🚀 go-pugleaf

(David Crowley) writes:
%% (James P Gurganus) writes:
%% >riehm@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Carl Riehm) writes:
%% >some extra file in your root directory to run Windows 3.0.  Does anyone
%% >know what this file does or if its really needed?
%% 	Yep, this is true. When you get all your N disks that come with
%%       Dos5 and then type setup to install it, it puts a file called
%%       WINA20.386 in to root dir on your boot disk (ie C:) and if this
%%       file does not exist windows will not run in 386enh mode.
%% 	Ohh, yea and another thing. Is it possible to set up expanded
%%       memory, extended memory, put stuff up in himem and still be able
%%       to run win in standard mode? I couldn't get it to work. I can
%%       only run in 386enh mode which is fine, but I was wondering?-)

The file WINA20.386 is a Windows 3.0 virtual device driver, and arbitrates
the A20 line used by HIMEM.SYS.  This virtualization should be handled
in the next version of Windows, but for now the file is required.

While DOS installs put the file in your root, you don't have to leave
it there.  By adding the line

    switches = /w

to your DOS 5 CONFIG.SYS, you can put WINA20.386 anywhere.  Just be sure
to add the line

    device=c:\dos\wina20.386 ; or wherever the correct path is

to the [386Enh] section of SYSTEM.INI.

As for the conflict between DOS 5 UMB support and Windows '286 mode...
You're not hallucinating; the conflict is real.  Windows detects that
some other protected-mode software is running, and won't load.  I can't
say if/when this conflict will go away.

--
--  Bob Schmidt             bobsc@microsoft.UUCP
--
--  Bellevue WA USA         Windows SDK Support
--  Syndey NSW Australia    Developer Support (after 1 Oct)