Topic: Please Help!!!!!!! - Stoop9id Cpmputer Problem

[Lono]

HELPPPPPPPPPPP!

Bill Gates has screwed me yet again...

Well maybe one of y'all kind souls can help me.

I ordered another 512mb of Crucial DDR 333 2700 Ram the other day and just got it in today in time for the long weekend.

However, when I put the new RAM in, all the games I tried (Raven Shield, Battlefield Vietnam, etc...) would not work!?!!

The computer would give game errors and go back to desk top.

It is nothing wrong with the new mem stick either cuz' when I removed the old one, (a 512mb of Crucial DDR 333 2700 also), everything went back to normal.

Now I'm running 98 SE, and I know it sucks, but I used to run 768 of old school SDRam with no problem on this same OS on an older mobo.

I tired some Microsoft Knowledgbase crizzap like limiting windows use to 512 mb in the msconfig, but then I got all sorts of weird errors and the games still didn't work.

So... please.... if any of you kind gentle folk can help me find a workaround so I can use 1 gig DDR Ram with 98 SE I will kiss you (or buy you a beer).

Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks!




     

[ActiveX]

Umm Windows only addresses 512 Mb of physical memory without tweaks...unless you use XP...

[Javora]

Win98 is not going to take to 1gb of Ram to well, the most you are going to be able to use is 512mb.  I would suggest either leaving 512mb in the system or upgrading to Win2000/WinXP.  Sorry I wish there was something else I could say.
 

[Javora]

Actually there is something else, check your motherboard documentation and see what is the maximum amount of Ram that the motherboard can handle.  Honestly I think you are going to have problems regardless but it is something you should check if you haven't already done so.  I used to run 640mb of Ram for a while on my old system with Win98se, but it acted a little flaky.  I've seen people run more than 512mb and say that it ran ok but they ended up changing the OS.  If I come across anything that will help I'll let you know.

[ActiveX]

He said it happened when he tried to play a game, which is when Windows would be trying to use the memory the system says it can...but it can't... =/

[Javora]

Quote:
He said it happened when he tried to play a game, which is when Windows would be trying to use the memory the system says it can...but it can't... =/  

You?re assuming that Win98 is even reading the correct amount of Ram in the hardware profile, which I highly doubt.  He stated that he used to be able to run 768mb of Ram and I believe him because I had a friend of mine do the same thing.  I think the problem he is running into is that 1gb of DDR Ram is just too much and too fast for Win98 compared to the older SD Ram.  The main reason why I asked him to check the motherboard is because I don't want him to upgrade the OS then find out the motherboard can't handle 1gb of Ram anyway.  If it turns out to be the motherboard can't handle 1gb of Ram then he needs to ask himself just how much does he want to invest into this system as apposed to buying / building another system from scratch.  I don?t want to see him throw away his money without checking all the options first.
 

[The Postman]

He is using PC2700. The mobo he is using is fairly new and I would guess can handle 1 gig or more of ram.  

[ActiveX]

Right, he wouldn't be able to even boot if the hardware was the issue...

[James_Smith]

Win 98 is the issue.

It can't run more than 512mb of DDR RAM without everything going tits up. I believe the 'unofficial' service pack for 98SE fixes this, will try and dig up the link for you if no-one else knows where it is.

EDIT:  Here it is

[Javora]

Quote:
Right, he wouldn't be able to even boot if the hardware was the issue...  

I guess that's correct, to be honest I've never seen anyone do that before.  That is, add more Ram than a motherboard can handle.  I was thinking that the motherboard just wouldn't recognize the extra Ram.  Has anyone here ever seen this problem??

As for what kind of motherboard he is using I agree the motherboard probably can handle 1gb of Ram.  However I try not to assume anything unless I am right there looking at the system with a manual in hand, especially with some of the stuff that Dell and HP pulls on people.  Given the information that was provided, I still think the problem is with Win98.  But I sure as He|| don't want to take any unnecessary chances with someone else's equipment or money.

Just an FYI you can buy Win2000 SP3 (with purchase of hardware) for $141.00USD, WinXP home retail for $104.95USD, and WinXP Pro retail for $197.95USD at NewEgg.com.  Hope this helps.

 

[IKV Nemesis D7L]

This may help:

Quote:
How to edit/modify/configure the system.ini file by adding "MaxFileCache=256000" to windows to fix the problem of "out of memory" bug with systems having 512MB or more of RAM memory, win95/win98/98se/(ME)

    Windows has a bug that affects systems that have 512MB or more of RAM. Windows will take it all away an excessive amount of RAM to be used as a temporary cache and leave a very small amount for the programs to use.

    Resolution: To limit Windows from doing this you have to add the entry "MaxFileCache=256000" entry to the system.ini file as follows:

    Click START then select RUN and type in the text box

        sysedit

    and click the OK button
    the system configuration Editor window will open which will have 5 other windows within it.
    Each windows has a title, so click on the one that says "c:\windows\system.ini" to bring it to the front.

    Now scroll down until you see the entry
    [vcache]
    Normally it will have nothing under it. You need to type under it

        MaxFileCache=256000

    So that it looks like this

        [vcache]
        MaxFileCache=256000

    if you do not find the [vcache] entry then just do the above at the very bottom of the entries so it is the last one.

    Then from the very top select FILE then select Exit
    the computer will ask you if you want to save the current changes
    click the YES button then the window will close and you are done

    now reset the computer

 

[Praxis]

Solution: Get a Mac.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

You might want to try getting Windows XP, if you can.  It's the best version of Windows ever (doesn't say much, but it's better than all the other versions at least).

[Iceman]

I wouldn't bother getting the XP Pro retail. The OEM (manual and disc shrink wrapped) works just wonderful.  It's still an XP Pro disc and still perfectly legal, it was just never bundled.  Saves you some $.  

[Praxis]

If you're just a gamer, and you're already happy with 98, heck, just get XP Home, who needs Pro?

[B2Media]

Quote:
Solution: Get a Mac.

Yeah, that will solve the problems, he wouldn't be able to play any of the games he's trying to play in the first place, which would have negated the need for the extra stick of ram.    

[Praxis]

Well, he can buy Mac versions of most of those games  

[Javora]

I suggested the non-OEM versions of XP because if he ever wants to uninstall XP from one machine and reinstall the OS on to another system then legally Microsoft can't stop him.  With the XP activation codes, Microsoft will be able to deny activation of OEM versions of XP.  I would rather spend the money once than have to buy multiple copies of the same OS.

But then if the Win98 work around does the job then buying another OS is not an issue.  To be honest I've never heard of that work around before.  It must have happened after I switched to Win2000.  Glad you found the answer and I hope everything works out.
 

[Praxis]

Or get a cracked one
JUST KIDDING there before anyone kills me.

I hate having to activate though.  It'd actually be worth it to crack XP so you don't have to register, even if you're going to be using it legally on only one computer.  I really think that having to register your computer with Microsoft is terrible.  

[E_Look]

(Hijack Alert)  

I agree.  I certainly hope someday, some marketing genius is going to see the PR value of selling a major software product for which users won't have to go through this stupid activation, turning their monitors into Orwellian telescreens and everyone a Winston Smith.

Now, I can sanction optional registration, as with most products today, for which you can get extra goodies in exchange for your personal info.

In fact, if it is not legal to force customers to register in order to validate their warranties, it is the same in spirit, with respect to forcing customers to activate a product they paid, really, lots of money for, or they'll lose it in thirty days!

I can't believe the U.S. government would allow this one to get by.  Bill's got some good lawyers.  

[Lono]

Quote:
Win 98 is the issue.

It can't run more than 512mb of DDR RAM without everything going tits up. I believe the 'unofficial' service pack for 98SE fixes this, will try and dig up the link for you if no-one else knows where it is.

EDIT:  Here it is  

Too all of you for your kind respones - an emphatic thank you!!!

 

To James_Smith,

If this works - I owe you a Keg!!!



Also - just FYI, after further purusing the MS Knowledgebase I found that having more than 800mb of RAM is what causes 98 to become unstable - and I have to include my Vid cards 128mb in that total...

p.s. JS, do you have any idea if this will allow 98 to utilize the RAM or just not malfunction anymore and only use 512 in practice?

p.p.s - Thanks for the MS Knowledbase stuuf you all - I actually tried doing those tweaks b4 posting this and it caused everything to go kinda haywire for sum dang reason.