C6332

warning C6332: Invalid parameter: passing zero as the dwFreeType parameter to <function> is not allowed. This results in the failure of this call

This warning indicates that an invalid parameter is being passed to VirtualFree or VirtualFreeEx. VirtualFree and VirtualFreeEx both reject a dwFreeType parameter of zero. The dwFreeType parameter can be either MEM_DECOMMIT or MEM_RELEASE. However, the values MEM_DECOMMIT and MEM_RELEASE may not be used together in the same call. Also, make sure that the return value of the VirtualFree function is not ignored.

Example

The following code generates this warning because an invalid parameter is passed to the VirtualFree function:

#include <windows.h>  
#define PAGELIMIT 80              
  
DWORD dwPages = 0;  // count of pages   
DWORD dwPageSize;   // page size   
  
VOID f( VOID )  
{  
  LPVOID lpvBase;            // base address of the test memory  
  BOOL bSuccess;             
  SYSTEM_INFO sSysInfo;      // system information  
  
  GetSystemInfo( &sSysInfo );    
  dwPageSize = sSysInfo.dwPageSize;  
  
  // Reserve pages in the process's virtual address space  
  lpvBase = VirtualAlloc(  
                         NULL,                // system selects address  
                         PAGELIMIT*dwPageSize, // size of allocation  
                         MEM_RESERVE,          
                         PAGE_NOACCESS );       
  if (lpvBase)  
  {  
    // code to access memory   
  }  
  else  
  {  
    return;  
  }  
  
  bSuccess = VirtualFree( lpvBase, 0, 0 );   
  // code ...  
}  

To correct this warning, modify the call to the VirtualFree function as shown in the following code:

#include <windows.h>  
#define PAGELIMIT 80              
  
DWORD dwPages = 0;  // count of pages   
DWORD dwPageSize;   // page size   
  
VOID f( VOID )  
{  
  LPVOID lpvBase;            // base address of the test memory  
  BOOL bSuccess;             
  SYSTEM_INFO sSysInfo;      // system information  
  
  GetSystemInfo( &sSysInfo );    
  dwPageSize = sSysInfo.dwPageSize;  
  
  // Reserve pages in the process's virtual address space  
  lpvBase = VirtualAlloc(  
                         NULL,                // system selects address  
                         PAGELIMIT*dwPageSize, // size of allocation  
                         MEM_RESERVE,          
                         PAGE_NOACCESS );       
  if (lpvBase)  
  {  
    // code to access memory   
  }  
  else  
  {  
    return;  
  }  
  
  bSuccess = VirtualFree( lpvBase, 0, MEM_RELEASE );  
  // code ...  
}   

The use of VirtualAlloc and VirtualFree have many pitfalls in terms of memory leaks and exceptions. To avoid these kinds of leaks and exception problems altogether, use the mechanisms that are provided by the C++ Standard Template Library (STL). These include shared_ptr, unique_ptr, and vector. For more information, see Smart Pointers and C++ Standard Library.

See Also

VirtualAlloc Method
VirtualFree Method