[comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc] Procomm stack overflow

ephram@violet.berkeley.edu (Ephram Cohen) (02/07/91)

I have intermittent trouble with the version of procomm I have.
I am using V 2.4.2  (I know there are 2 newer versions out) and
The machine hangs with a stack overflow sometimes when I hit ^C.
I seem to remember that this is in fact a DOS problem but I can
not remember what the solution is.  If someone could summerize
the problem and the solution I would be appreciative.  I am using
PC dos V3.3 on a clone MB.  I seem to remember that using stacks=0,0
solved this ???

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Ephram Cohen                              ephram@violet.berkeley.edu
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bobmon@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (RAMontante) (02/07/91)

ephram@violet.berkeley.edu (Ephram Cohen) <1991Feb6.192925.11931@agate.berkeley.edu> :
| I have intermittent trouble with the version of procomm I have.
| I am using V 2.4.2  (I know there are 2 newer versions out) and
| The machine hangs with a stack overflow sometimes when I hit ^C.
| I seem to remember that this is in fact a DOS problem but I can


Appended is a patch for this problem, which is caused by a bug in
Procomm itself (apparently).  Although its author says it only matters
for DOS3.2 and up, some versions of v3.1 (such as Zenith's) also
require it.

This works for me.  Hope it helps.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 221 of comp.sys.ibm.pc:
From: gwr@linus.UUCP (Gordon W. Ross)
Subject: Patch to make Procomm work with DOS 3.2
Date: 26 Nov 86 21:59:49 GMT
Organization: The Mitre Corporation
 
Procomm version 2.42 (and maybe others) when run with DOS 3.2 will
cause the system to hang if you press CTRL-BREAK.  The problem is
caused by stack checking code in Procomm which gets confused by the
stack swapping done in DOS 3.2.  Previous versions of DOS do not have
stack swapping and cause no problems for Procomm.
 
This patch is slightly preferable to the previous one I posted
because it disables stack checking only for the break interrupt
handler.  My previous patch disabled the stack check routine itself.
 
The following patch will make Procomm 2.42 work with DOS 3.2.
 
	RENAME PROCOMM.EXE PROCOMM.BIN
	DEBUG PROCOMM.BIN
	E 83D 90 90 90
	W
	Q
	RENAME PROCOMM.BIN PROCOMM.EXE
 
This patch replaces a call to the stack checking routine with NOP
instructions.  If one wants to examine the code further, the entry
point of the routine called to generate a break is at offset 837H
when the file is renamed to a .bin type.  The first call instruction
encountered (at offset 83DH) is to the stack checking routine.
--
    Gordon W. Ross              Phone: (617) 271-2199
    The MITRE Corporation       ARPA: linus!gwr@mitre-bedford
    Bedford, MA  01730          uucp: decvax!linus!gwr