Troubleshooting 'Segment Load Failure' Errors

 Last reviewed: December 11, 1997
Article ID: Q94380
3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 WINDOWS kbtshoot

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11
  • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

Microsoft Windows loads programs into memory in segments (64K blocks of memory) marked fixed, movable, or discardable. Windows can unload discardable segments when it needs more memory for other applications.

When an application needs to access a segment of code that is not in memory, Windows loads it from the hard disk. If Windows cannot load the segment for some reason, it generates a "Segment Load Failure" error.

MORE INFORMATION

"Segment Load Failure" errors are generated if a discarded code segment has been damaged or moved, or if Windows lacks the system resources to load a file, as in the case when there are not enough MS-DOS file handles.

"Segment Load Failure" errors may also be caused by corrupt binary files. Reinstalling Windows or Windows for Workgroups into a new directory or over itself may alleviate the error.

You can troubleshoot "Segment Load Failure" errors in the same manner that you would troubleshoot a general protection (GP) fault or an unrecoverable application error (UAE). For more information on these troubleshooting procedures, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   gp and tshoot

KBCategory: kbother kbtshoot
KBSubcategory: win30 win31 wfw wfwg winmem
Additional reference words: gpf 3.00 3.00a 3.10 moveable 3.11

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Last reviewed: December 11, 1997
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