Freeing memory to run PartitionMagic under DOS

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Freeing memory to run PartitionMagic under DOS

Situation:
This document describes what to do if you do not have enough free memory to run PartitionMagic under DOS.

Solution:
The DOS PartitionMagic executable requires a minimum of 585 KB of memory in the first 640 KB of the computer's address space (conventional memory). If you do not have sufficient conventional memory, there are several ways you can free additional memory.

Running MEMMAKER
MEMMAKER is a program that automatically configures your computer to save conventional memory (while still loading all of the device drivers and other programs you usually load when booting DOS). MEMMAKER frees conventional memory by moving as many programs as possible out of conventional memory into high memory. Run MEMMAKER by typing memmaker at a DOS prompt. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: MEMMAKER is available only in DOS 5.0 to 6.22. It is not available in Windows 95 or Windows 98 DOS mode.

Using the F8 key to keep programs from loading
Press <F8> immediately after booting your computer (while DOS is booting). As DOS reads each command in the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files, it asks if you want the command executed. When you see commands that load device drivers or TSR programs not needed to run PartitionMagic, press N so that the software is not loaded into memory.

Deleting operating system compression files
If you use DOS 6.22, Windows 95, or Windows 98 and your system does not have any compressed drives (using programs such as DriveSpace, DoubleSpace, and Stacker), you can delete the operating system compression files, Drvspace.bin or Dblspace.bin, from any boot diskette that you create. This frees conventional memory because DOS 6.22, Windows 95, and Windows 98 load these files into memory, regardless of the contents of Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. Drvspace.bin and Dblspace.bin are hidden system files.

To delete Drvspace.bin and Dblspace.bin

Place your boot diskette in the diskette drive.
Go to a DOS prompt.
Type

a:and press Enter. You should see A:\> on the screen.
Type

attrib -r -h -s *.bin

and press Enter.
Type

del *.bin

and press Enter.

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Document ID: 2004050716240162
Last Modified: 03/19/2008
Date Created: 05/07/2004
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Product(s): Norton PartitionMagic 8.0, PartitionMagic 7.0, PartitionMagic 8.0