angelini@apollo.HP.COM (Bob Angelini) (12/04/90)
I get the following error message on a 286 clone when I try to run several programs: Packed File Is Corrupt The programs (games and apps) run fine on another 286 system, so I know the software is OK. Any ideas on what might cause this message?? Bob Angelini
kabra437@pallas.athenanet.com (Ken Abrams) (12/05/90)
In article <4e61a969.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> angelini@apollo.HP.COM (Bob Angelini) writes: > >I get the following error message on a 286 clone when I try to >run several programs: Packed File Is Corrupt > Surprising as it may seem, you can do TOO good a job of conserving RAM. I don't remember all the gory details but executables produced with certain compilers that include an "EXE packer" would produce this message IF the program is loaded starting below the first 64K segment of RAM. Assuming that you have 640K to start with, if a CHKDSK shows 576K or more available then this might be the problem. You need to do something to eat up a little extra RAM to allow these programs to run. Adding a few more BUFFERS in your CONFIG.SYS file is probably the easiest way. few more BUFFERS -- ======================================================== Ken Abrams uunet!pallas!kabra437 Illinois Bell kabra437@athenanet.com Springfield (voice) 217-753-7965
murli@bobcat.ent.ohiou.edu (murli-ramakrishnan-ISE-272-90-2726) (12/05/90)
I had the same problem on one of my computers. I think it might be because of a hard disk bad sector, I used pc tools diskfix and the software runs ok now Murli Ohio University
robl@idca.tds.PHILIPS.nl (R. Luursema) (12/06/90)
In article <4e61a969.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> angelini@apollo.HP.COM (Bob Angelini) writes: > >I get the following error message on a 286 clone when I try to >run several programs: Packed File Is Corrupt > >The programs (games and apps) run fine on another 286 system, so >I know the software is OK. > >Any ideas on what might cause this message?? > >Bob Angelini I stumbled once also over this problem... Packed files are created by the Microsoft linker when using the exepack option. At load time the executable is unpacked. In my case, the 'Packed file corrupt' message was only given under certain circumstances. The problem was tracked down to A20 GATE signal. This signal enables Addressline 20 from the cpu to the outside world (memory). When A20 is DIS-abled, the system mimicks the 8088/86 1 Mb address-space roll over. This (hardware-) signal is a combination of two sources on the system I worked on. One is from the keyboard controller chip (8042) and is generally used by protected mode (control) programs. The other is from a hidden/proprietary system IO port. The first source is for compatibility and is rather slow, the second is BIOS internal and fast. The 'packed file corrupt' only occurred after some utility left the fast A20 gate in the wrong state (A20-enabled). The mystery was that it only occurred from the first command.com shell; starting a second command.com, or starting from NortonCommander, or running from a debugger made the problem go away. Since the program is already unpacked when loaded by the debugger (it did cot complain while loading), the problem could not be traced using a debugger :-( What I still don't know is WHY the unpacking (code added to the program by the linker) code is sensitive to the enabling/disabling of A20? Is there somebody on the net who can enlighten me? Rob. #---------------------------------------# ______ # Rob Luursema, BS-HW, V1b2 ext 2246 # /____ / organized # Philips Information Systems Apeldoorn # /____ / like the # Domain: robl@idca.tds.philips.nl # /____ / tower of # UUCP: ..!hp4nl!philapd!robl # /____ / pisa ... #include <std/disclaimer> # /____ / #---------------------------------------# ======== A good workman is known by his tools
pasquale@sgl (Pasquale Leone) (12/08/90)
In article <1068@idcapd.idca.tds.philips.nl> robl@idca.tds.PHILIPS.nl (R. Luursema) writes: >>I get the following error message on a 286 clone when I try to >>run several programs: Packed File Is Corrupt >> >>The programs (games and apps) run fine on another 286 system, so >>I know the software is OK. >> >>Any ideas on what might cause this message?? > >Packed files are created by the Microsoft linker when using the >exepack option. >At load time the executable is unpacked. > >In my case, the 'Packed file corrupt' message was only given under certain >circumstances. > >The mystery was that it only occurred from the first command.com shell; >starting a second command.com, or starting from NortonCommander, or > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bingo!! The problem goes away when you lad another command.com or the Norton Commander. It will also go away if load more device drivers or TSR's. The reason is that the code in dos that unpacks the file has a bug in it. It doesn't work if the program is loaded into an area of memory that starts in the first 64k. If you load more device drivers, TSR's another command.com etc you will have occupied the first 64k and the problem goes away. I got this answer from the DesqView manual for DesqView 2.26 (or maybe it was from the qram or qemm manual). The reason it is of interest to them is that Qram for example can load all TSR's etc into high ram thus giving you lots of lower memory; too much in fact. I hope this was enlightening(sp?). pasquale@sgl.ists.ca
mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) (12/10/90)
In article <16069@ists.ists.ca> pasquale@sgl.ists.ca (Pasquale Leone) writes: >In article <1068@idcapd.idca.tds.philips.nl> robl@idca.tds.PHILIPS.nl (R. Luursema) writes: >>>I get the following error message on a 286 clone when I try to >>>run several programs: Packed File Is Corrupt >>> >>>The programs (games and apps) run fine on another 286 system, so >>>I know the software is OK. >>> >>>Any ideas on what might cause this message?? >> >>Packed files are created by the Microsoft linker when using the >>exepack option. >>At load time the executable is unpacked. >> >>In my case, the 'Packed file corrupt' message was only given under certain >>circumstances. >> >>The mystery was that it only occurred from the first command.com shell; >>starting a second command.com, or starting from NortonCommander, or >> >^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bingo!! > >The problem goes away when you lad another command.com or the Norton Commander. >It will also go away if load more device drivers or TSR's. The reason is >that the code in dos that unpacks the file has a bug in it. It doesn't Acutally, the code that unpacks expects that the A20 gate is closed so that memory references beyond the end of the last segment will wrap into the first 64K. The real problem is that the A20 gate is being left open on the malfunctioning system. There are utilities around to display the stat of the A20 gate and to turn it off, however, your BIOS should be turning it off on POST. I've heard that at least one manufacturers BIOS defaults this A20 gate open unless you know the magic incantation to close it. Sigh. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary Mussar |Bitnet: mussar@bnr.ca | Phone: (613) 763-4937 BNR Ltd. | UUCP: ..uunet!bnrgate!bcars53!mussar | FAX: (613) 763-2626
mlord@bwdls58.bnr.ca (Mark Lord) (12/10/90)
In article <1990Dec9.194401.16049@bigsur.uucp> mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) writes: < <Acutally, the code that unpacks expects that the A20 gate is closed so that <memory references beyond the end of the last segment will wrap into the first <64K. The real problem is that the A20 gate is being left open on the <malfunctioning system. There are utilities around to display the stat of <the A20 gate and to turn it off, however, your BIOS should be turning it <off on POST. I've heard that at least one manufacturers BIOS defaults <this A20 gate open unless you know the magic incantation to close it. Sigh. < Thanks for the wisdom, Gary. I had this problem like something wild after installing HYPERDSK for the first time (older version than current). Seems it was leaving the gate wide open and the unpackers were leaving the pasture. The newer release doesn't seem to have this problem. Or maybe it was the QEMM 5.11 upgrade.. ? -- ___Mark S. Lord__________________________________________ | ..uunet!bnrgate!mlord%bmerh724 | Climb Free Or Die (NH) | | MLORD@BNR.CA Ottawa, Ontario | Personal views only. | |________________________________|________________________|
mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) (12/11/90)
In article <5085@bwdls58.UUCP> mlord@bwdls58.bnr.ca (Mark Lord) writes: >In article <1990Dec9.194401.16049@bigsur.uucp> mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) writes: >< ><Acutally, the code that unpacks expects that the A20 gate is closed so that ><memory references beyond the end of the last segment will wrap into the first ><64K. The real problem is that the A20 gate is being left open on the ><malfunctioning system. There are utilities around to display the stat of ><the A20 gate and to turn it off, however, your BIOS should be turning it ><off on POST. I've heard that at least one manufacturers BIOS defaults ><this A20 gate open unless you know the magic incantation to close it. Sigh. >< > >Thanks for the wisdom, Gary. > >I had this problem like something wild after installing HYPERDSK for the >first time (older version than current). Seems it was leaving the gate >wide open and the unpackers were leaving the pasture. The newer release >doesn't seem to have this problem. Or maybe it was the QEMM 5.11 upgrade.. ? >-- I believe Hyperdisk 4.10 had a switch that you could throw to close the A20 gate, but 4.11 actually closed the gate all by its lonesome. Seems that more than just one person was having a few difficulties. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary Mussar |Bitnet: mussar@bnr.ca | Phone: (613) 763-4937 BNR Ltd. | UUCP: ..uunet!bnrgate!bcars53!mussar | FAX: (613) 763-2626
schuster@panix.uucp (Michael Schuster) (12/11/90)
The programs below will turn A20 on and off, as well a report its status. 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