AST RESEARCH, INC.        TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1508           6-14-96 

 

TITLE: Ultimate DOOM, Adv! 6066d, 611, 613E


SUMMARY 

   The content of CMOS RAM is modified after running a game called 
   Ultimate DOOM on the Advantage! 6066d, 611, and 613E systems.

   This issue affects the following systems: 501766, 501693, and 
   501839.


ISSUE 

   When the system is rebooted after running the Ultimate DOOM game 
   with the sound enabled, the following configuration changes will 
   have occurred in CMOS setup:

      The Date and Time are cleared.
      The Primary Hard Drive is set to none. 
      The sound card is set to add-in.
      The joystick is set to add-in.

   If EMM386 is loaded with the NOEMS parameter alone, it does not 
   leave enough memory for Ultimate DOOM to start on systems with 4MB
   of RAM.


BACKGROUND 

   The DOS4GW DOS extender used by Ultimate DOOM violates reserved 
   upper memory addresses, causing the CMOS configuration changes. 
   EMM386, when loaded, prevents the DOS extender from accessing these
   memory addresses.

   When loaded with the NOEMS parameter, EMM386 leaves too little XMS
   memory for Ultimate DOOM to run on systems with 4MB of RAM. 
   The manufacturer of Ultimate DOOM ID Software states that Ultimate
   DOOM runs on 4MB machines. 


ACTION 

   Configure EMM386 to provide Expanded Memory Specification (EMS) 
   memory as well as UMBs by using the following statements and 
   EMM386 command line in CONFIG.SYS:

      DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
      DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=C000-CFFF DOS=HIGH,UMB

   or

   Upgrade the system to 8MB of RAM.  EMM386 still has to be loaded, 
   but there is no longer a need for EMS memory.


NOTES 

   AST used release 1.9 of the Ultimate DOOM game to verify the problem
   and resolution described in this bulletin.

TAN 000146GL

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