FIX: Error Message A4100: Impure Memory Reference (32691)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) 5.1

This article was previously published under Q32691

SYMPTOMS

MASM incorrectly generates the error message "A4100: Impure memory reference" on the following source code:

   .286
   CODE segment
        ASSUME cs:code
        var1   db    ?
        DIV    var1
   CODE ends

CAUSE

The DIV instruction incorrectly generates the error message. This error occurs when the ".386" directive is used instead of the ".286" directive and the "dw" directive is used instead of the "db" directive. Also, if the ".386" directive is used with the "dd" directive, the DIV instruction will generate the error message again.

RESOLUTION

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Version 5.10. This problem was corrected in MASM version 5.10a.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft product listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in version 5.10a.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	10/20/2003
Keywords:	kbfix KB32691