32-bit masm v80 won't run on Win XP SP2

[JFG]

Howdy everybody?  :lol

I put in the 32-bit version of MASM version 8.0 on a computer running Windows XP SP2, along with the associated cvtres executable (and other related supporting files, e.g. DLLs), and tried running both from the DOS prompt, but for both I just get back a message saying that the system cannot execute the programs specified.  Are these supposed to be run in some other way?

[GregL]

JFG,

What is the exact error you are getting?

[JFG]

DOS says "The system cannot execute the specified program".

[Vortex]

JFG,

Masm V8.0 can be obtained freely from MS. You need to install it over VC++ 2005 Express edition.

[zooba]

Apparently you also need to have the .Net Framework installed. Though I don't know for sure. Mine works, but I probably got the framework with VS Express.

Cheers,

Zooba :U

[Vortex]

JFG,

zooba explained well, .NET Framework 2.0 should be installed with VC++ Express 2005 edition.

Microsoft Macro Assembler 8.0 (MASM) Package (x86)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=7A1C9DA0-0510-44A2-B042-7EF370530C64&displaylang=en

[Shantanu Gadgil]

As long as one is going with the .NET 2.0 runtime everything should work, I guess.

Manos has mentioned that ML 8.0 also works by installing the vcredist_x86.exe here:
http://www.masm32.com/board/index.php?topic=4970.msg37270#msg37270

I guess if you really _don't_ want to install the .NET runtime, you can give the "redist" thing a try?!?

Regards,
Shantanu

[GregL]

JFG,

Yep, as the guys already said above, you need to install one of the following:

1.  Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package
2.  .NET Framework 2.0
3.  Visual C++ 2005 (which installs 2 above)

ML.EXE 8.0 has a dependancy on MSVCR80.DLL, and you can't just copy the DLL, it has to be installed by one of the above.

If you want to know why, read this: Visual Studio 2005 DLL Hell

[JFG]

Thanks for the help everybody!   :bg

Gee whiz!  What happened with the days when we could just slap any executable file wherever and use it?  And why do I have to do things "the right way?"  Now I'll have to close all my programs and restart my computer!!  I wanted to hog that vast empty space on my two big fat hard-drives for nothing; now I'll have to give up a piece of it for that fatso Visual Studio 2005 and all that extrauseful blubber inspired by Microsoft 'seeing my potential,' all stuffed there for making life easier.  If I wanted to make my life easier I would program in extrapretty drag-and-drop C++ with MFC instead of making the most possible from scratch with x86 + MMX + 3D-Now! + SSE1 + SSE2 + Prescott macro assembly language.  Is there maybe some way I can stick in the MSVCR80 DLL on my hard-drive and fiddle bits in the Windows registry to trick Windows into making this work?  I don't like things being easy.

[GregL]

Is there maybe some way I can stick in the MSVCR80 DLL on my hard-drive and fiddle bits in the Windows registry to trick Windows into making this work?

Not that I know of. It's all rather complex.

[japheth]

> Not that I know of. It's all rather complex.

it's complex because MS deliberately made it complex. The problem simply is that the MASM v8 binary requires a "newer" version of MSVCR80.DLL and with an old one you get these messages about "cannot execute".

There was no good reason at all to make masm dependant from a MSVC dll, it could have been linked statically, avoiding all these problems.