"The File <Project.mak> Cannot Be Written" and Related Errors

ID: Q119520

1.00 1.50 1.51 WINDOWS kbtool

The information in this article applies to:

The Visual Workbench included with:

    - Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.5 and 1.51
    - Microsoft Fortran PowerStation for MS-DOS, versions 1.0 and 1.0a

SUMMARY

After modifying an open project in Visual C++ by either changing the files listed in the project or modifying the build switches, it is possible to get one of the following errors:

The file <project.mak> cannot be written.

This error indicates that the user does not have sufficient access rights to write to the file and is usually related to networking privileges. However, this error can be issued erroneously.

Additionally, the following error may be given incorrectly:

The directory specification '<drive><directory>' is invalid.

This error should indicate a read error usually centered around the inability to change directories on a different drive.

This error may occur after editing a project and selecting the Cancel button. Or, when selecting a project from the Project menu's most-recently- used list.

Manifestations of these errors may vary under different environments.

When these errors are being issued erroneously, it is usually due to a conflicting third party driver, either a 32 bit VxD listed in the [386ENH] section or a 16 bit driver (.DRV) in the [BOOT] section of the SYSTEM.INI file.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem can be resolved by using the standard troubleshooting guidelines for Visual C++ as outlined in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

   Q102333 Troubleshooting Visual C++: Setup and Build Process
   Q117674 How to Create a SYSTEM.INI Without Third-Party
                Drivers

In particular, starting Windows with a SYSTEM.INI file which is free of third party drivers usually solves this problem.

This problem appears to be limited to WFW 3.11 and PC's with multiple drives (logical or hardware). Well known causes of this problem include drivers from PC AnyWhere and Norton Utilities version 8.00.

In the case of Norton Utilities and Norton Desktop the SYMEVNT.386 in the [386Enh] section is the problem. Commenting this out will resolve the problem.

Additional reference words: 1.00 1.50 1.51 makefile KBCategory: kbtool KBSubcategory: VWBIss Keywords : kb16bitonly

Last Reviewed: July 23, 1997