Resolved This system has a HIMEM.SYS (XMS) driver installed

[lancem631]

Getting message This system has a HIMEM.SYS (XMS) driver installed when launching RS.EXE however I do not have a config.sys file to disable the driver as instructed. Is this memory driver hidden during boot? I created an MS-DOS boot floppy from Windows 7 Ultimate OS.

 

[PHolder]

The config.sys file is quite probably hidden. Try copy config.sys con and see if it shows the content. I don't see ATTRIB on the disk, and I forget if it is built in. ATTRIB -h config.sys should show it up. Of course you should be able to investigate the USB stick under Windows and if you configure Windows Explorer properly it will show you system and hidden files.

 

[millQ]

When you create a boot floppy from Win7
it uses Windows Millenium DOS, it has himem.sys enabled by default and can not be disabled.


There is a 1.44 MB Freedos Floppy disk image in this post (use Winimage to write it http://www.winimage.com/download.htm )

https://forums.grc.com/threads/pxe-boot.386/post-3021

"Windows Me features numerous improvements for improving cold boot time,
pre and post-logon boot times and time required for resuming from hibernation.
Processing of real mode configuration files,
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT,
is bypassed at startup and essential real mode drivers like HIMEM.SYS and SMARTDRV.EXE are embedded into IO.SYS"

 

[PHolder]

Or just use InitDisk.exe ? https://www.grc.com/initdisk.htm with the freedos parameter to install it as a FreeDOS boot floppy. Or better yet, use ReadSpeed.EXE https://www.grc.com/readspeed.htm which is explicitly FOR this purpose?

 

[Richard]

Lance, you're right. ReadSpeed should detect the version of MS-DOS you're using and give you the correct error message that this MS-DOS version has HIMEM.SYS built in and therefore ReadSpeed can't run. ReadSpeed should not be telling you to edit a CONFIG.SYS file that does not exist. I had the same problem.

 

[PHolder]

ReadSpeed.exe COMES with a version of FreeDOS with which it is compatible, if you'd only just use it as it was intended. Trying to work around its design and then complaining that its design doesn't work for you is pretty counter-productive.

 

[Richard]

ReadSpeed also comes without DOS and "Anyone who already has a bootable DOS environment can simply add the ReadSpeed DOS executable – RS.EXE – and run the program like any DOS utility." https://www.grc.com/readspeed.htm

 

[lancem631]

The config.sys file is quite probably hidden. Try copy config.sys con and see if it shows the content. I don't see ATTRIB on the disk, and I forget if it is built in. ATTRIB -h config.sys should show it up. Of course you should be able to investigate the USB stick under Windows and if you configure Windows Explorer properly it will show you system and hidden files.

In my case, there was a visible config.sys and auto exec.bat however both were reporting zero bytes. Member millQ clarified my suspicions that Windows Millenium DOS was introducing unintended consequences. Ironically, the ghosts of Windows ME still are surfacing. I completely agree, might as well take the first option using ReadSpeed.exe and create a bootable USB however in my case I have reason to use a floppy drive and the option to simply use RS.exe on an existing MS-DOS bootable floppy disk. I did not read any user beware into that option.

 

[Steve]

@lancem631 : No argument, Lance. You're right.