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6.12 DJGPP programs crash on a ThinkPad

Q: I cannot run any DJGPP program on my ThinkPad! They all cause the Windows DOS box to crash with a message about a General Protection Exception at some cryptic addres like 0277:0044!

A: This is a known problem with the ThinkPad: it is supplied with a set of PCMCIA device drivers from CardWorks that conflict with many DOS-extended programs, not only DJGPP (the CardWorks README file mentions problems with PKZIP which also uses protected-mode instructions).

The only known solution is to uninstall the PCMCIA drivers. Obvioulsy, this is a solution only if you don't actually use any of the PCMCIA devices.