Properities for "C:\WINDOWS\Exit to DOS"

To do so by opening Windows Explorer, left click the file name, select Properties, select Program tab, click Advanced, select the button "Specify a new MS-DOS configuration" and enter the lines about and the line from your C:\CONFIG.SYS for your CD-ROM drive. Also add the lines from your C:\Autoexec.bat to the Properties and then give your game a try. Good luck.


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## Frag-Tek (Oct 5, 2001)

thanks for replying, but that didnt work either... it still gave me the message "you need at least 2700k expanded memory" when it went into dos mode...


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## Dan O (Feb 13, 1999)

Drop RAM NOEMS options and try again and type MEM /P/C. What does it display? I am usually pretty good at get old DOS applications running.


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## Frag-Tek (Oct 5, 2001)

Modules using memory below 1 MB:

Name Total Conventional Upper Memory
-------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------
SYSTEM 65,536 (64K) 30,944 (30K) 34,592 (34K)
HIMEM 1,168 (1K) 1,168 (1K) 0 (0K)
EMM386 4,320 (4K) 4,320 (4K) 0 (0K)
DBLBUFF 2,976 (3K) 2,976 (3K) 0 (0K)
WIN 3,744 (4K) 3,744 (4K) 0 (0K)
vmm32 17,056 (17K) 14,240 (14K) 2,816 (3K)
COMMAND 7,472 (7K) 7,472 (7K) 0 (0K)
OAKCDROM 36,064 (35K) 0 (0K) 36,064 (35K)
IFSHLP 2,864 (3K) 0 (0K) 2,864 (3K)
Free 586,128 (572K) 586,128 (572K) 0 (0K)

Memory Summary:

Type of Memory Total Used Free
---------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Conventional 651,264 65,136 586,128
Upper 76,336 76,336 0
Reserved 0 0 0
Extended (XMS) 66,962,896 ? 199,815,168


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## Frag-Tek (Oct 5, 2001)

i just downloaded the demo of the game to test if it would work... while installing it, it told me that i don't have an ems driver.

what is an ems driver? do i need it to play the game? if so, where can i get one?


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## Dan O (Feb 13, 1999)

EMS = Expanded Memory Support

Which is provided using EMM386.EXE, for details of all the options see: http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q234/8/68.ASP

Did you drop RAM NOEMS options? You may want to try to use the memory option it:

Specifies the maximum amount of extended memory 
(in kilobytes) that you want EMM386 to provide as 
expanded/Virtual Control Program Interface (EMS/VCPI) 
memory.


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## Shadow2531 (Apr 30, 2001)

this link/site may be of some help

http://www.proaxis.com/~jarvinen/magic/win95.html


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## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

Hi Frag-Tek,
I was surprised to see theres a lot about 'Master of Magic'
you may already know about these,

a forum for M.O.M.
http://network54.com/Hide/Forum/93496

a page about it,
http://www.proaxis.com/~jarvinen/magic/MoMFrameRight.html
with many tips

I reckon you're running 98. You really should have said by now
cos then others with 98 may have suggestions for you.

Anyway, about your problem runnung M.O.M.,
on you machine theres a bit that says,
'The computer is not configured for
expanded memory in MS-DOS sessions.'

and just below theres a bit with 'Auto' and a drop down arrow.
Now i may be wrong, and if i am hopefully some one will put 
me right, 
I think that with auto selected (default) that win uses
virtual memory as substitute for extended memory.
So its not ignored, its just done like that. (i think)

Also my book on 98 which has a bit about DOS programs
says that some DOS programs can actually have a problem
with too much memory. It goes on to say that older programs
have difficulty coping with unlimited extended memory. If you
leave the extended sections set to auto, programs like this 
may not run reliably. Try setting the extended/expanded
memory to some reasonable maximum number, such as 8192
which should be enough for most programs.

Thats from the brief bit in the book, i dont know where that
8192 came from, maybe its on the drop down.
It doesnt say what form the error takes, but maybe thats the
result if this is the problem. I suggest you reset all the defaults
then set the mem to a suitable top limit,
and try running M.O.M. in a DOS window within Windows
rather than in DOS, make it full size.

There are a few more tips in my little book if you want (for 98).
Best of luck with it,

John


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