Some time ago I found out there is a version of HIMEM.SYS (4896 bytes 08/04/04 07:00pm) in Win XP, and that another one is to be found in Win 2k (4768 bytes 09/25/99 1:08am) also. Both claim to be Version 2.77 (of 02/27/91), which, of course, they are not. I bet there's one in NT too, but I have no way to check that. Since, AFAIK, the NT family of Windows OSes doesn't need HIMEM.SYS, I now ask you all, why is that so? Can anyone enlighten me, please? Thanks a lot!

While I can't give you any answer, it brough me such sweet memories

I should get some old PC with DOS and Norton Commander just for the hell if it

NOT an answer, but something to think about.

While playing with this thingy here:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=3717

(which might be of interest to you anyway)

I found out that the files in \System32 needed to run this Registry Viewer:

http://paullee.ru/regstry

Are these ones:

 Directory di W:\XPCL10M\Addons\rv\System32

08/01/2008  21.17	   <DIR>		  .
08/01/2008  21.17	   <DIR>		  ..
17/08/2001  23.36			  370.688 aclayers.dll
17/08/2001  14.32			   50.620 command.com
17/08/2001  14.31			   27.097 country.sys
17/08/2001  14.37			   53.840 dosx.exe
21/07/2001  15.40			  127.213 ega.cpi
17/08/2001  14.31				4.768 himem.sys
17/08/2001  14.32			   14.710 kb16.com
17/08/2001  14.31			   42.537 keyboard.sys
17/08/2001  14.35				  817 mscdexnt.exe
17/08/2001  14.31			   27.866 ntdos.sys
17/08/2001  14.31			   33.808 ntio.sys
17/08/2001  23.36			  395.776 ntvdm.exe
17/08/2001  14.32				3.338 redir.exe
17/08/2001  23.36			   39.936 rtutils.dll
			  14 File	  1.193.014 byte

(files are from XP SP0)

So it seems like there is an entire "NT-DOS" subsystem buried inside XP, it should be the so-called NTVDM:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314106/en-us

I have made not further invstigations on this, but maybe it can be a start point for you.

jaclaz

Just a guess but maybe it's used when installing XP and/or repairing from Recovery console?