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Q99575: FIX: Phar Lap err 58 Running MASM From Read-Only Drive

Article: Q99575
Product(s): Microsoft Macro Assembler
Version(s): 6.1
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 04-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM), version 6.1 
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SYMPTOMS
========

An attempt to run the Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) version 6.1 fails and
MASM generates the following message:

  Phar Lap err 58: Can't create VM swap file of size 0 in directory

This error does not occur when MASM runs in an MS-DOS window in Microsoft
Windows.

CAUSE
=====

MASM is installed on a read-only drive, possibly a network drive. The error
occurs because the DOSXNT DOS extender attempts to create a virtual memory swap
file on the drive DOSXNT runs from when the operating system does not support
virtual memory.

RESOLUTION
==========

To work around this problem, you can run DOSXNT on a read/write drive listed in
your PATH MS-DOS environment variable. In addition, you can specify one of the
following two environment variable settings to prevent DOSXNT from attempting to
create a swap file on the read-only network drive:

- Set the DOSX environment variable to prevent DOSXNT from using any virtual
  memory. Edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to include the following:

  set dosx=-novm

- Set the DOSX environment variable to specify where DOSXNT creates the virtual
  memory swap file. Edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to include the following:

  set dosx=-swapdir <path>

  where <path> specifies the drive and directory on which to create the
  temporary swap file.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MASM version 6.1. This problem
was corrected in MASM version 6.1a.

Additional query words: 6.10 PharLap buglist6.10 fixlist6.10a

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMASMsearch kbAudDeveloper kbMASM610
Version           : :6.1
Solution Type     : kbfix

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