PSS ID Number: 92408
Article Last Modified on 6/12/2001
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Linker for MS-DOS and Windows 5.3
This article was previously published under Q92408
SYMPTOMS
When an application is compiled with Microsoft C version 6.0, it runs without any problems. However, when the application is rebuilt using Microsoft C/C++ version 7.0, the program hangs in the CTR0.ASM module while executing the following code:
MOV cx, __qczrinit ;* Get initializer address
JCXZ @f ;* Is it zero?
CALL cx ;* No -- call indirect
CAUSE
There is a problem in the Microsoft Linker (LINK) version 5.3 that does not initialize data in the DGROUP segment to 0.
RESOLUTION
There are two methods resolve this problem:
- Modify the CRT0DAT.ASM file to initialize _qczrinit. Change line 176 from the following:
dw 1 dup (?)
to the following:
dw 0
Assemble the CRT0DAT.ASM file. Then use the LIB utility to place the CRT0DAT.OBJ file into the C/C++ 7.0 library file. -or-
- Obtain the C/C++ 7.0 patch release. This release contains LINK version 5.31.009 which correctly initialize variables in the DGROUP segment to 0.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in LINK version 5.3. This problem was corrected in LINK version 5.31.009.
MORE INFORMATION
The C 6.0 startup code explicitly initializes _qczrinit to 0 when the variable is declared. The C/C++ 7.0 startup code does not initialize the symbol. Instead the code relies on the linker to perform the initialization automatically. There is a problem in the Microsoft Linker (LINK) version 5.3 that does not initialize data in the DGROUP segment to 0.
Because the _qczrinit value is not initialized, if the random data in the _qczrinit variable is not zero, the startup code calls the address to which the _qczrinit variable points. Calling a random address in this manner causes the system to hang.
Additional query words: 5.30
Keywords: kb16bitonly KB92408
Technology: kbAudDeveloper kbLINK530DOS kbLINKSearch kbVCsearch kbZNotKeyword6
