Windows 98 MAX Memory

wingman411

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I have a dual boot system and upgraded my memory to 1.25GB DDR from 512mb and now windows 98 starts, then just reboots the machine. Is there a max amount of memory that windows 98 can recognize?
 
I have read where Microsoft states that 512MB is the limit for Win98. I am still researching this and will get back to you.
 
512 is the recommended max


768 works on "very" up to date systems


1gb will not work, 98 does not understand this, and never will :)

time to dump 98 mate :)
 
Yep. The most comprehensive information I have found is here.
It looks like 512MB is your limit. :(
 
Add this entry under [vcache] in system.ini

maxfilecache=524288

This limits the amount of virtual memory to 512MB. Since you are dual booting, you can edit the file from your XP installation.
 
I tried that and it doesn't seem to work. Is it because I have a gig and 1/4 of ram?
 
I read about that workaround, but it doesn't appear to be a guaranteed fix. Chances are pretty good that 98 just won't deal with that much memory.
 
could be, I've seen probs with more than a gig, I run 1 Gig and have no probs after making that adjustment. You could try and try down to 1024MB and see what happens. You really don't need more than 512MB for a home PC, if I could return 512MB of RAM I would since a gig really is overkill unless you are running a server.
 
if win98 has problems with large amounts of memory, then why do i have no problem? i have a gig and none of these issues i keep reading/seeing are happening to me. cmon and get the facts right. win98 wont handle more than 128 or 512, what a crock man. geesh
 
Before editting that [vcache] file I would get low memory errors when running simple things such as a DOS prompt. If you don't have errors GREAT, but this is a very well known problem and is well documented.

From M$:
On computers with large amounts of RAM, the maximum cache size can be large enough that Vcache consumes all of the addresses in the system arena, leaving no virtual memory addresses available for other functions such as opening an MS-DOS prompt.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;253912

Your input has been very helpful, and if you are going to tell me to get my facts straight, make sure you have yours straight first. :)
 
Even on WindowsME(sic!), the max was 512 on that to, I tried everything to modify it and added the MS patches to no avail. Hope this helps.

Heeter
 
Originally posted by mikill
if win98 has problems with large amounts of memory, then why do i have no problem? i have a gig and none of these issues i keep reading/seeing are happening to me. cmon and get the facts right. win98 wont handle more than 128 or 512, what a crock man. geesh

Consider yourself lucky, because from what I've seen you're the only one without a problem. If it worked fine for most, then we wouldn't be finding loads of information on the issue. I've visited 10+ forums tonight with Win98 users complaining about not being able to use more than 512MB. Maybe you could help out and tell wingman411 what you are doing that makes it work. :rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by muzikool
Consider yourself lucky, because from what I've seen you're the only one without a problem. If it worked fine for most, then we wouldn't be finding loads of information on the issue. I've visited 10+ forums tonight with Win98 users complaining about not being able to use more than 512MB. Maybe you could help out and tell wingman411 what you are doing that makes it work. :rolleyes:

honestly, i havent done anything. i dont see how im the only one who doesnt have this problem. so roll em at urself.
 
Originally posted by j79zlr
Your input has been very helpful, and if you are going to tell me to get my facts straight, make sure you have yours straight first. :)

i have my facts strait as a matter of fact, so dont waste ur insult if that was what it was meant to be. fact IS i have had win98 with a gig of ram and actually know others that do as well. so fact is, just because some are having issues doesnt mean ALL have issues, does it?

if wingman MUST have win98, then he is stuck, way i see it, period
 
What you should try is go to start/run and type "msconfig" and under advanced (I think) there's a check box to limit the memory to 512 mb...might need to start in safe mode to do so.
 
Strange memory problem. I have 3 slots for memory. When I put just my two new 512 2700 MB cards in it (Winxp), won't boot. But when I put in my old 256MB 2100 card in and the 2 two 2700 521 cards, it (win xp), boots fine and shows 1.25GBmem. Why can't I just put in the two 512 2700 cards and make it work. Is there a bios setting I am missing.

I want to try just 1 GB to see if I can get win98 to work with just that. My processor is a amd 1600 + and my board says it can take the 2700 cards, but it should just run at 2100 if i read it right. I have the FSB set at 133 in the bios.
 
Check the bios for ram settings and if possible set it yourself and set it at 133mhz I am not sure but if your board can handle 166mhz for ram it should boot up ... if you use the pc2100 I am thinking it is setting all slots to same value ..... win xp acts funny with ram sticks sometimes I had on my athlon 1800+ 3x256mb all same brand pc2100 and it would only work if I placed one certain stick in slot #1 for some strange reason ...so fiddle with the bios and slow down the timings on the ram and see about setting the speed yourself ......or another way might be to reset the default bios setup settings and then try and boot into safe mode or enable vga mode see if you hit the desktop and then try and reboot normal :)
 
Win98 CAN and DOES use 512MB. The issue is that running over 512MB can cause memory alocation problems with DOS programs. Are there any DOS proggies trying to load before win98 boots?


[edit]
What I posted may not be for you... What was on the machine first, XP or win 98???
 
Win98 was designed in the days when 64 meg was a LOT of ram and 32 was considered normal. It was never designed to handle 1 gig sticks of ram. And 756 I read somewhere, is the absolute maximum it can handle, with tweaks but performance DOES suffer, so it is kind of a wasted effort. Without tweaks, 512 is the max.

Which is pretty much what GoNz0 said.
 

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