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Re: Retrieving Oracle 5.0 data

From: Gary Rich <grich_at_mmm.com>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 17:13:13 -0700
Message-ID: <3B05BA99.D4CDCA84@mmm.com>

Joe Maloney wrote:

> I originally directly responded because I did not realize we could
> post here again.

googleposting is working, all to the good.

>
>
> Anyway, to correct what I said nearline.

ARRGH... something I actually know about, how depressing. This is all desupported, you know that. If you are trying to get this up for anything other than just long enough to get a good backup you are nuts.

>
>
> The most generic setting I can remember is machine type J. It used to
> work on Zeniths, early Compaqs, Everexes, etc.

Best bet I can remember too. You may want to try plugging in an older, more minimal video card if you have one. I keep an old TSENG4000 card in the toolbox for just this sort of purpose. some Tridents were a little quirky.

>
> The other main thing is that those versions of Oracle required a
> non-MS extended memory manager. I used to use QEMM386 from
> Quarterdeck. I am not sure I remember the buzzwords correctly, but MS
> on handles extended memory but Oracle needs expanded memory. DOS
> versions prior to 6 (and maybe 5.2) did not manage the correct memory
> type. (O5 was written for DOS3.2, but I used it through 6.2).

Pretty close. After 5 years at Quarterdeck back "in the day" I'll take these buzzwords with me to the grave.
Oracle needed exPANDed memory, as you say. DOS either had no way to access memory above 640K (Actually 1024K but that's a quibble) or via its HIMEM.SYS driver could create exTENDed memory, exTENDed is what Windows used.
QEMM would manage memory and give it out to apps that asked for as either type. If you can dig up a copy, use it. The company has been dead for years so you won't find in the stores or anything. DOS 5.x or so had the ability to create the exPANDed mem that Oracle can use with its emm386.sys (or .exe depending on vintage) device driver. It's a little clunky, but it works. DOS 3.3 and copy of QEMM 5.1.3 would be the least painful way to do this.

>
> O5 was character based, so the video type is/was irrelevant. The main
> problems were the BIOS and extra memory management.

True, but flakey video BIOS' were sometimes part of the problems people had

>
>
> Oh, officially, O5 required 1M of memory, preferred 1.5-2M, but would
> work, with some tuning, at 900K. At least 512K DOS, 512K emmwhatever,
> prefered 640K DOS, 1M emmwhatever.
>
> Load sequence for the TSR's could also be a factor. (SQLPME is a TSR.)

Also true, but we are not trying to create a production sytem here (shuddering at the thought), so SQLPME should be the only memory resident program running - forget your network drivers, disk caches, pop up calculators, etc.

After getting a good backup of the database, do the right thing and take it around behind the barn and put it out of its misery.

Gary Rich - who certainly does not miss being the original support_at_qdeck.com

>
>
> Andreas Necker <Andreas.Necker_at_isb-ag.de> wrote in message news:<3B0108B9.C63CD7C7_at_isb-ag.de>...
> > hi,
> >
> > George McLean wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I am trying to get data out of an old Oracle 5.0 database. This version of
> > > Oracle runs under MS-DOS but I do not have it running yet.
> > >
> > > I seem to be having trouble defining a machine type for SQLPME
> > >
> > > I would like to run this on a Pentium 100 in MS DOS mode, Video is Trident
> > > Super VGA.
> > >
> > > When I run SQLPME the screen goes blank so I think that the machine type is
> > > not correct. The list of available machines is pretty ancient. Is there any
> > > way to get updated code to run with this?
> > >
> >
> > afaik there is a tool called machtype.exe.
> >
> > hth
> > andreas

Opinions expressed herein are my own and may not represent those of my employer. Received on Fri May 18 2001 - 19:13:13 CDT

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