Microsoft KB Archive/119365

= Runtime Error 6009 - Default Environment Size =

Article ID: 119365

Article Last Modified on 10/31/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5

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This article was previously published under Q119365



3.10 3.50

WINDOWS

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SYMPTOMS
When you run an MS-DOS - based application that requires a large amount of environment space, such as a compiler, you may encounter Runtime Error 6009.



CAUSE
This error occurs when there are not enough bytes allocated for the environment.

The default environment size for MS-DOS - based applications running under Windows NT is 256 bytes. Windows NT sets up many more variables than an average MS-DOS operating system usually does and can quickly meet the default size. The following list is an example of default variables after you install Windows NT over MS-DOS:

  COMSPEC COMPUTERNAME HOMEDRIVE HOMEPATH MOUSE OS  OS2LIBPATH PATH PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE PROCESSOR_LEVEL PROMPT SYSTEMROOT TEMP USERDOMAIN USERNAME WINDIR



WORKAROUND
The environment size can be adjusted from the command line or in a .BAT or .CMD file in the SYSTEM32 directory by adding the following line:

  COMMAND /E:XXXX

Additionally, you can use the /P parameter to make the new command interpreter permanent, and you can use the /C parameter to run a specific program after initiating Command.

The environment can also be changed by adding the following line to the CONFIG.NT file in the SYSTEM32 subdirectory

  SHELL=%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\COMMAND.COM /E:SIZE /P

where "SIZE" is the maximum length in bytes you want COMMAND.COM to allocate for each program.

The maximum size for the environment is 32768 bytes.

