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Q138972: FIX: LNK4076: Invalid Incremental Status File

Article: Q138972
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbVC410fix
Last Modified: 03-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Each time a particular project is built, the linker issues this warning:

  LINK: "warning LNK4076: invalid incremental status file <Project>.ilk":
  linking nonincrementally

Following this warning, the linker performs a full link.

CAUSE
=====

The message is generated when the project's .ilk file has been corrupted. The
most likely cause of this is stopping a build during the link phase by clicking
Stop Build on the Build menu.

RESOLUTION
==========

Use either of the following resolutions:

- Delete the .ilk file. This will cause a non-incremental link next time.
  Linking will be incremental thereafter.

-or-

- Perform a rebuild all. This will delete the .ilk file prior to the build.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article. This bug was corrected in Visual C++ 4.1.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The .ilk file contains information for incremental linking. When you stop the
build during the link phase, this file is truncated to 0 bytes. When the linker
recognizes the corrupted .ilk file, it displays the warning and performs a
complete link. However it does not delete the corrupted file.

The presence of the corrupted .ilk file prevents the creation of a new file with
the correct information during the full link. Therefore, it is necessary to
delete the file manually to reinstate incremental linking.

Additional query words: kbVC400bug 4.00 4.10 3.00 3.10 alwaysupdate dskbsweep

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbVC410fix 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbVC400 kbAudDeveloper
Version           : :4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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