Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!pilchuck!seahcx!phred!johnd
From: johnd@phred.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: System 6.0.5 system heap problems?
Message-ID: <3188@phred.UUCP>
Date: 18 Jul 90 23:11:38 GMT
Sender: johnd@phred.UUCP
Organization: Physio-Control
Lines: 33




My apologies if this has been mentioned before...

My department has just installed system 6.0.5 on our four IIcis
and one Plus.  Everything has been fine except that the Plus,
which has been running Empower (a security program) with system
6.0.4 for over a month with no problem, suddenly brings up a message
that says, "The 'System' file on this startup disk may be damaged.
The installer can be used to repair this disk".

We called Magna, the publisher of Empower, and they said, in essence,
that it wasn't their fault--Apple set the default system heap size
to 128K, and if you change that size to 192K or 256K, it will work.

First of all, I haven't the slightest idea what the system heap is
for--my suspicion is that it has something to do with the system's
RAM allocation.  I also suspect that Magna may not have followed 
Apple's guidelines when they developed Empower and got "caught"
with the system upgrade.  All my other programs seem to be compatible
with the new system.  

How do I change the system heap size?
Is this a good idea?
Anyone else had similar problems?
Who really messed up--Magna or Apple?

I'm reluctant to mess with a perfectly good system just for one
application when MacPassword seems not to have a problem with
the upgrade.  

Thanks for your help