georg

JorgeA - Are you saying that you do not have these Windows 98 DLL's in C:\Windows\System? WS2HELP.DLL (5/11/98) WS2_32.DLL (5/11/98) MSWSOCK.DLL (5/11/98) MSIMG32.DLL (5/11/98) SHDOCVW.DLL (5/11/98) Stay focused on the comparison of C:\Windows\System. Leave DW out of it. Use only the date last Modified. My system files show a creation date of (unknown) and the date which shows in Explorer is the date last Modified. When a file is created, the creation date and time value is set and does not normally change. However, if you make a new copy of the file and save it to a different location, it is treated as a new file and a new creation date and time stamp is set. It is therefore possible to end up with a file that has a modification time that's earlier than its creation. If I copy a system file to another directory, the modification date is unchanged, but the creation date and time changes from (unknown) to the date and time showing on the system clock when the copy is made. The modification date and time stamp normally changes only when the contents of the file are changed. Copying, renaming or moving the file doesn’t change it. Neither does opening the file without making any changes to it. One reason I advised against a clean system install is that you wind up with all dates being 5/11/98. That breaks every application that uses an updated file, and wipes out all of your Windows updates. You have to be certain that you have ALL the original installation disks and support files for every program. Many people don't, and wind up worse off than they were before. When a program that you have used for a long time stops working, the first thing to do is restore the registry and check all files against your last backup. If the backups are fresh, and you act fast enough, you can sometimes figure out what changed. It is puzzling to me that Spybot S&D is the only program causing you trouble, and yet reinstalling the program does not fix the problem. I have to trust that you were rigorous about using Add/Remove, then manually deleting the directories and any remaining contents, then using CCleaner or regedit to search the registry and remove any remaining traces. One other thought is to ask how you ran System File Checker. Did you tick the buttons to "Always back up before restoring", "Append to existing log", "Check for changed files" and "Check for deleted files"? One more time, copy that list of DLL's from my post, and add to the right of each file only the date Modified from the details view of C:\Windows\System in Explorer. If you don't have that file in that directory, put "Not there".

JorgeA - Don't use file names and dates from DW. Just show the files and file dates which you have in C:\Windows\System for each of the files which I listed. Trying to find what is different between the system on which Spybot completes and the one on which it does not. The format which you chose is fine.

JorgeA - According to Dependency Walker, SpybotSD.exe loads the following Dynamic Link Libraries, Device Driver and Object Linking and Embedding Control Extension (Active-X control). Compare your files and file dates with the ones which are on my system (listed in the order they are loaded by SpybotSD.exe) MSOSS.DLL (5/11/98) CRYPT32.DLL (5/11/98) SQLITE3.DLL (6/19/08) NETBIOS.DLL (5/11/98) NETAPI.DLL (5/18/99) WSOCK32.DLL (5/18/99) WINMM.DLL (5/11/98) COMDLG32.DLL (5/11/98) WININET.DLL (5/11/98) SHLWAPI.DLL (5/11/98) SHELL32.DLL (5/11/98) WINSPOOL.DRV (5/11/98) COMCTL32.DLL (4/30/99) MPR.DLL (5/11/98) VERSION.DLL (5/11/98) USER32.DLL (5/11/98) ADVAPI32.DLL (5/11/98) KERNEL32.DLL (5/11/98) GDI32.DLL (5/11/98) OLE32.DLL (5/11/98) OLEAUT32.DLL (5/4/01) WS2HELP.DLL (5/11/98) MSVCRT.DLL (11/14/03) WS2_32.DLL (5/11/98) MSWSOCK.DLL (5/11/98) MSIMG32.DLL (5/11/98) OLEPRO32.DLL (3/8/99) OLEACC.DLL (5/11/98) RPCRT4.DLL (5/11/98) MAPI32.DLL (5/11/98) TOOLS.DLL (7/7/08) URLMON.DLL (5/11/98) HHCTRL.OCX (4/24/00) RICHED32.DLL (5/11/98) TCIPADDRESS.DLL (12/24/07) CHAI.DLL (3/4/08) FENNEL.DLL (3/5/08) MATE.DLL (2/26/08) SHDOCVW.DLL (5/11/98) All will be found in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM except SQLITE3.DLL is in C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy TOOLS.DLL is in C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy TCIPADDRESS.DLL is in is in C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Plugins CHAI.DLL is in C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Plugins FENNEL.DLL is in C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Plugins MATE.DLL is in C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Plugins So. Check your files. What's different?

JorgeA - Let's take a break. You wrote: "What would you recommend to replace Spybot and to complement Avast?" Here are seven choices, all but one free, useful in combating malware and solving computer problems in general. Current working links are given for each recommendation. Small, efficient, they don't hog system resources, and current versions support Win 98. Google the names if you want more details and reviews. 1. Spywareblaster 4.3 http://www.filehippo.com/download_spywareblaster/ A relatively small program (the installer download is about 3MB) with a free edition for home use that works to keep malware from getting on your computer, as opposed to scanning for malware that is already there. Once installed, it uses no system resources. Supports 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista/7 The website is www.javacoolsoftware.com and the forum is at http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ Runs fine on Win98, although "enabling protection" is a little slow. Updates are very small, very fast, come out every couple of weeks. 2. WinPatrol 17.0.2010.0.0 by Bill Pytlovany (BillP Studios) http://www.filehippo.com/download_winpatrol/ WinPatrol alerts you to hijackings, malware attacks and critical changes, using a heuristic behavioral approach. "You'll be removing dangerous new programs while others prepare to update their definition/signature data files." The installer is 971KB (Freeware) smaller than it was years ago. Small Memory Footprint. The monitor component is only 313 KB. See also website www.winpatrol.com Supports 98/2000/XP/Vista 3. Microsoft ERU (Emergency Recovery Utility) originally supplied on the W95 CD-ROM (but not the floppy version.) http://download.microsoft.com/download/win95upg/tool_i/1.0/w95/en-us/eruzip.exe Very small (670 bytes), freeware, very simple W95/W98 registry backup to a floppy or directory. Backup before you add any hardware or software, or make any significant system changes. Backup every day before you shut down. Use rotating sets of bootable system disks, or put each day in a folder on a USB key or removable hard drive. See for instructions: http://css.its.psu.edu/news/nlsp98/techmatters.html 4. StartupCPL by Mike Lin, who writes great small programs http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml A 72K program that adds a .cpl applet to Control Panel. Much easier to use than msconfig for turning startup programs on or off. Look at www.mlin.net/index.shtml for information about Mike and his other projects. 5. Dependency Walker 2.2.6, (depends.exe), another Microsoft project, a useful tool for trouble-shooting application errors, file registration errors, memory access violations, and invalid page faults. Runs standalone from a directory and does not install system files or make changes to the registry. 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista http://www.dependencywalker.com/depends22_x86.zip See also http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256872 and the home page www.dependencywalker.com 6. Vantec Model CB-ISATAU2 IDE/SATA to USB Adapter, $19.99 at newegg.com http://www.vantecusa.com/en/product/view_detail/266 A connector with its own power supply and firmware, and long cables, that makes any hard drive work as conveniently as a USB key, in or out of a computer. At the Vantec website, there is a manual you can download and a driver for Win 98. Supports USB 1.1 and 2.0. Use it to slave your Win 98 drive to a more modern system so you can scan it with software that doesn't run on W98. Nothing is installed on anything you plug it into. This device will allow you to run SpybotS&D on your Vista box and scan your Win 98 drive using the right click menu. 7. The software recommended by the malware and virus removal forum at windowsbbs.com http://www.windowsbbs.com/malware-virus-removal/ Read especially http://www.windowsbbs.com/malware-virus-removal/announcements.html Follow some of the threads by Broni to get a good understanding of what it takes to remove malware these days. The Vantec adapter will help you use more aggressive removal tools like Malwarebytes to scan your Win 98 drive, and will make backups and file transfers painless. Cheaper and easier than setting up a wired network. Your safest strategy is to isolate Win 98 from the internet, and make periodic full disk backups, along with regular backups of the registry and files you care about. Armor up your Vista box, download files there and scan them before transferring them to Win98. Let me know if you have questions, also when and if you want to start again om Spybot.

JorgeA - Well, my "excellent, detailed instructions" were just a little out of sequence. Apparently you have to disable Active Desktop before you can disable virtual memory. That was the point of "Web: No boxes checked." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_Desktop "Active Desktop was largely considered to be a failure, with one of the main problems being its high use of system resources and reduction in system stability." To disable the Active Desktop: Start > Settings > Control Panel. > Open the Display icon > Click the Web tab in the Display Properties window. disable Active Desktop = make sure that "View my Active Desktop as a web page" is unchecked. Start > Settings > Folder Options > Be sure "Classic Style" is ticked. Reboot, then try again to flush and recreate your swap file. Try the short Spybot scan again and tell me what happens. Try not to get discouraged. I'm blindfolded and operating by remote control. I can't see your computer and only know what you tell me. As a problem solving tool, reciprocating posts is incredibly slow and inefficient. Note: If you later wish to enable Active Desktop, check the box for "View my Active Desktop as a web page" and select the home page you wish to use as the active desktop. Retick the folder option for "Web style".

JorgeA - While I think how to best answer your questions, let's see if we can find a difference that might explain why my system runs SSD successfully with a slower processor and only one third of your RAM. First, go to Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Click the Windows Setup tab. It should load successfully and let you add or remove Windows components. If your system gets screwed up, that's one of the things that often breaks. Works OK? Second, go to Start > Help That's another thing that breaks easily. Works OK? Then exit. Run Sysedit autoexec.bat should be empty config.sys should be empty system.ini should have no lines begining Run= Exit Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks > Delete any that exist Right click My Computer and choose the performance tab. In the middle of the box, it should say: "Your system is configured for optimal performance." Under Advanced settings (at the bottom) click the File System button, and the Hard Disk tab: Typical role of this computer: Network server (no, mine isn't networked & it isn't a server, but if you have more than 16MB of RAM you can choose this setting to increase the size of the file and directory cache.) Read-ahead optimization: Full Click the Troubleshooting tab. None of the boxes should be checked. Back to the Performance box, click the Graphics tab. Hardware acceleration: Full Click the Virtual Memory tab. Tick "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings)" and then check the box to "Disable virtual memory (Not recommended)" OK, Close, restart. When it comes back up, go back to Virtual Memory and Tick "Let Windows manage my virtual memory settings (Recommended)". OK, Close, Restart. This will flush and defragment your swap file to make certain you are not using one that has become corrupted. When the system comes back up, right click the desktop and choose Properties. Background should be: (None) Screen Saver should be: (None) Effects: No boxes checked. Web: No boxes checked. Settings: 800 x 600, True Color (24 bit) Double click My Computer and right click Drive C: 30% or more free space. On the Tools tab: "You last checked this drive for errors 0 days ago" Run msconfig. Nothing should be checked except System Tray. Load Spybot Search & Destroy. Set to Advanced Mode. Tools > Resident > Check "SDHelper" but leave "TeaTimer" unchecked. Tools > System Startup > Nothing checked but SysTray.exe and Explorer.exe Settings > File Sets > Uncheck all indented file sets, leaving only the topmost box checked. Settings (at the top) click the Defaults button. At this point you should have no running programs except SSD and no icons in the System Tray. Click Search & Destroy and then Check for problems. The status bar should read Running bot-check (29/29... On this run I got a green check mark in one minute 37 seconds. You?

JorgeA - You wrote: "I'm starting to think that ultimately I may have to do a clean install of Windows 98" If you are otherwise happy with the operation of your PC, consider instead to uninstall SSD & forget it. rilef wrote: "Spybot finds at most a handful of suspected spyware items (usually none)" I agree. It's a longtime favorite, but it's slow now on older hardware and there are other options. There aren't any comments so far about your screenshots. My first reaction was that you have an awful lot going on while SSD is running. I'm hoping that's not true in your recent tests. Get rid of absolutely everything but SSD and Win98 until you get a successful SSD scan. Then you can start adding things back one by one. Applying all of rilef's suggestions to my Win98fe system, it still takes over 4 minutes to load, and even with all file sets disabled, the progress bar for 29/29 speeds to conclusion and then the system just sits there for 1 min 32 secs before the green check mark appears. Are you waiting long enough? As for heaps, no matter how much memory you have installed, Win98 mostly uses a single 32-bit heap, capable of addressing 2GB, and one 16-bit heap for compatibility with legacy programs. My limited understanding of heaps is that they are what Windows calls "system resources" and you can monitor them with the Resource Meter icon. Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Resource Meter On my system with 366 Celeron and 128MB RAM, the icon always stays comfortably green during loading of SSD with default settings, SD Helper and Tea Timer enabled, and all file sets checked. Right clicking the icon will bring up a dialog box. Right after reboot, showing only Explorer and Systray in the Close Programs dialog box, Resource Meter shows: System resources: 95% free User resources: 95% free GDI resources: 98% free Loading SSD with SD Helper and Teatimer running, default settings and all file sets enabled, at the end of load Resource Meter shows: System resources: 58% free User resources: 84% free GDI resources: 58% free I then exit Teatimer by right clicking the icon and choosing "Exit SpybotS&D Resident". During the scan, at normal priority, Resource Meter still shows 58/84/58. At "Time Critical" priority and minimized, the reading is 57/82/57. As usual, my post is running overlong, so I'm going to stop here and give you a chance to respond.

JorgeA - Thank you for your report. I did download the pdf. I'll wait along with you to see the comments.

wsxedcrfv - You wrote: "7DD95801-9882-11CF-9FA9-00AA006C42C4 ...turns up in a lot of places" It's on my W98SE system only under the CLSID for "Wave Sound" (not all zeroes) A google search for that string turned up the report I linked on the "Common Name Toolbar" The report also says "The following Registry Keys were created" and then lists many instances of {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} I have only one like that way down the tree below the key for "Indeo video 4.4 Decompression Filter" on W98SE and XP systems Systems Annihilist suggested "Wouldn't hurt to allow S&D to remove "what it sees" That's what I would do. You may want to wait a bit for others to weigh in. Be sure that "Create backups of fixed spyware problems for easy recovery" is checked under Main settings in SS&D so you have the option to undo any changes to the registry. Advanced mode > Settings (lower left) >Settings again from the list > go down the tree Even safer to also backup the registry with Microsoft's ERU or other method of your choice on removable media before you pull the trigger.

JorgeA - Nice to hear from you. I was thinking this thread had gone dead. After a lot of googling and reading tips from others who complained that SSD is slow now on older systems, I didn't find any with the page fault issue. relef's suggestion to uncheck file sets did not markedly improve load times on my W98FE system. cyberformer's comments about Windows Me match my experience. Load time is even slower. A test of some other tips worsened load time, but amazingly did cut the scan time from 3 hrs 5 min to one hour, 5 min! It apparently takes a lot of processor cycles to keep refreshing the SSD screen. On a system with an older processor and integrated graphics, it helps to minimize all windows, including the Spybot window. That's a little awkward because you can't keep track of progress without looking. Nothing pops up at the end to tell you it's done. I also limited the number of visible icons to six, and changed the priority setting to "Time Critical (blocks everything else)" Advanced Mode > Settings (lower left) > Settings again from the list > Follow down the tree to Scan Priority I'm thinking the "blocks everything else" might help in your situation. I'm assuming your ATI Rage Pro AGP 2X video is integrated on the motherboard, so the minimized window would help there. Be advised with the Scan Priority set that high, restoring the window to check progress is a very sluggish affair. My conclusion is that SSD is more processor dependent than memory dependent, and therefore there may not be anything that can be done about the load times. To answer your specific questions, and comment upon your last post: Even if you have used the same programs for years, it may be that the steadily increasing size of the SSD program and updates is creating memory management issues. A lot of software was written when systems were sold with 32MB. I've put 500MB in some of these systems, and it appears to work, but the manual often says the system is limited to 256mb. It's not just the "12 year old operating system", but also the 12 year old chipset technology. I'm not objective about Norton Internet Security. I share the common prejudice that the older versions of Norton are resource hogs, and don't play well with other software. Perhaps someone here can make a judgement on the screenshot where the page fault occurred. Not me. I was really expecting there would be some small monitoring or utility program that came with your printer that would turn out to be the culprit. Computers are complicated and there could be a hardware conflict or fault, but I'm the type to just swap it out and try another, not a real diagnostician. It won't cost you anything to clean up the desktop, set the Scan Priority to "Time Critical", start SSD and then minimize the window. If it works for you as it did for me, you'll know the results in about an hour. - georg

wsxedcrfv - The following link gives a pretty good report on this toolbar/malware: http://www.threatexpert.com/report.aspx?md5=16990df48b26fd5d2ea7b80fa9dcdcd0 SSD isn't the only one that thinks it's a threat. You can google some of these also. The following threats are known to be associated with the file "cnbabe.dll": Adware.CommonName [PC Tools] Adware-CommonName [McAfee] not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.CommonName.c [Kaspersky Lab] not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.CommonName.f [Kaspersky Lab] Adware.CommonName [symantec] BrowserModifier:Win32/CommonName [Microsoft] Adware.CommonName.R [PC Tools] Adware-CommonName.dll [McAfee] Mal/Generic-A [sophos] not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.CommonName.k [Kaspersky Lab] 1 Troj/Babeie-A [sophos]

JorgeA - I don't believe SSD is the problem, nor Win 98, nor your system configuration. If the memory modules are good, then my understanding of page fault is that another process is stealing that memory location, so that when SSD goes back to it, the data it expects to find is no longer there. If that is true, the problem lies not with SSD, but with another running process that does not play well with SSD. Look at Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Information Expand Hardware Resources and look at what is loaded into memory. Then expand Software Environment and look at 16 & 32 bit modules, Running Tasks and Startup Programs. You can also try the SSD tool. On the main screen be sure Mode (upper left) is Advanced, then expand Tools (lower left), be sure Process List is checked, then choose it from the list at the left. Look carefully at anything that is not by Microsoft or Safer Networking Ltd. Good luck, georg

With a fresh install of SpybotS&D 1.6 and the latest definitions (April 7th) on a 366 Celeron with 128MB RAM 1.5 GB free on a 3GB hard drive Windows 98 First Edition 4.10.1998 Nothing running but Spybot, Explorer, Systray Swapfile managed by Windows Time to open: 6 min Time to scan: 3 hr, 5 min Scan ended normally with a green checkmark

JorgeA wrote: "my PC has 384MB of RAM, which I believe is the most that the model's specs allow. It ran on just 96MB for a decade, and as a test I topped it up, but that didn't seem to make any difference to Spybot's performance." Try removing the original 96MB and try with only your newer RAM installed.

The only thing the installer does is create an Nvidia directory (C:\Nvidia) and put the files in it. You have to install the driver. Start>Settings>Control Panel>Display>Settings>Advanced>Adapter>Change Choose Search for a better driver and click Next Choose Specify a location Browse to C:\Nvidia\Win9x\44.03 and click Next If it asks for "Disk 1" or anything else, keep pointing it to C:\Nvidia\Win9x\44.03

Try this: [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /bootlog multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

I have the NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 Model 64 Pro running on a W98SE box with hardware acceleration set on FULL and no problems. Driver version is 4.14.10.4403 dated 05-02-2003, Forceware version 44.03, DirectX 9.0c http://nvidia.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nvidia....php?p_faqid=199 The last Forceware unified display driver which supported the Riva TNT family was driver version 44.03. You may download this driver from our driver archive page from the links below: For Microsoft Windows XP/2000: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-2k_44.03.html For Microsoft Windows 98/Me: http://www.nvidia.com/object/win9x_44.03.html

Great. I was in a hurry. Edited my post in case someone else reads it some day.

You are welcome. Did it work for you?

I'm assuming you are talking about the NT backup utility that runs ntbackup.exe and creates a .bkf file. If you open NT Backup in Wizard Mode the Job menu selections are not available. Cancel the wizard and get to the screen titled: "Welcome to the Backup Utility Advanced Mode" Select the "Backup" tab If you originally used the "Save Selections As..." command from the Job menu, there will be a file with the .bks (backup script) extension buried deep in C> Documents and Settings> Owner> (added in edit) Local Settings> (added in edit) Application Data> Microsoft> Windows NT> NT Backup> data "Load Selections" from the Job menu gets you a list of .bks files. Highlight a script file and click on the "Open" button. Expand the drives checked and you can see and change your selections. Save your choices with the "Save Selections" command. If you just used the Wizard, and always ran the same default, there may not be any saved .bks files. (fixed typo)

Quote: (Steven W) "you don't know until you try" It's a good way to find out what you don't know. PassingBy: Thank you for your explanation. I appreciate your taking the time to do it. My thanks to all who responded.

Quote: (PassingBy) "have a look here to see if this will help you" Thank you for those links. Lot's of good info there. Also found an AMI site in Germany that gave more precise motherboard ID from the BIOS code appears at boot. My board turns out to be more like M921 than M919, but it's the same family. Steve Dabrowski's comment "make sure you have identical 72 pin SIMMs" seems to fit. My version number 3.4B/F is a late model. The UMC chip numbers match, and the code he gives on the 8881F chip indicates EDO RAM can be used. dencorso: Since I took the cover off again, tried the other combos you suggested, and some others. 1 used, 2 free, 3 used and 4 used (4MB in slot 4) DOS reports only 4MB RAM 1 free, 2 used, 3 used and 4 used (4MB in slot 4) DOS reports only 4MB RAM 8MB sticks in 3 & 4, 4MB stick in one or 2 DOS reports 20MB and Windows runs fine. Old RAM in 1 & 2 and 1 stick EDO in 3 or 4 On 1st try, DOS reported 24MB and Windows loaded, but retried this later with both EDO sticks in 3 or 4 and couldn't repeat. Windows would not load. 8MB Old RAM in 1, 8MB EDO in 4 Won't boot EDO in 3 and 4 DOS reports 16MB, Windows loads, benchmarks complete OK Following are results using the old Discover benchmarks that came with the Hurricane drive rocket: Sieve 190.6 with 16MB FP 190.6 with 20MB FP 189.0 with 16MB EDO Dhrystone 81.9 with 16MB FP 82.4 with 20MB FP 78.9 with 16MB EDO ModeSwitch 23.4 with 16MB FP 23.4 with 20MB FP 19.6 with 16MB EDO Whetstone 16.9 with 16MB FP 16.9 with 20MB FP 16.8 with 16MB EDO Discover Mark (% of Pentium 100) 76.6 with 16MB FP 76.8 with 20MB FP 74.6 with 16MB FP Without the Intel Triton chipset, EDO does not appear to be doing anything, so I'm buttoned up again with the same old 20MB. Still don't understand why DOS 7.0 works but W95 doesn't. The problem seems to be mixing FP and EDO rather than anything magic about 32MB, but it isn't worth buying more old RAM to prove it. SP1 appears to have removed the 3 X 8MB option, but maybe it was just a fluke that it seemed to work during the initial messing about.

Quote: (Steven W) "see if...access time or speed setting" "see if the BIOS will allow enabling/disabling Parity Checking" No settings in BIOS for speed or parity. Once autodetect is checked, no choices. Unchecked, can make very limited changes to cache timing, and add one wait state to read and write. Quote: (georg) "a problem with some systems when IE 4.0 is not installed. Why?" Installed IE5.5 with no change. Uninstalled IE5.5 after test. Downloaded SP1 for 95 from Microsoft. No change. Quote: (dencorso) " Why not use 3 x 8 MiB?" I've lost confidence in mixing the sticks, and not much practical difference between 20MB and 24MB. Reinstalled the 60ns EDO SIMM's and rechecked benchmarks. No faster than the old sticks. Reinstalled the original config with 2 8MB sticks in slots 1 & 2 and the 4MB stick in slot 3, all 70ns. Quote: (dencorso) "using just the first three slots, can you use indifferently either two old sticks plus one newer stick, or one old stick and two newer?" Originally two old sticks plus one new seemed OK, but after the software updates, I got new problems, especially with two new sticks plus one old stick. Instead of the original error message, got multiple messages that vxd's were missing or corrupt. Took the new stick out and all was fine. Quote: (dencorso) "can you work with any of these configurations" It was in my head that the first two slots had to be filled with a matched pair. "1 used, 2 used, 3 free and 4 used" works OK with the old RAM. Changed sticks around so often that slot 3 quit working. After getting it resurrected, decided to quit while I was even and buttoned up the case. I don't think there is anything wrong with any of the slots. If all four are filled, POST is normal and DOS reports 32MB RAM. I played several DOS games, used XTPRO, memmaker, chkdsk, scandsk, etc. with no problems, but couldn't get W95 to load from its own DOS base. Quote: (PassingBy) "check that you're not mixing FP ram and EDO ram" (and try) "simmtester" "What if you configured the autoexec.bat and config.sys files in Windows the same way it is in DOS?" I used the BIOS memory check, the read and write benchmarks in AIDA32, and ran some apps. Don't know for sure that the old RAM is fast page. It has always worked reliably. The EDO RAM works OK by itself. There is some issue with this combination of 1994 + 1997 RAM with W95 and AMD. The problem is not intermittent. I used to mix RAM sticks willy nilly with no problems at all, but only used Intel processors with W95 and the most RAM I ever installed back then was 96MB on a Soltek board with a Pentium 166. This system boots to DOS, loading autoexec.bat and config.sys. If I want to use W95, I just type WIN at the C:\ prompt. It's all the same environment. Scott Mueller in "Upgrading and Repairing PCs" 8th Edition (1997) says: "Some 486 motherboards may have problems addressing memory past 16M due to DMA controller problems...because the ISA bus only allows DMA access to 16M. This should not be a problem with newer 32 bit operating systems." That seems to imply W95 would be better at managing larger amounts of memory. When those SIMM's fell into my lap it seemed like a good idea at the time to use them for something. Should have known better.

Neither sub HIMEMX.EXE for HIMEM.SYS or the HIMEMX.EXE /MAX=20480 setting changed things. Right now I'm back to the two original 8MB sticks in slots 1 & 2, and the 4MB stick in slot 4 so assume SIMM mismatch is the problem. The new 8MB sticks are dated 28 Feb 1997, labeled EDO, chips are 60ns. The motherboard is Elpina 386/486 V.I.P. by Hsing Tech Enterprise Co., Ltd., sim to PC Chips M919, with AMI socketed BIOS dated 10 Oct 1994 and UMC chipset. Older sticks not labeled. Chips are 70ns. Could also be need for 95 drivers for UMC chipset, although everything has always run OK.

I have a system with a AMD-X5-133ADW processor and a retail upgrade W95 (4.00.950). It has always run fine with two 8MB and one 4MB SIMM for a total of 20MB RAM. Recently acquiring two more 8MB sticks, I upgraded RAM to 32K. BIOS is set to autodetect. DOS reports memory OK as 32K, but Windows throws up a system protection error. Any combination of sticks in the first three slots passes memory tests and benchmarks. The 4th slot is a problem with Windows, but not DOS. I read of a problem with AMD and 32K or more of memory and downloaded an update file (iosupd.exe) from Microsoft, but that did not fix it. The Microsoft site suggests it is a problem with some systems when IE 4.0 is not installed. Why? Before I go back to the original config, anyone have any experience with this?