User Guide

Q. What is Base Memory?
This is the original 1Mb (1024K) in your machine. It is divided up into
Conventional Memory (640K), where MS-DOS and all PC programs load and
Upper Memory (384K), where system drivers (such as the mouse driver) reside.
In MS-DOS 5.0 the bulk of the operating system and associated drivers are
normally loaded into Upper Memory. Other drivers held in the area of
Conventional Memory will reduce your 640K available for the program.
Q. What is Extended Memory (XMS)?
Further memory, beyond the 1Mb of Base Memory on your PC is called Extended
Memory. XMS can be used to free more Conventional Memory so that bigger games
can be run. XMS can also be used to simulate Expanded Memory.
Q. What is Expanded Memory (EMS)?
EMS was originally designed to give the PC more memory to run programs. It has
been around far longer than XMS so most programs take advantage of it. Most
MicroProse games take advantage of EMS. The DOS command EMM386.EXE can
be used to turn XMS into EMS and should be in your CONFIG.SYS.
Remember that hard disk space is also measured in Megabytes (Mb). Don’t confuse
this with memory - the two are completely different!
TECHNICAL SUPPLEMENT
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SW Eng tec sup 10/12/97 6:59 pm Page 6