FIX: Incorrectly Generated A4100: Impure Memory Reference

 Last reviewed: September 11, 1997
Article ID: Q59567
5.00 5.10 5.10a | 5.00 5.10 5.10a 
MS-DOS          | OS/2
kbtool kbfixlist kbbuglist

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Macro Assembler for MS-DOS, versions 5.0, 5.1, and 5.1a
  • Microsoft Macro Assembler for OS/2, versions 5.1, and 5.1a

SYMPTOMS

Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM) may generate the following warning 

   A4100: Impure memory reference
on a line where data is being accessed from the code segment, not where it is being stored.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MASM versions 5.0, 5.1, and 5.1a. This problem was corrected in MASM version 6.0.

MORE INFORMATION

Writing data to the code segment is acceptable in real mode; however, it may cause problems in protected (priviledged) mode. The /P option tells MASM 5.0, 5.1, and 5.1a to generate warning messages if an attempt is made to store data in the code segment when operating in protected mode. This is called an impure memory reference.

Note that in MASM 6.0, checking for impure memory references is no longer enabled by a command-line option, but by OPTION READONLY. The equivalent warning message in MASM 6.0 would be A4000: cannot modify READONLY segment.

Sample Code

; Assemble options needed: none

.MODEL small .286p

.CODE 

    mov al, cs:[bp]
    mul word ptr cs:[bp+2]  ; flagged as an error
END

Additional reference words: 5.00 5.10 5.10a buglist5.00 buglist5.10
buglist5.10a fixlist6.00
KBCategory: kbtool kbfixlist kbbuglist
KBSubCategory: MLIss
Solution Type : kbfix

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Last reviewed: September 11, 1997
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