Insufficient Extended Memory during Initial Bootup

Here's the deal.....
Installing Windows 98SE (clean install) on an old k6-200 IBM Aptiva with 6Gb HDD, 128Mb RAM, onboard video/sound. Being a 'smart aleck', I told my friend I could reinstall his Windows 98SE operating system when it crashed.

I did an fdisk /mbr, fdisk, then booted to CD rom and allowed it to format and install Windows 98SE. It looked like a 'normal install' until it tried to boot to the initial screen ('Windows is running for the first time'). It got there, 'thought about it' a minute, then went to a black screen with the error message 'Not enough Extended Memory to Run Windows'. I tried booting to Safe Mode but it wouldn't even do that. I replaced the memory with several other RAM memory chips with the same results. Someone suggested I edit the system.ini file and remove the duplicated Font setup. I did that with the same sad results.
I've just tried one last time to reformat and reinstall this AM with no results.

Question: Has anyone run into this 'Insufficient Extended Memory to Run Windows' error message before? If so, were you able to fix it? I'm about to decide it's a hardware problem (motherboard, as I tried RAM memory from a working computer.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Dusterpilot

 

Does this seem applicable?

 

Thanks, I went to Microsoft iniatilly and tried this change in the system.ini file with the same results unfortunatly. I did the ';' in front of the upper one and typed in exactly what they recommended with no good result.
It's so confusing in that the POST and the BIOS 'sees' the RAM memory but Windows doesn't seem to 'see' it......?????

Thanks again,
Dusterpilot

 

Could it simply be that config.sys is not set up correctly?

 

Insufficient Extended Memory during Initial Bootup

Could it simply be that config.sys is not set up correctly?

Yes it could be as that is where DOS Memory is setup. The problem is on the DOS side of the House.

DUSTERPILOT

If ( and hoping that you do ) have a Windows Startup disk. Boot to it. And try this.

At tha A:\ prompt type EDIT C:\CONFIG.SYS

Then but REM plus a space in front of all lines in the Config.sys.

Windows does not need the Config.sys or Autoexec.bat at all unless you run DOS programs.

BillyBob

 

Also if you can. Post here the contents of the Config.sys.

BB

 

Nothing in the Config.sys file. I even went back and tried installing my old Windows 95 doing another clean install with the same error message that Windows 98SE gave me.... I'm about ready to try installing LINUX on it to see if I get the error message there also..... I'll post the results.
Dusterpilot