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Q24955: Results of not Specifying a Starting Address

Article: Q24955
Product(s): Microsoft Macro Assembler
Version(s): 3.0x,4.x,5.0,5.1,6.0,6.0a,6.0b
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 06-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM), versions 3.0x, 4.x, 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0b 
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SUMMARY
=======

If a starting address is not explicitly specified, then the starting address
will be one of the following:

1. The beginning of the code if the simplified segment directives .model and
  .code are used (MASM 5.0 and later).

-or-

2. The first segment loaded into memory if full segment directives are used.
  This will result in the execution of the data segment if it is the first
  segment loaded and the results will be unpredictable.

Versions of the linker prior to version 5.05 do not warn if a starting address is
not specified. Link version 5.13 (shipped with MASM 6.0) issues the following
warning:

  L4038: program has no starting address

MORE INFORMATION
================

The END directive is used to mark the end of the source file and can optionally
be used to set the starting address which will be loaded into CS:IP when the
program executes. For example

     END start

would specify that execution should begin at the label named start.

Additional query words: kbinf 3.x 4.x 5.00 5.10 6.00 6.00a 6.00b

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMASMsearch kbAudDeveloper kbMASM510 kbMASM600 kbMASM30xSearch kbMASM500 kbMASM600a kbMASM600b
Version           : :3.0x,4.x,5.0,5.1,6.0,6.0a,6.0b

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