KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q136401: PRB: Data Path Errors Starting SourceSafe

Article: Q136401
Product(s): Microsoft SourceSafe
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe600
Last Modified: 01-MAY-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows, versions 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you start Visual SourceSafe 4.0 or 5.0, one of the following error messages
might appear:

  Invalid Data Path

  Cannot find initialization variable "Data_Path"

  Invalid DOS path

When you start Visual SourceSafe 6.0, one of the following error messages might
appear:

  The SourceSafe database path <path> does not exist. Please select
  another database.

  Invalid DOS path: <File Path>

  Invalid handle

CAUSE
=====

These errors occur when a client installation does not properly define the path
to the SourceSafe server's SRCSAFE.INI in the client's SRCSAFE.INI file
(#include) or the server's SRCSAFE.INI does not contain a valid SourceSafe
database location.


RESOLUTION
==========

After installing the Visual SourceSafe server, always use NETSETUP.EXE to
install the client installations. NETSETUP.EXE is found in the SourceSafe server
directory.

Be sure to check that:

1. The client's SRCSAFE.INI include path is a valid path to the server's
  SRCSAFE.INI location.

2. If using the 16 bit client, ensure that the client's SRCSAFE.INI #include
  path uses the 16-bit path, such as the following:

  #include d:\<path>\vss_se~1\srcsafe.ini

3. The server's SRCSAFE.INI DATA_PATH setting points to a valid SourceSafe
  server DATA directory.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe600 
Technology        : kbSSafeSearch kbAudDeveloper kbSSafe600 kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.