Baslinux mailing list

[Sindi Keesan <keesan AT iamjlamb.com>]

> >Xvesa is working for us with Win98 DOS including himem.sys. Can we use
> >the Win98 DOS himem.sys to replace that in DOS 6.22, whic gives a 
> >black screen?
> >


> I'm using Windows 98SE, and I don't even know if there is a Config.sys 
> or Autoecxec bat. I thought it was probably related to the video chip 
> set, not being compatible with Xvesa.  If its a DOS configuration 
> problem then I'm better off than I thought.


You can test whether your chip is vesa compliant with a DOS program called 
whatvga2.  The cards we use are all vesa 1.2, but we have a color VGA 
laptop which is not.  It has some chip which did work with Compushow, 
which has lots of its own video drivers.  Compushow will also test if 
something is vesa compliant.  (for DOS - the older version).

Someone reported that a few older cards which were NOT vesa compliant 
would work with Xvesa, but I think they were cards that also worked with 
Univesa, a universal video driver that you run so that the cards then act 
vesa compatible.  I don't think your card was on the list.  I have a link 
to univesa somwhere at my website (or maybe I even have it posted there 
still):  www.iamjlamb.com/~keesan - look in the software section.  
 
> 
> I don't think I've got any config.sys or autoexec. I'll check. I don't 
> think I'm using hymen.sys, should I be? That is is it necessary?
> I am out of town for the next couple of days so it will be Monday at the 
> earliest, before I can check maybe later, but I'll be checking my email 
> so I can follow the list..

Check by going into DOS (or DOS window) and to c:\ and typing dir
autoexec.bat and dir config.sys.  Windows makes its own config.sys and
autoexec.bat files in another location but adds things from the DOS files
to them (such as additions to the path). Windows also likes to add sound
drivers to and remove CD-ROM drivers from your DOS autoexec.bat file.  'I
hate Windows'.

Himem.sys is used in DOS to access memory over 1M.  If nobody put any 
DOS programs on your Win98 computer I doubt you have himem.sys there.

Your video chip sounds like the problem to me.