Re: Error $201 on 8-bit apps

[nparker@inferno.uoregon.edu]

In article <1190826972-980727034400@rook.wa.com>,
Brian Hammack <brian.hammack@rook.wa.com> wrote:
>   Okay, here's the deal.  Recently every time I load the full System
>and try to launch ProTerm with QuickLaunch, the computer makes like
>it's going to run the program then bails to a screen that says I have
>encountered error $201 (can't allocate memory) and reboots.  But I can
>run 16-bit programs without problems.  Thought it might be just Quick-
>Launch getting flaky, but when double-clicking any 8-bit apps' icons,
>same thing happens:  under full system load I can run GSHK but not
>Shrink It 3.4.  And what more, the problems don't happen when I do a
>partial boot (with the Skip'em init after QuickLaunch, GUPP and the
>screen saver); QuickLaunch works fine.  The $201 hits when everything
>is loaded and I try to run any 8-bit program.  The 8-bit programs *do*
>work fine with a shift-boot or a Skip'em boot.  Here's the kicker:
>
>     This only started happening in the last week and I haven't added
>anything to the System sequence in a month (all worked fine under a
>full boot prior to a week ago!).  Suggestions, ideas?  Has one of my
>memory-based doodads (CDevs, DA's, Extras) suddenly gone wonky on me?

Question:  Are you using System 6.0 (*not* 6.0.1)?  If you're using
6.0.1, are you using the "Find File" NDA from System 6.0?

The Find File NDA that comes with System 6.0 has a bug--when you try
to find a file, it allocates memory in bank 0, but forgets to free it
when it's done.  This makes ProDOS 8 programs choke, because GSOS can't
launch a ProDOS 8 program unless it can allocate all of banks 0 and 1
for ProDOS.

This bug was fixed in the version of Find File that comes with System
6.0.1.  There's an INIT called "FixFindFile" that patches the 6.0 version.

You don't need to change any configuration to activate this bug.  You
just have to use Find File.  The next attempted launch of a ProDOS 8 program
after using Find File will crash the computer (unless you reboot first).

               - Neil Parker
-- 
Neil Parker, nparker@inferno.uoregon.edu, nparker@axis.llx.com,
http://axis.llx.com/~nparker/     (Note new addresses and home page!)

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