UMBPCI - The Details

This page explains briefly how to use and configure UMBPCI, and hopefully answers a few questions.

Will this stuff up my computer or lose any data?

No, it won't. The way you configure your computer at startup has no effect on the way it runs. The only things that will be affected are DOS programs that otherwise would not be able to run.

I'm nervous about messing with my startup files. What if I screw it up?

Fair question. You can't damage the computer, but it can get difficult for a while. The worst that can happen is that an instruction will cause some kind of conflict - then the computer will simply freeze up and not boot at all.

This is not nearly as bad as it sounds, and there is a ready remedy - in fact you should try this to make sure you can do it before going any further. This technique starts up the computer while bypassing the startup files.

1. Power on the computer.
2. As it starts up, press the F8 key (usually) or the CTRL key (maybe).
3. You will get the Windows 98 Startup menu. Select Step by Step Confirmation.
4. As the computer prompts you for each action, say YES to everything EXCEPT "Process startup file - config sys" and "Process startup file - autoexec.bat".
5. Then you get "Load all Windows Drivers?" (yes) - you will be back into Windows.

If you make any kind of mistake in the startup files, just use this technique to get past them. Now, to get UMBPCI running:

• Make sure your computer is set up to see all files - including hidden and system files. [Start => settings => folder options => view => view all files]
• Make a new folder called UMBPCI.
• Unzip UMBPCI.zip into the UMBPCI folder.
• Using Notebook, look on the C: drive for your Config.sys file - make sure Notebook is set to look for "all files" not just "txt files".
• SAVE your current config.sys as something else (eg config.bak). You might need it later.
• Try these lines in your config.sys file:
  DOS=HIGH,UMB
  DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
  DEVICE=C:\UMBPCI\UMBPCI.SYS /I=D800-EFFF
  DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE X=D800-EFFF X=B800-C7FF I=C800-D7FF I=B000-B7FF RAM M3 D=256 AUTO (This is one long line)
  If you have other DEVICE statements, change them to DEVICEHIGH, eg:
  DEVICEHIGH=.....
  DEVICEHIGH=.....
• Save this as your new config.sys file.
• Open your Autoexec.bat. file. Save a backup of this, as (say) autoexec.bak.
• Look for anything that seems to be loading a driver, and put LH in front of it. For instance,
  C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM would become
  LH C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM.
• Save this as your new autoexec.bat.
• Reboot. Pray.

  All being well, your computer should fire up as normal. If you check the memory status (MS-DOS prompt - mem /c /p) you should see that a number of items have moved to upper memory, and you now have lots of conventional memory free.

  Note - the above config.sys lines are out of the readme text file that comes with UMBPCI. I chose them because they allow the concurrent use of UMBPCI (for upper memory management) and also EMM386 (for sound card emulation). They work on my machine - don't ask me to explain all the numbers though.....

  If it doesn't work - bypass the startup files as above, restore your original files (the ones you carefully saved....) and breathe a sigh of relief. If you want you can email me for help.