Category : Alternate Operating Systems - Quarterdeck DesqView, CP/M, etc
Archive   : QEMMPATS.ZIP
Filename : AMIBIOS.PAT

Quarterdeck Technical Note

Q: Why does my machine with AMI 3.0 BIOS hang when I boot with
QEMM?

The problem is that the AMI BIOS version 3.0 (dated Feb. 1, 1989)
contains information that would indicate that the machine is a
COMPAQ. QEMM detects this and assumes that the machine will be
fully COMPAQ compatible, and configures its "Shadow RAM" in the
same way as the COMPAQ.

Machines that use this BIOS do not seem to be compatible with the
COMPAQ with respect to shadow RAM and so the machine will fail.

The best solution would be to contact the manufacturer of your
machine and see about getting a BIOS upgrade. Version 3.11
apparently fixes the problem. One manufacturer (Northgate) is
said to be providing these at no charge to users with this
problem.

Patch for QEMM.SYS to run on AMI BIOS version 3.0:

Another solution that will get you past the problem as it relates
to QEMM is to install the following patch on QEMM. DO NOT
perform this on your only copy of QEMM, incase you make a
mistake.

First use the DOS utility DEBUG to change QEMM.SYS by typing the
following:

C:\>debug qemm.sys

DEBUG should load and display a "-" as a prompt. Then type:

-s 100 L f000 "COMPAQ"

An address should be returned as below

4F5F:26BA <- This address will vary, but use what is returned.

then, using the address that was returned (not necessarily the
one in the following example type the following

-e4f5f:26b0

DEBUG will return the address again, followed by a 43 as follows.
Enter a zero, followed by the Enter key.

4f5f:26b0 43 __ <-enter a 0 here and hit Enter

Then enter W to write out the changed file

-w

Type Q to exit DEBUG

-q

Then reboot and give it a try.


Copyright (C) 1990 by Quarterdeck Office Systems
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