Q58225: "Packed File Corrupt" Error

Article: Q58225
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 3.x 4.x
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | s_link s_c h_fortran s_pascal s_quickc h_masm b_basic | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 12-FEB-1991

Question:

When I attempt to run my program, I get the error message "Packed File
Corrupt." What causes this error and how can I run my program?

Response:

The error is caused by a problem in the packed EXE loader that is
incorporated into EXEPACKed files. This causes incorrect loading of
packed files. The problem only occurs when the program is loaded into
memory before the first 64K byte boundary.

CHKDSK reports more than 589,824 bytes of free memory. Typically, this
problem tends to occur with DOS Version 3.30 when you try to free up
more memory by setting the files and buffers in your CONFIG.SYS file
to less than their default values.

To correct this problem, force DOS to load the program above the first
64K of memory by increasing the amount of memory DOS uses. One way to
do this is to fill up the first 64K segment with one or more copies of
COMMAND.COM.

You can also use copies of COMMAND.COM to diagnose the problem. Spawn
a new command interpreter by typing "COMMAND" at the DOS prompt. Then
try to run the program. Keep spawning copies of COMMAND.COM until the
program runs. When the program runs, you have successfully filled the
first 64K.

If this method works, you may resolve the problem in a more permanent
manner by increasing the number of files and buffers in the CONFIG.SYS
file, and rebooting your machine.

The EXEPACK utility compresses sequences of identical characters from
a specified executable file. It also optimizes the relocation table,
whose entries are used to determine where modules are loaded into
memory when the program is executed. When the program is executed, it
must first unpack the file into memory. It is the unpacking code that
unpacks incorrectly and generates the "Packed File Corrupt" error.

For more information on the EXEPACK utility, refer to Page 321 in the
"Microsoft CodeView and Utilities" manual shipped with C version 5.10.
For information on the /EXEPACK linker option, refer to the utilities
manual or online help shipped with your particular version of the
compiler or assembler.
Additional reference words: b_quickbasic o_msdos h_mouse h_mspbrush

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