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# MEM Command in MS-DOS Window Reports 0 Available Upper Memory

Article ID: 118953

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

APPLIES TO

- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q118953

## SYMPTOMS

When you use the MEM /C command in an MS-DOS window, it reports zero kilobytes free memory in the upper memory area (UMA). This also occurs if the MS-DOS window is running as a Single Mode MS-DOS application.

## CAUSE

This behavior occurs because after Windows loads any real-mode drivers during startup, it reserves all global upper memory blocks (UMBs) for the Windows operating system use or for expanded memory support.
Items that Windows may load into the UMBs include the following items:

- API translation buffers
- Application task databases

Additional query words: ems virtual machine vm

Keywords: kbprb KB118953