Using shsurdrv.exe to create a ramdrive in MSDOS on pc with memory greater than 2 GB (Rev: 1.1)

I created a MSDOS boot CDROM disc to run ghost.exe so that I can backup or restore computer. I used WinZip to compress ghost.exe as ghost.zip in order to reduce the ghost file size. Then, I used xmsdsk.exe v1.9I (a ramdrive application) to create a ramdrive in MSDOS so that I can unzip the ghost.zip to the ramdrive as shown below in the autoexec.bat (no need to configure xmsdsk.exe in the config.sys):

autoexec.bat
---------------
set ramdrv=r:
rem To create a 16 MB ramdrive at r drive
rem on top of the XMS memory (/t)
xmsdsk.exe 16384 %ramdrv% /y /t
if exist ghost.zip pkunzip.exe -e ghost.zip %ramdrv%


However, xmsdsk.exe does not function correctly on computer with memory greater than 2 GB because it will produce a "XMS get free mem error". On computer with less than or equal to 2 GB of RAM, xmsdsk.exe runs OK without the "XMS get free mem error". Removing the /t parameter (top of the XMS memory) in xmsdsk.exe also has the same "XMS get free mem error".


Hence, I removed xmsdsk.exe and try using another ramdrive application, shsurdrv.exe v1.11 in MSDOS. I added shsurdrv.exe in the config.sys (no need to add shsurdrv.exe in the autoexec.bat) as shown below:

config.sys
------------
files=40
buffers=30
lastdrive=z
dos=high,umb
device=himem.sys
device=emm386.exe
rem Create a 16 MB ramdrive quietly at r drive
install=shsurdrv.exe 16384K,R: /Q
SHELL=COMMAND.COM /E:4096 /P

However, I encountered the "too big for memory" error when running shsurdrv.exe in MSDOS on a Dell Optiplex 755 or Optiplex 960 computer with 4 GB memory. On computers (eg: Dell Optiplex GX620 with 1 GB RAM or Dell Optiplex GX270 with 2 GB) with less than or equal to 2 GB of RAM, shsurdrv.exe runs OK without showing the "too big for memory" error.

I commented out the running of "device=emm386.exe" in the config.sys and the "too big for memory" error when running shsurdrv.exe in MSDOS on a Dell Optiplex 755 or Optiplex 960 computer with 4 GB memory did not appeared. I have no problem running ghost.exe in the ramdrive (r: drive), except that it is a bit slow (about 4 to 5 seconds) waiting for the ghost program to start.

Hence, you should add shsurdrv.exe in the config.sys and deleted the "device=emm386.exe" as shown below:

config.sys
------------
files=40
buffers=30
lastdrive=z
dos=high,umb
device=himem.sys
rem Create a 16 MB ramdrive quietly at r drive
install=shsurdrv.exe 16384K,R: /Q
SHELL=COMMAND.COM /E:4096 /P

autoexec.bat
----------------
set ramdrv=r:
if exist ghost.zip pkunzip.exe -e ghost.zip %ramdrv%