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FamilySearch on Windows XP

The FamilySearch 2.27 Windows setup process does not recognize XP as a valid operating system and will not execute. Three alternative installation procedures are:

  1. Copy the PAS directory from another system to XP. Note: some parameter modification may be necessary if the systems are configured differently.

  2. Open the DOS command interpreter: start > Run… > Open: command. Execute the mem command and verify that 1MB or more EMS memory is available. If not, refer to the DOS environment section below for instructions on setting the default EMS value. Run the FS DOS installer, install.exe, from the DOS prompt. Note: Install.exe may generate an Expanded Memory warning message if the Windows XP Command Prompt window, cmd.exe, is used.

  3. Boot the system with a DOS boot disk that loads a CD-ROM driver, himem.sys and an EMS driver, e.g. EMM386.exe. Run the FS DOS installer, install.exe from the FS CD.

DOS Environment

Windows XP executes DOS programs on a Virtual DOS Machine, VDM, that provides a configurable environment for each application. Expanded Memory, EMS, requirements for the VDM are specified in an application's PIF file which inherits default settings from the \windows\_defualt.pif shown below.

If the EMS dropdown menu is blank or contains a message about expanded memory being disabled, additional steps are necessary to run FamilySearch. Len Ingermanson reports that he had to disable the onboard Lan Boot Rom that is in Integrated Peripherals section of the system BIOS. After disabling it, the computer and FamilySearch program functioned correctly. Prior to the disabling, as the computer was booting up, it said that EMM386 could not be loaded or found, then it said it was loaded succesfully. The process of booting up took several minutes, and the FamilySearch program would not work because of lack of memory. I checked all the files associated with the memory and they were configured correctly and exactly as all the other computers in the center. Now the computer boots up quickly with no problems and the program works properly.

The Memory tab of the _default.pif Properties dialog shows the default memory parameter values that are used by command.com and inherited by a DOS application's PIF.

IE float bug

EMS Memory size can be set in the default PIF for command.com and also for FS prior to installation. The EMS Memory size can be specified via the PAS PIF after installation.

The Memory tab of the _default.pif Properties dialog showing the value for 2048 KB of EMS memory.

IE float bug

The DOS Mem command can be used to show the amount of default EMS memory available.

Notes

Drive Substitution

The procedure for substituting local drives must be modified since XP does not use auotexec.bat to initialize the DOS environment. Three alternatives are:

  1. create a *.bat file to substitute drives in the Windows Startup folder;
  2. store startup commands in \windows\system32\Autoexec.nt. Autoexec.nt is used to initialize the MS-DOS environment unless a different startup file is specified in an application's PIF;
  3. use the drive substitution utility, vSubst, to create permanent substitutions.
Screen Display

FS must be run with the full screen display option to retain the normal text and background colors. Using ALT+Enter to mark the entire screen in the IGI-holding file will convert from full-screen to windowed operation and distort the text and background colors.

File Permission

We were having problems with FS running on XP in a network environment. The solution we found is simple but effective. Make sure that you have the security on the PAS folder include everyone and set them to have full control this enables the program to work properly.
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