Q37413: EXE2BIN Cannot Convert QuickBASIC .EXE Files to .COM Files

Article: Q37413
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 1.00 1.01 1.02 2.00 2.01 3.00 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | B_BasicCom | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 12-JAN-1990

With the introduction of the first MS-DOS operating system, the .EXE
program and file structure came into existence. .EXE files allow much
more flexibility than .COM files do. .COM files mimic the binary files
of the earlier CP/M-80 operating system. (CP/M-80 was developed by
Digital Research, Inc.)

Because .COM files allow the use of only one 64K segment and no stack
segment (the so-called "tiny" memory model), .EXE files produced in
QuickBASIC cannot be converted to .COM files. QuickBASIC uses the
medium-memory model, which utilizes one data segment and one or more
code segments. QuickBASIC's far addressing capability also makes its
.EXE files incompatible with the MS-DOS EXE2BIN.EXE program, which
converts .EXE files to .COM files.

This information applies to all versions of Microsoft QuickBASIC, to
Microsoft BASIC Compiler Versions 5.35, 5.36, 6.00, and 6.00b for
MS-DOS, and to Microsoft BASIC PDS Version 7.00 for MS-DOS.

The EXE2BIN.EXE utility gives a "file cannot be converted" error
message if you attempt to convert a QuickBASIC .EXE compiled program.

Please refer to "The MS-DOS Encyclopedia," published by Microsoft
Press, for more information on .EXE versus .COM files.

The following is a code example:

'Make a stand-alone .EXE named X.EXE from this program.
'Give the MS-DOS command: EXE2BIN X.EXE X.COM
'The "file cannot be converted" message results.
PRINT "TEST"

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