Troubleshooting a Memory Error with SB.Drv Driver

[Delzac]

Hi all,

i tried to install a game(very old one) on DOS(i know there is no DOS for XP, but nvm), not matter which version of OS i use(window 95, 98 bla bla bla) this erroe also comes out...

memory not enough to load the SB. Drv driver
SB.Drv driver seem not the one come along with the game"

What does is mean and can anyone help me to solve this.

P.S. i tried to allocate more memory and resource by right clicking the program, properties, then memory and maxing all the viarables there.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. thx!

 

[chroot]

I'd suggest partitioning your drive and installing an old copy of DOS if you want to run old DOS games.

- Warren

 

[Delzac]

hmmm, how do u partition ur drive.

And u can actually install DOS? how? is there a programme in the net?

Thx for the help

 

[NoTime]

This problem was caused by a bad calculation of the size of phyical memory in the machine.
They used a 16 bit register that could overflow.

Real DOS took up much more low memory than the vm does.
It was also a problem with later versions of real DOS.
We used to load memory residient programs to take up enough low memory to fix the problem or edit the .exe file to fix it.
Never tried loading one of these in the vm.

You should be able to edit the .pif file to limit the amount of memory.
256k should be a good value.
Right click the .exe or .com file to access the .pif editor.

Chances are that you will have clock speed issues with this game, if you do get it to run.

 

[Delzac]

so do i have to load a memory resident program? i tried to right click and lower thw amount memory to 256, but it didn't work.

where can i get a memory resident program?

Thx

 

[NoTime]

so do i have to load a memory resident program? i tried to right click and lower thw amount memory to 256, but it didn't work.

where can i get a memory resident program?

Thx

No idea on the memory resident thing.
Could probably write one.
IIRC its only a couple lines of code.

What's the name of the game?

 

[NoTime]

I just thought of another way.
At the Dos prompt type

Debug [filename]

At the Debug prompt type g

This should push it high enough in memory.

 

[Delzac]

Name of the game : Amika <精武战警> ( it is a chinese game)

BTW the debug thingy didn't work here is what is type.

" C:\>debug amika
File not found
-g
C:\> "

that is what happen, i am rather sure that the folder is there, but this still happens. i will look up how to write the program and wil get back to you. :)

 

[Delzac]

Hi again,

i dun think it is that easy to write the program, take a look at the link below,

http://web.sau.edu/LillisKevinM/csci240/masmdocs/programmersguide/15LMAPGC11.pdf#search=%22Memory%20resident%20program%20how%20to%20write%22

i looks like gibillish to me, any other alternatives?

 

[NoTime]

Name of the game : Amika <精武战警> ( it is a chinese game)

BTW the debug thingy didn't work here is what is type.

" C:\>debug amika
File not found
-g
C:\> "

that is what happen, i am rather sure that the folder is there, but this still happens. i will look up how to write the program and wil get back to you. :)

I don't have that particular game.

You have to switch to the directory the game is in first.
CD \amika if it is in the c:\amika directory
Also you need to type the entire file name.
For example debug amika.exe
.com was also a common exension.

 

[NoTime]

Hi again,

i dun think it is that easy to write the program, take a look at the link below,

http://web.sau.edu/LillisKevinM/csci240/masmdocs/programmersguide/15LMAPGC11.pdf#search=%22Memory%20resident%20program%20how%20to%20write%22

i looks like gibillish to me, any other alternatives?

The green parts are how it should respond
You must type this exactly. <enter key> is just hit enter.
And the responses should match exactly.

In the command window type
debug
-[/color]a
xxxx:100[/color] mov ax,3100
xxxx:103[/color] mov dx,1000
xxxx:106[/color] int 21
xxxx:108[/color] <enter key>
-[/color]rcx
CX 0000
:[/color]100
-[/color]n memres.com
-[/color]w
Writing 100 bytes[/color]
-[/color]q
c:\xxxxxx>[/color]

You now have a program called memres.com
It's in whatever directory you were in when you started debug.
when you run it, it will take up 1000h (or 4k) bytes of memory.

 

[Delzac]

i couldn't get my com to spit the green words, it just gave me

16E9:2382
16E9:2385

and stuff, but nvm i think there is no chance for me to play that game ever again. Thanks for the help. :)

 

[juef]

Maybe you could give DOSBox a try?

 

[NoTime]

i couldn't get my com to spit the green words, it just gave me

16E9:2382
16E9:2385

and stuff, but nvm i think there is no chance for me to play that game ever again. Thanks for the help. :)

Would it help if I mentioned that 'xxxx' ment undefined? It can be any 16 bit hex number?
16E9: would be valid, but high. I would expect something more like 12xx or 13xx.
I have no idea how you got to 2382. The "a" command always starts at 100 unless you specify something else.

 

[Delzac]

i have no idea also, i tried DOSbox b4 no use. It is able to load the game, but after the screen is blank, after 4 to 5 secs i closes by itself.