View source for SYSTEM.INI

{{refimprove|date=October 2010}}
'''<code>SYSTEM.INI</code>''' is an initialization ([[INI file|INI]] file) used in early versions of [[Microsoft Windows]] (from [[Windows 1.0|1.01]] up to [[Windows Me|Me]]) to load [[device drivers]] and the default [[Windows shell]] ([[Program Manager]] or [[Windows Explorer]]), among other system settings. Many of these settings were honored in Windows 9x ([[Windows 95|95]], [[Windows 98|98]] and [[Windows Me|Me]]), although the INI files had begun to be phased out in favor of the [[Windows Registry]]. Windows [[Windows NT 4.0|NT 4.0]], [[Windows 2000|2000]], [[Windows XP|XP]] and [[Windows Server 2003|Server 2003]] still acknowledge some <code>SYSTEM.INI</code> entries in order to provide backwards compatibility with older 16-bit applications. Windows [[Windows Vista|Vista]] and beyond also have <code>SYSTEM.INI</code> as well. However, when a fresh install of [[Windows XP|XP]]/[[Windows Server 2003|Server 2003]] is performed, the <code>SYSTEM.INI</code> file created contains by default only these lines:
<syntaxhighlight lang="ini">; for 16-bit app support
[drivers]
wave=mmdrv.dll
timer=timer.drv
[mci]
[driver32]
[386enh]
woafont=dosapp.FON
EGA80WOA.FON=EGA80WOA.FON
EGA40WOA.FON=EGA40WOA.FON
CGA80WOA.FON=CGA80WOA.FON
CGA40WOA.FON=CGA40WOA.FON
</syntaxhighlight>
==Editing==
[[Microsoft]] bundles two specialized text/[[ASCII]] editors for core [[configuration file]]s (such as <code>PROTOCOL.INI</code>, <code>[[WIN.INI]]</code>, <code>SYSTEM.INI</code>, <code>[[CONFIG.SYS]]</code>, and <code>[[AUTOEXEC.BAT]]</code>) with its operating systems. [[Sysedit]] is an [[Multiple document interface|MDI]] [[text editor]] that opens all these files simultaneously, available in all versions of Windows beginning with [[Windows 3.0]], except [[Windows Me|Me]]<ref>[http://aumha.org/a/msconfig.htm MSCONFIG and SYSEDIT]</ref> and no longer after Windows 7. [[MSConfig]] is a front end interface application that allows the user to enable and disable drivers, Windows shell and applications separately from being loaded at startup by the aforementioned files and from the Run, RunEx, and RunOnce [[Windows Registry]] keys.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
<code>SYSTEM.INI</code> in Windows 3.x (3.0, 3.10 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11) and Windows 9x (95, 98 and Me):
*MSKB: [http://support.microsoft.com/?id=83435 Windows 3.1 Resource Kit SYSTEM.INI &#91;386ENH&#93; Section A-L]
*MSKB: [http://support.microsoft.com/?id=83436 Windows 3.1 Resource Kit SYSTEM.INI &#91;386ENH&#93; Section M-Z]
*MDGx: [http://www.mdgx.com/lastweek.htm#SYSINI SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS]
{{DEFAULTSORT:System.Ini}}
[[Category:Windows files]]
[[Category:Configuration files]]
{{Windows-stub}}