HIMEM.SYS memory problem in old Compaq LTE 5100

Howdy: I just installed two 32MB cards of RAM, for a total of 64MB,
plus the internal hardwired RAM of 8MB. This all shows up on boot, but
then I get this DOS warning:

"Windows XMS Driver version 3.95
Extended memory specifications (XMS) version 3.0
ERROR: HIMEM.SYS has detected unreliable XMS memory at address
00800004
XMS driver not installed
Check if HIMEM.SYS is in Windows directory"

I've checked the Windows directory and see no sign of HIMEM.SYS. Where
do I get it and how do I install it?

It's an old Compaq LTE 5100. Running Win98 with NO CD-ROM drive! 90MHz
CPU. Yeah, I know it'se an old, tired dog. But Granny could use it for
email, iffn I can get this RAM to work nice with it.

Oh, yeah, the RAM is good, I just had it tested at Transcend in
California (type of RAM).
--
The Seabat

The Seabat wrote:
> Howdy: I just installed two 32MB cards of RAM, for a total of 64MB,
> plus the internal hardwired RAM of 8MB. This all shows up on boot, but
> then I get this DOS warning:
>
> "Windows XMS Driver version 3.95
> Extended memory specifications (XMS) version 3.0
> ERROR: HIMEM.SYS has detected unreliable XMS memory at address
> 00800004
> XMS driver not installed
> Check if HIMEM.SYS is in Windows directory"
>
> I've checked the Windows directory and see no sign of HIMEM.SYS. Where
> do I get it and how do I install it?
>
> It's an old Compaq LTE 5100. Running Win98 with NO CD-ROM drive! 90MHz
> CPU. Yeah, I know it'se an old, tired dog. But Granny could use it for
> email, iffn I can get this RAM to work nice with it.
>
> Oh, yeah, the RAM is good, I just had it tested at Transcend in
> California (type of RAM).

You can Google " ERROR: HIMEM.SYS has detected unreliable XMS memory".
The upshot is that RAM is damaged and cannot pass memory checking. Swap
one chip out at a time and see if you can identify the bad chip.

Q

"The Seabat" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Howdy: I just installed two 32MB cards of RAM, for a total of 64MB,
> plus the internal hardwired RAM of 8MB. This all shows up on boot, but
> then I get this DOS warning:
>
> "Windows XMS Driver version 3.95
> Extended memory specifications (XMS) version 3.0
> ERROR: HIMEM.SYS has detected unreliable XMS memory at address
> 00800004
> XMS driver not installed
> Check if HIMEM.SYS is in Windows directory"
>
> I've checked the Windows directory and see no sign of HIMEM.SYS. Where
> do I get it and how do I install it?
>
> It's an old Compaq LTE 5100. Running Win98 with NO CD-ROM drive! 90MHz
> CPU. Yeah, I know it'se an old, tired dog. But Granny could use it for
> email, iffn I can get this RAM to work nice with it.
>
> Oh, yeah, the RAM is good, I just had it tested at Transcend in
> California (type of RAM).
>

That proves nothing. It is not possible to fully test a RAM module - at
least not in anything under many centuries. I would say you have a duff RAM
module. Try installing them one at a time to identify which one.

On Mon, 3 Apr 2006 07:56:37 +0100, "The Electric Fan Club"
<ian.shorrocks@baeMY_CLOTHESsystems.com> wrote:

>>
>>"The Seabat" <> wrote in message
>>news:. ..
>>> Howdy: I just installed two 32MB cards of RAM, for a total of 64MB,
>>> plus the internal hardwired RAM of 8MB. This all shows up on boot, but
>>> then I get this DOS warning:
>>>
>>> "Windows XMS Driver version 3.95
>>> Extended memory specifications (XMS) version 3.0
>>> ERROR: HIMEM.SYS has detected unreliable XMS memory at address
>>> 00800004
>>> XMS driver not installed
>>> Check if HIMEM.SYS is in Windows directory"
>>>
>>> I've checked the Windows directory and see no sign of HIMEM.SYS. Where
>>> do I get it and how do I install it?
>>>
>>> It's an old Compaq LTE 5100. Running Win98 with NO CD-ROM drive! 90MHz
>>> CPU. Yeah, I know it'se an old, tired dog. But Granny could use it for
>>> email, iffn I can get this RAM to work nice with it.
>>>
>>> Oh, yeah, the RAM is good, I just had it tested at Transcend in
>>> California (type of RAM).
>>>
>>
>>That proves nothing. It is not possible to fully test a RAM module - at
>>least not in anything under many centuries. I would say you have a duff RAM
>>module. Try installing them one at a time to identify which one.
>>

You're right, but these have to be installed in pairs, so I'm at a
loss as to how to check which one it is. That's what I sent them to
Transcend for and I was under the impression that they sent me back a
new pair. Not that that means they are good, but it seems strange that
I have the same problem with two different sets of RAM. Maybe they
didn't send me new ones? The s/n's are different though.

When I look in the C:\Windows\ folder, I don't see the HYMEM.SYS file
listed. I tried copying it from the boot disc but it doesn't seem to
take. It says it copied it to the Windows directory, but when I go
back to a C: promt and check it does not show up. I'm wondering if
that is the problem? Sure wish I had a CD-ROM drive for this puppy!

--
The Seabat

The Seabat wrote:
> On Mon, 3 Apr 2006 07:56:37 +0100, "The Electric Fan Club"
> <ian.shorrocks@baeMY_CLOTHESsystems.com> wrote:
>
>>> "The Seabat" <> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>> Howdy: I just installed two 32MB cards of RAM, for a total of 64MB,
>>>> plus the internal hardwired RAM of 8MB. This all shows up on boot, but
>>>> then I get this DOS warning:
>>>>
>>>> "Windows XMS Driver version 3.95
>>>> Extended memory specifications (XMS) version 3.0
>>>> ERROR: HIMEM.SYS has detected unreliable XMS memory at address
>>>> 00800004
>>>> XMS driver not installed
>>>> Check if HIMEM.SYS is in Windows directory"
>>>>
>>>> I've checked the Windows directory and see no sign of HIMEM.SYS. Where
>>>> do I get it and how do I install it?
>>>>
>>>> It's an old Compaq LTE 5100. Running Win98 with NO CD-ROM drive! 90MHz
>>>> CPU. Yeah, I know it'se an old, tired dog. But Granny could use it for
>>>> email, iffn I can get this RAM to work nice with it.
>>>>
>>>> Oh, yeah, the RAM is good, I just had it tested at Transcend in
>>>> California (type of RAM).
>>>>
>>> That proves nothing. It is not possible to fully test a RAM module - at
>>> least not in anything under many centuries. I would say you have a duff RAM
>>> module. Try installing them one at a time to identify which one.
>>>
>
> You're right, but these have to be installed in pairs, so I'm at a
> loss as to how to check which one it is. That's what I sent them to
> Transcend for and I was under the impression that they sent me back a
> new pair. Not that that means they are good, but it seems strange that
> I have the same problem with two different sets of RAM. Maybe they
> didn't send me new ones? The s/n's are different though.
>
> When I look in the C:\Windows\ folder, I don't see the HYMEM.SYS file
> listed. I tried copying it from the boot disc but it doesn't seem to
> take. It says it copied it to the Windows directory, but when I go
> back to a C: promt and check it does not show up. I'm wondering if
> that is the problem? Sure wish I had a CD-ROM drive for this puppy!
>

The file is "himem.sys"...umm, you might have male confusion over
"hymen.sys" which is an install application in another venue entirely,
and once accessed, does not appear again.

In WinXP, himem.sys is in C:Windows\System32. If this is Win98, it is
likely the same.

Q

On Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:00:55 -0600, Quaoar <>
wrote:

<<snip

>>>
>>
>>The file is "himem.sys"...umm, you might have male confusion over
>>"hymen.sys" which is an install application in another venue entirely,
>>and once accessed, does not appear again.
>>
>>In WinXP, himem.sys is in C:Windows\System32. If this is Win98, it is
>>likely the same.
>>
>>Q

You're right, I made a typo, it should be HIMEM.SYS file. I am running
Windows 98. At the DOS promt it says it is looking for it in
C:\Windows not C:\Windows\System32. When I go through the step by step
boot up that is where it is saying that it should be in the Windows
directory. Just to be on the safe side, I copied it to BOTH
directories.

Still no joy. Maybe it ain't worth the effort to get this old dog to
hunt again, huh?

--
The Seabat