Disk Errors with EMM386.EXE on Laptop Computers (100308)



The information in this article applies to:
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22

This article was previously published under Q100308

SYMPTOMS

If your laptop has a "suspend/resume" feature to save power, you may receive error messages similar to the following with MS-DOS EMM386.EXE version 4.45:


    Serious disk error has occurred
    -or-



    Segment Load Failure (in Windows-based applications)

CAUSE

This error is usually caused by an interaction between the laptop power manager feature and EMM386.EXE.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do the following:
    Try to determine if there is a region that needs to be excluded from upper memory blocks (UMBs) to allow the laptop power management to work with EMM386.EXE version 4.45.

    This information may be available in your laptop manual. As an alternative, you can exclude the A000-EFFF memory range to test for a UMB conflict. For example:

    device=c:\dos\emm386.exe noems x=a000-efff

    If the problem occurs only with MS-DOS 6 EMM386.EXE version 4.45 and cannot be corrected with the above step, use the version of EMM386.EXE that came with the laptop.

    NOTE: If you do this, you cannot use MemMaker.
    Remove EMM386.EXE to see if the problem is related to using EMM386.EXE.

Safari 386 Notebook

The following changes may be needed on a Safari 386 Notebook after installing MS-DOS 6.0 or 6.2 and running MemMaker:
    Revert to the Windows version 3.1 EMM386.EXE file.
    Exclude the A000-C7FF range by adding the following to the CONFIG.SYS file:

    device=c:\windows\emm386.exe x=a000-c7ff

Do not use EMM386.EXE version 4.45, and do not add HIGHSCAN or NOEMS statements to the DEVICE line for EMM386.EXE (in your CONFIG.SYS file). The Safari product included here is manufactured by a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.

Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 11/19/1999
Keywords: KB100308