From: granz@junkyard.UUCP (David Granz)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.desqview
Subject: Maximum memory under DV/X
Date: 17 Aug 92 16:32:31 GMT

How to Maximize your memory space for programs under DV/X
---------------------------------------------------------

In order to use DV/X on a TCP/IP network, the FTP software TCP/IP drivers must
be loaded.  Unfortunately, these TSRs can take up over 100K of precious DOS
memory space.  In addition a mouse driver is needed (another 12-16K of memory
used up).  And then, DV/X itself chews up a significant amount of DOS memory.
Even with the new QEMM stealth features that allow most of the upper memory
space to be used to LOADHI these TSRs, the memory actually left for a program
(or DOS window) under DV/X can end up being quite small.  In my particular
setup, the best I was able to get was a 320K DOS window.

After much experimenting and some suggestions from Quarterdeck, I have come up
with the following procedures that allow you get very close to a full 640K of
program space in a DOS window (somewhat less if you don't have a 8514 video
card).  Note that although this method seems to work fine (for me at least), it
is not in anyway a supported method.  Please DO NOT call Quarterdeck for help
with this setup, they are not supporting this technique at this time.  If you
have problems with things crashing, put things back the way they were before,
and see if the problems go away.  Then, if the crash still occurs, you have a
valid reason to call Quarterdeck.

Before doing any of the following modifications, make a safe copy of
\DVX\STARTUP.DVP and \DVX\DVPS\PCTCP.DVP.  These copies can be used to restore
the system in case you have problems.


Step 1, Saving the space occupied by the MOUSE driver:

    Create a file called \DVX\SERVER.BAT that contains the following lines:

        MOUSE   (or whatever is needed to run your mouse)
        SERVER

    Then with the DVPMAN program (under DV/X), modify the file \DVX\STARTUP.DVP.
    Change the reference to SERVER.EXE to SERVER.BAT.  Also increase the memory
    size by enough to cover the added size of the mouse driver (about 30k should
    be plenty).

    Modify your CONFIG.SYS and/or AUTOEXEC.BAT to not load the mouse driver when
    you boot your computer.

    Restart the computer, and then DV/X...  The mouse driver should now load in
    the process space of the server.

    A 'mem/c' command in a DOS window, should show more memory available and no
    copy of the mouse driver.


Step 2, Saving the space occupied by the TCP drivers:

    In a manor similar to the above mouse modifications, you need to create a
    batch file:  \DVX\NETWORK\NETWORK.BAT.  This batch file should contain all
    the drivers and network programs needed to support TCP/IP.  The last step
    should be to run the 'nsftp' program.

    For example, my NETWORK.BAT looks like this:

        c:\dvx\device c:\ftp\ifcust.sys
        c:\dvx\device c:\ftp\ipcust.sys
        c:\ncsa\drivers\wd8003e -w 0x62 7 0x280 0xD000
        c:\ftp\ethdrv -t 20 -p 26 -u 2
        nsftp

    Using DVPMAN, modify the \DVX\DVPS\PCTCP.DVP parameters to run NETWORK.BAT
    rather than NSFTP.EXE.  You should add enough memory allocation to allow for
    the extra memory of the network drivers.  In my case a 350K allocation seems
    to work fine.

    Remove all the network drivers and TSRs from your CONFIG.SYS and
    AUTOEXEC.BAT, and reboot DOS and DV/X.

    If all goes correctly, the DOS windows under DV/X should now contain none of
    the network drivers.  With this arrangement I am able to get about 550K
    available in the DOS window.

    The only limitation of this arrangement, is that only Quarterdeck supplied
    network programs (telnet, ftp, etc) will work.  This is because the network
    drivers are running in a different address space than the DOS windows.  The
    normal FTP software's and Packet driver's access interrupts are not
    available in any process other than the PCTCP process.


Step 3, Getting even more space:

    If you have a 8514 type video card (I have a ATI Graphics Ultra), you can
    get even more space for DOS programs.  As an added advantage, the video
    performance is much better with this card (1024x768x256).

    Add the 'VREMS' parameter to your QEMM386.SYS line in CONFIG.SYS.  This will
    allow the \QEMM\VIDRAM program to steal the address space at A0000-AFFFF for
    DOS use.

    Before starting DV/X, do a "\QEMM\VIDRAM ON" command.  Just ignore the
    message that DV/X cannot find a graphics card.  DV/X will run just fine
    without this video ram area.  The DOS window will be 64K bigger.

    The only limitation of this, is that graphic programs (ie ones that take
    over the entire screen) must not be run.  Text programs and programs that
    use X windows calls will work just fine.


If you have any comments about these or any other techniques of using DV/X, I
can be reached by email at granz@junkyard.UUCP. You can also reach me by phone
at (508)777-3375.

Dave Granz
Newline Computer, Inc.