BUG: LNK1200 Error Issued Because of Low Disk Space

The information in this article applies to:

   The Microsoft Linker (LINK.EXE) included with:
     - Microsoft Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

When building a project with debug information under low disk space conditions (on either the project drive or the TEMP\ directory drive), the following error may be generated:

   LINK : error LNK1200: error reading program database

   LINK : warning LNK4081: low on disk space;
          linking non-incrementally

CAUSE

When LINK fails because of low disk space conditions, corruption of the .PDB file associated with the target may occur. Because .PDB files are updated incrementally, subsequent builds that update the .PDB file for the target will fail and give the LNK1200 error.

RESOLUTION

Having LINK generate a new .PDB file for the target will alleviate the problem. The resolution has two steps:

1. Delete the (corrupt) .PDB file for the target.

2. Free up enough disk space, so that there is sufficient room for the new .PDB file and the updated target.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The LNK4081 warning is warning you that there is not enough disk space for the Linker to update the .ILK file or write out a new one if one doesn't already exist.