SmartHeap Library MEM_BAD_POINTER

[Guest]

This was the message I recieved when trying to open a newly installed
program. What does it mean? How can I get the program open? Please use simple
layman's terms. You start talking programming stuff and you might as well
write it in Greek. Thanks in advance.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

This was the message I recieved when trying to open a newly installed
program. What does it mean? How can I get the program open? Please use
simple
layman's terms. You start talking programming stuff and you might as well
write it in Greek. Thanks in advance.

Hi,

I'll try not to speak in Greek, but it won't be easy ...

This error message is being produced by a software component called
SmartHeap. SmartHeap is a programming tool from a company called MicroQuill:
http://www.microquill.com/smartheap/index.html

SmartHeap is used by many 3rd party software makers, to develop their
applications. I guess the particular app you run when you see this error
message, is using SmartHeap.

SmartHeap is a good product. However, it is the component which is producing
the error message; not Windows. The underlying cause could be:

- a problem in the application
- a problem in SmartHeap
- a problem in Windows.

I'd recommend that in the first instance, you contact the vendor of the
specific application program you are using. They may already know about the
problem; and they'll be the ones who can best determine why the error
message is occurring in this case. If necessary, they can liaise with
MicroQuill and Microsoft through the vendor-to-vendor back-channel (ie, you
shouldn't need to be bounced around from company to company).

At least once in the past, this error was in fact caused by a problem in
Windows itself:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910466
although that specific problem was in XP and is fixed in Vista. But there
are many other possible causes for the error message as well.

 

[Guest]

The application is AutoCADLT 98 and it has worked on every other computer I
have had. Is there some way to get rid of the SmartHeap application or to
bypass it? I really need this program to work on my laptop that is running
Windows Vista. Thanks again.

 

[Peter Foldes]

No you cannot remove it from their software application. It is (SmartHeap ) a tool as Andrew has mentioned. It was probably used to build the AutoCADLT 98 application.

I suggest that you get in contact with the programs Tech support and ask if they have any Updates\Fixes\Drivers that will be compatible with this application in the Vista environment

 

[Andrew McLaren]

The application is AutoCADLT 98 and it has worked on every other computer
I
have had. Is there some way to get rid of the SmartHeap application or to
bypass it? I really need this program to work on my laptop that is running
Windows Vista. Thanks again.

You can't replace SmartHeap on its own; it's an integral part of the
compiled application. It would be like changing the brand of gearbox in your
car.

The version that shipped with AutoCAD LT 98 is quite old - there have been
inummerable bug fixes since then. Likewise, AutoCAD LT 98 itself is getting
pretty old - I believe AutoCAD LT 2007 is the earliest version which
Autodesk will support on Vista, even then only if AutoCAD LT 2007 SP2 is
applied. See:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=9217791&linkID=9240817

and ...

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?id=9444794&siteID=123112

By way of comment, Vista certainly tries to preserve backwards
compatibility. But Vista is also much more rigourous in its memory and
process management, mainly for security reasons - so some programming
practices from the distant, primitive past (say, circa 1997) are no longer
acceptable. In these cases, compatibility just to be foresaken for the
greater common good.

In fact, I suspect that AutoCAD LT 98 is totally out of support with
Autodesk - they haven't released any 98 hotfixes since c.2002. Of course,
it's quite an expensive application to upgrade ...

The best thing I can suggest is to try turning on compatibility mode for
AutoCAD. Right-click the AutoCAD LT icon in the Start menu and choose
Properties. Under the Compatibility tab, check the "Run this program in
Compatibility mode" checkbox, and select, say, Windows NT 4.0 from the
drop-down list. This is probably your best shot at getting it running
without the error message.

You could also try asking in the AutoCAD LT user forum; there would be more
folks there with knowledge of AutoCAD LT:
http://discussion.autodesk.com/forum.jspa?forumID=43

Hope this helps a bit,

 

[Lost in IT]

MEM_BAD_POINTER on boot up

Hi,
I'm still some what confused. You guys with the same issue seem to know what application is causing the issue, mine comes up as soon as I log in to my site on boot up. Any ideas what applications are running at that point, is it just XP or will Spybot, AVG antivirus or similar be running then too? Can I look 'somewhere' to see whats running?
Does this MEM_BAD_POINTER alert pose a risk, could it cause a problem or can I just ignore it?

If you are able to offer any advice please bear in mind my user name, 'I am exactaly what it says on the can'

Thanks

Andy