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Q151501: FIX: Linking Large Projects Can Be Very Slow

Article: Q151501
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): winnt:5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbtool kbVC500bug kbVS97sp1fix
Last Modified: 06-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- The Linker (LINK.EXE), included with:
   - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition, version 5.0 
   - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition, version 5.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Linking a large project can take significantly longer than expected.

CAUSE
=====

The linker version 5.00.7022 that was shipped with Visual C++ 5.0 does two types
of optimizations to decrease the image size and increase the program speed.
Transitive COMDAT Elimination(TCE) and Identical COMDAT Folding(ICF). TCE
removes unreferenced COMDATs, while ICF folds identical COMDATs into one copy.
The linker option for TCE is /OPT:REF and the option for ICF is /OPT:ICF.
/OPT:REF, which is the default for the release build, turns on /OPT:ICF by
default. Some applications cause ICF to proceed very slowly.

RESOLUTION
==========

Turn off Identical COMDAT folding(ICF) by specifying /OPT:NOICF in your linker
options.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article. This bug has been corrected in Visual Studio 97
Service Pack 1.

For additional information about the Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 1, please see
the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q170365 INFO: Visual Studio 97 Service Packs - What, Where, and Why

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbtool kbVC500bug kbVS97sp1fix 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbLINKSearch kbLINK100
Version           : winnt:5.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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