When Windows 3.0 Setup Installs HIMEM.SYS (77196)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 3.0
  • Microsoft Windows 3.0a
This article was previously published under Q77196

SUMMARY

The Microsoft Windows 3.0 Setup program determines whether or not to install HIMEM.SYS, based on the computer's hardware and software configuration.

MORE INFORMATION

Setup installs HIMEM.SYS if the machine meets the following basic criteria:

  • A 286, 386, or 486 processor.
  • The High Memory Area (HMA) exists, which implies 640K conventional memory plus at least 64K extended memory.
  • The machine is NOT running an XMS memory manager providing XMS version 2.0 or later. The only exception is that Setup will install its new HIMEM.SYS over HIMEM.SYS versions earlier than 2.6.
Note that Setup checks whether HIMEM.SYS is in memory, not on the hard drive. Setup will not check for a DEVICE=C:\HIMEM.SYS statement in the CONFIG.SYS file, and will not search the path. Also, Setup cannot check the version number of QEMM-386, so it will not install HIMEM.SYS if QEMM is loaded.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/7/2005
Keywords:KB77196
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