PRB: "Invalid DOS Path" Error Message (155437)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 16-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 16-bit, for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows 5.0
This article was previously published under Q155437

SYMPTOMS

While doing a GET or VIEW from the Show History dialog, a Check In of a large file, or a Difference on a large file, the user gets the following message:
"Invalid DOS path <drive>:<path>"

CAUSE

The Temp_Path setting in the SRCSAFE.INI file is set to an invalid directory.

RESOLUTION

Edit the SRCSAFE.INI file and change the Temp_Path setting to an existing directory.

If Temp_Path is set to a network drive make sure that the network connection is stable.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

The SRCSAFE.INI file has an initialization variable called Temp_Path. This tells Visual SourceSafe where to put its temporary files. If Temp-Path is set to a non-existent location, an error will occur when Visual SourceSafe attempts to access the non-existent location.

Visual SourceSafe will use a temporary directory when any one of the following actions is performed:

  1. Doing a GET of an older version of a file from the Show History dialog that it can't fit into memory. This is more likely to happen with binary files.
  2. Doing a VIEW of an older version of a file from the Show History dialog.
  3. Doing a Check In of a large file that it can't fit into memory. This is more likely to happen with binary files.
  4. Doing a Difference on a large file that it can't fit into memory. This is more likely to happen with binary files.
If the Temp_Path in the SRCSAFE.INI file is invalid, it may corrupt the file when any of the previously-mentioned actions are performed. By default, Temp_Path is set to a directory called "temp" that is created by the server installation. Therefore, this situation should only arise if a user has edited the SRCSAFE.INI file.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/10/2003
Keywords:kbprb KB155437
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.