[Feature request] LIM EMS support

[AlecV]

Is it possible to add an LIM EMS support ? It would be very useful for XT an 286 machines emulation.
PCem current memory implementation should work for this "mapped" memory well.

I've sucessfully built Lotech LIM EMS card for my XT:
https://www.lo-tech.co.uk/wiki/2MB-EMS-Board

It has an opensource (!) driver:
https://www.lo-tech.co.uk/wiki/LTEMM.EXE

FAQ for this board and Wikipedia article about LIM EMS:
https://www.lo-tech.co.uk/wiki/Lo-tech_Memory_Board_FAQ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expanded_ ... cification

[Battler]

- AlecV: I think PCem already emulates the Award 286 clone with EMS memory.

[omarsis81]

I guess using XMS memory with HIMEM.SYS won´t do, right?

Just out of curiosity, what application or game for a XT or 286 uses more than the 640KB conventional memory? So far I know none

[Battler]

Well considering the L part of LIM is Lotus, I'd guess Lotus 1-2-3 would support EMS.

[SarahWalker]

That board looks pretty simple to implement. Should be possible for the next release.

omarsis81: HIMEM.SYS won't do you much good on an XT.

[AlecV]

Short list of the EMS-compatible software (from the EMS Toolkit)

Code: Select all

		EMS compatible software.

Package			Company			Type
-------------           -----------------       -----------------
AutoCAD			Autodesk		Computer Aided Design
Brief		      UnderWare		Text Editor
Clipper			Nantucket		Programming Tool
dB/RA 3			Gryphon Microproducts	Database
Desqview		Quarterdesk		Multi-tasking
Double DOS		Softlogic Solution	Multi-tasking
Dr. Halo, ver > 2.6	Media Cybernetics	Graphics Products
Expert Help (EH)	Soft Solution		Utility
Flash  Rel 4.5		Software Masters	Disk Cache
Framework II		Ashton-Tata		Integrated Product
Information Enginee-
ring Workbench		KnowlegeWare		Programming Tool
Javelin			Javelin Software	Spreadsheet
HyperDisk		HyperWare		Disk Cache
Lighning		PC Support Group	Disk Cache
Lotus 1-2-3 Rel > 2.0	Lotus Development	Spreadsheet
Lumina			Time Arts		Programming Tool
Maxam Plus		Maxamedia Corporation	Utility
Multi Edit		Blaise Computing	Text Editor
Note-it			Turner Hall Publishing	Utility
PC/Focus		Information Builders	Database
PSF:ProfessionalFile	Software Publishing	Database
Ready			Living Videotext	Utility
Reflex			Borland International	Database
Smart			Innovative Software	Integrated Product
Software Carousel	Softlogic Solution	Multi-tasking
Sourser			V. Communications	Programming Tool
Super PC Kwik		Multisoft		Disk Cache
Super Calc 4		Computer Associaties	Spreadsheet
Symphony Rel 1.1	Lotus Development	Spreadsheet
Think Tank		Living Videotext	Utility
Turbo Extender		Turbo Power		Programming Tool
VersaCAD		T & W Systems		Computer Aided Design
Ventura Publisher	Xerox			Utility
Windows			Microsoft		Multi-tasking

[omarsis81]

Thank you AlecV! Very interesting

[omarsis81]

As Blatter said, what you are looking for I believe is on the Award 286.
I can enter the BIOS screen, but I couldn't boot an OS with the floppy drives

Is this what you are looking for? Or you still need that card?

EMS.jpg (106.28 KiB) Viewed 10095 times

[AlecV]

omarsis81 Avard 286 clone BIOS uses Chips&Technologies NEAT (New Enhanced AT) chipset
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chips_and_Technologies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEAT_chipset

NEAT chipset provide LIM EMS hardware and allow to use mothirboard memory pool
above 640K as EMS or XMS (in any proportions but not overlapped).

To see an EMS memory on this motherboard you need LIM EMS DOS driver and full NEAT
chipset hardware emulation.

[Battler]

- AlecV: We have that chipset emulated already, including EMS.

[AlecV]

Battler Great! Did not see it in documentation. Did anyone use it ? Where to find LIM EMS NEAT driver?

Anyway, having EMS infrastructure it should be easy ti att this to XT class machine,
Furthermore there is a free driver with sourcecode.

[Greatpsycho]

omarsis81 Avard 286 clone BIOS uses Chips&Technologies NEAT (New Enhanced AT) chipset
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chips_and_Technologies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEAT_chipset

NEAT chipset provide LIM EMS hardware and allow to use mothirboard memory pool
above 640K as EMS or XMS (in any proportions but not overlapped).

To see an EMS memory on this motherboard you need LIM EMS DOS driver and full NEAT
chipset hardware emulation.

It(Award286 clone) uses 82C235 SCAT chipset not NEAT.

And SCAT chipset emulation of Award286 is still imperfect. It lacks of some features and some programs that needs EEMS or EMS 4.0 specs(Like Windows 3.0 real mode) are not working well.