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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

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The information in this article applies to:

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

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

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