NP> I have a 286/12 to setup, and have discovered that it has 1024k of XMS.

XMS is actually the name for it at the software level. You really need
to specify what it is at the hardware level. It can either be just the
usual simply addressed memory past 1MB, Extended, or EMS which basically
maps a window into the extra memory into the below 1MB address space.

If that memory is done with a memory card, thats normally jumperable
to either config. If its all on the motherboard, it would usually be
Extended, tho some of the later 286s with a NEAT chipset did allow
the extra memory to be used in EMS format too, configured in the cmos.

NP> I have loaded Himem.sys and that has allowed me to load DOS high. After
NP> doing this Both Mem /c and MSD reported that I had 980k of XMS free.

In that situation XMS is the general software interface to memory access.
With the later versions of Himem software can ask for the form of memory
it requires and get it allocated if its available. With the earlier versions
you specify the split between the types with switches in the config.sys
lines. Or more strictly with the EMS386 as well with 386s and better.

NP> I have had no experience of 286's (I jumped from XT's to 386's)
NP> and hoping someone can inform me as HOW I can get to use this 980k.

Software just requests it from the OS.

NP> Using the 386 method of loading EMM386 only results
NP> in an error message of "incorrect processor type"

Thats why its named EMM386, its specific to the 386 or better
memory mapping capability. 286s have a separate memory manager
which is specific to the hardware which provides the EMS. Thats
not necessary if you just want to use the ram as extended.

Quite a bit of software allows you to specify
if it should use extended or expanded memory.

NP> I have tried 2 progs that the manual advises can use XMS memory,

That name came later, likely you will find lots more than can use
either extended or expanded. Extended will be fine with just Himem,
you will need the EMS driver for that hardware to use expanded.
Thats true of both a physical memory card in the bus and a 286
motherboard which has the extra ram on the motherboard, both need a
hardware specific driver to be able to provide EMS/Expanded memory.

NP> but both these programs report that XMS memory is unanvailable.

Try one that can be configured to use extended. Like
a ram drive. Both MSDOS and PCDOS have one in the OS.
@EOT:

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