FreeMem below acceptable limit, DiskPatch aborted!

[shayn]

I purchased the DiskPatch and tried to run from a USB key.  I am swapping in a bad hdd to try to recover.  The hdd that is being evaluated is: Western Digital (WD6400BPVT).  The machine that I am using this on is an HP Pavilion dv6 with 3.0 gb ram.  The diskpatch is running from a sandisk cruzer usb key 1.0 gb. 

I have attached the log file for review.  Please provide a resolution to this issue.  The last log of that has this error is from several years ago and did not provide a resolution.

Please provide a resolution asap.

Thanks,

[Tom]

Did you build the DiskPatch bootable USB key by following the instructions, and you didn't change anything?

If so, it is a problem with the BIOS, a low memory allocation problem. This can happen on older machines where the 'A20 gate' isn't doing what it is supposed to do. If you have indeed an older machine, look in the BIOS for options that have to do with shadow memory and the A20 adapter (or gate). Play with these settings and see what happens (shadow memory should be disabled, the A20 stuff you'll have to try).

If that is not the case, what's the make and model of the PC involved?

Another thing to try is the DiskPatch bootable CD, see what that does. It has a slightly different boot procedure.

[shayn]

Tom,  my original post advised you of the machine type: HP Pavilion dv6 with 3.0 gb ram.  It is new as of 2011.  
1. I built the boot usb key exactly as indicated.  I built the first usb key on a 256 mb; ran dp.exe (pre purchase) and got the same error "FreeMem below acceptable limit, DiskPatch aborted!", so I thought it was the size of the usb key.  
2. Went through the same process again with a 512mb key and got the same "FreeMem below acceptable limit, DiskPatch aborted!" error.  
3. Tried again with a 1.0 gb key.  When I ran the tool that loads the dp.exe to the usb key, I got an error: "the current image formate is not supported by the disk drive".  Nothing on your site for that error, so I copied dp.exe in from one of the smaller usb keys.
Back in the old days there was commands to have dos run in hi memory (via config.sys), is that a possibility?

[Tom]

Sorry, I missed your mentioning of the machine. Should not be an issue, a pavilion.

Yes, the whole config.sys loadhi thing is taken care of by the DP USB key building process. It sounds weird. By the way, the USB key size has nothing to do with this problem. Did you try the bootable CD that can be built with the DiskPatch installer? Please report back, I'm quite eager to understand what's going on here.

I noticed that the dv6 has a very expansive BIOS setup, you may want to look through that again.

[shayn]

Tom,

I will check it out.  I am at work right now so it will need to wait till I am at home (5:00 est us).  I will let you know (trying both the bios thing and the cd).  it is a pain because I have to swap the bad hdd out for my good one to run the test.

One last thing, what is the minimum memory that dp.exe needs to run?

More to come.

[Tom]

One last thing, what is the minimum memory that dp.exe needs to run?

DP executes in low memory, so all of it (640Kb); it's essentially a DOS app.

[shayn]

I couldn't set the bios and worked with a cd boot.  it booted fine and started to check the disk, but after 24 hours, it still hadn't completed (up to 6%).  I had to return the disk to HP otherwise I would get billed for it.  Next time I have a situation for need of the tool, I will post to you and let you know the outcome.  Sorry I can't give you a more postitive outcome.

[Tom]

That's okay, though it's too bad I still have no idea what actually went on there.