# win 98se memory limits



## johnblagg (Dec 10, 2004)

Is there a limit as to how much memory 98se supports and what is the fastest memory it will support?
I am running a p4 3 gig on a intel 865 perl board and have 1.2 gig of memory on board . 
I can run xp pro or server 2003 with no problems but 98se will only start and then reboot over and over . I wondered if it was because I have to much ram or if the 400 mhz was to fast , or if th fsb (800) is to fast . I know why 98se if you got xp server ect. Well I have a us robotics modem and the software the supply doesn't like anything better so I thought I would try 98 on this system I switched to xp when I built it and was thinking of trying linux so I bought a us robotics performance pro because it is a hardware modem and would (I thought) work for all the different os's . 
I really like the modem but want to check it out with all the tweaks offered through the control center which will not run on anything but 98.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

The speed of the machine should not be very relevant in the running of an operating system in general.

But I have found that Win98 starts to balk and shows symptoms of a breakdown when memory is over 256 megs. Remember that the OS was developed at a time when 32 and 64 megs were the norm, and 98 is not equipped to handle large amounts of memory, even if available.

If you run msconfig in Win98 and look at the advanced options, you will see a MAXMEM switch. If you set that to 256, 98 will only use 256 and it will run fine on a machine with a lot more memory that will be put to good use by the NT kernel.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

See this here.

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=253912


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

Using the fix above, I run 98se with 768Mb and have no problems at all.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

I didn't find much of my 256 being used, but then I only used it for testing apps and surfing. How much of that memory in in use, on the average?


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

Most of it. I do a lot of disk checking and recovery, so I have HUGE disk caches. I often have 5 hard disks, a CD RW, a DVD and two USB pen drives attached - no to mention other disks accessed via the network.

I quite often have to reboot in SAFE mode to remove all the excess drives that are clogging the system.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

I suppose that would allow a pretty good sized RAM disk for temp files, temp internet files, or something like that, too.


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

I do have a panic/recovery CD that loads FreeDos/ Windows 3.11 and LOADS of DISK utilities and recovery packages into a RAM disk - it asks how much real memory there is and adjusts what it loads according to the space available. Its a bit like Knoppix, but Dos based


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

Hello johnblagg 

I do remember reading in the Microsoft knowledge base about an issue win98se sometimes had with clock speeds over 2.0 ghz.
I appologise for not being able to post a link, it's early now and I've not had enough coffee to start the day properly. ie, my search wasn't very fruitful 
MS did offer a workaround.
If I find a link to the patch, I'll post it later


Jack


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

Had my first morning coffee and things are working much more smoothly 

Here's a link to MS:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312108
Title:


> Windows Protection Error in NDIS with a CPU That Is Faster Than 2.1 GHz


excerpt>>


> The timing calibration code in the Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) driver causes a divide by zero if the CPU runs at 2.2 GHz or faster. This problem does not occur with CPUs that run at 2.1 GHz or slower.


However, I don't see a link to the fix.


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## Classified (Dec 7, 2004)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q312108

SORRY I didn't see that thing!

You have to contact MS.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

Hi Classified 

I posted that link, but I don't see the download for the 'fix' linked to.


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

Looking a little closer at the MS site, at the bottom, it says 


> APPLIES TO
> 	Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
> 	Microsoft Windows 95


Perhaps this issue only applies to the first version win98 not win98 second edition?
I checked the properties of my own 'Ndis.vxd' and it carried a product version :
"4.10.2222"

the one posted at the MS site:


> 28-Nov-2001 11:05 4.10.0.2000 157,909 Ndis.vxd


This is confusing


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## Classified (Dec 7, 2004)

See above!


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

Looking a little deeper into the 'patch'........it seems MS has not placed the fix online for the general public, but instead requires you to pay for the support service.

I have discovered the patch id......312108USA8.EXE.
I can not find it in any MS download site.

However, I did find these sites that discussed the problem and linked to that file, one a zip download and the other an executable. They appear to be identical.

http://www.sjordan.com/ndis_fix.html

http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/161369.html

The second site refers to this download link
http://www.autourdupc.com/Logiciel/WIN98/Softs/98/312108USA8.EXE

Both have the same properties and both digital signatures by MS seem to check out.

From what I can tell.....the patch is supposed to be installed in safe mode, I even saw an instance where the computer had to be underclocked to install the patch.
To me it looks like it might be a cobbled affair to 'get the computer to run' but maybe not efficiently or effectively in all cases

Make of it what you will.........


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## Classified (Dec 7, 2004)

Best advice I can give is to get hold of an old '98 computer. Better advice is to get a new computer and put '98 on it then you'll see how '98 performs with modern hardware.

You can then all the better compare '98 with Mandrake Linux 10 without jeapordising your XP installation.

The system resources of '98 and NT based systems and their ability to use RAM are so different that I would never consider dual booting.

Nex thing I'll consider is an iMac


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

It's somewhat pointless to use more than about 512mb on a W98 system, since you'll run out of system resource space long before you'll run out of memory.


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## Classified (Dec 7, 2004)

johnwill said:


> It's somewhat pointless to use more than about 512Mb on a W98 system, since you'll run out of system resource space long before you'll run out of memory.


But you do get the faster processor, faster 512Mb of RAM, faster bus speed, and probably even a faster and bigger drive.

In fact it is a - lot - faster.

Get the point?

A lot of businesses do this, so they can use their old software on more performant machines.

And what is more, you can improve the performance of '98 by using '98 Lite.

(It doesn't have to be for an internet connected computer either. You can always burn programs to CD-RWs on another on-line computer and then install them to the off-line computer.)


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