Microsoft KB Archive/58331

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Contents of Windows 3.0 WININI.TXT

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Q58331

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a

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SUMMARY
The following information is contained in the Microsoft Windows 3.0 WININI.TXT README file. The Windows Setup program copies this file to the Windows directory.

MORE INFORMATION
                    WININI.TXT Online Document --

INTRODUCTION

WIN.INI is one of two Windows initialization files that are included with Windows. Windows initialization files contain information that defines your Windows environment. Windows and applications can use the information stored in these files to configure themselves to meet your needs and preferences.

There are two standard Windows initialization files:

your Windows environment according to your preferences.
 * WIN.INI, which primarily contains settings that allow you to alter

customize Windows to meet your system's hardware needs.
 * SYSTEM.INI, which primarily contains settings that allow you to

This document describes the contents of the WIN.INI file and how you can alter it.

For information on the SYSTEM.INI file, see the SYSINI.TXT file.

FORMAT --

Windows initialization files have the following format:

[section name] keyname=value

In this example, [section name] is the name of a section. Sections are used to break settings into logical groups. The enclosing brackets ([]) are required.

The keyname=value statement defines the value of each setting. A keyname is the name of a setting. It can consist of any combination of letters and digits, and must be followed immediately by an equal sign (=). A value is the setting's value. It can be an integer, a string, or a quoted string, depending on the setting.

HOW TO READ LISTINGS IN THIS DOCUMENT -

In this document, WIN.INI settings are listed alphabetically within the sections that contain them. These sections are listed in the following order:

[windows] [desktop] [extensions] [ports] [fonts] [colors] [intl] [PrinterPorts] [devices]

The settings do not appear alphabetically in WIN.INI. If you want to change a setting, you will have to search for it within the appropriate section.

The syntax, purpose, and recommended method for changing each setting appears in the following format:

SettingName=

Purpose:  This paragraph briefly describes the function of the setting and its default value (if applicable).

To change: This sentence states the recommended method for changing the value of this setting.

The  indicates whether the value should be a number, a letter, a range of numbers, or something else.

CHANGING SETTINGS -

Windows created the WIN.INI file when you installed Windows. All of the settings contained in these files were set to default values defined by Windows.

You may want to change one or more of these values in order to change the appearance or performance of Windows to suit your needs.

There are two ways to change WIN.INI settings:


 * You can use Control Panel to change most settings.


 * Use a text editor such as Notepad to directly edit the files.

Most settings in WIN.INI can be changed by using Control Panel. This method allows you to avoid opening these files as text files, where it is easier to make mistakes.

For more information on Control Panel, see Chapter 5, &quot;Control Panel,&quot; in the User's Guide.

Some changes cannot be made using Control Panel. For these changes, you must open the WIN.INI file and edit it using a text editor, such as Notepad. For more information on how to use Notepad, see Chapter 10, &quot;Additional Accessories,&quot; in the User's Guide.

CAUTION: You should use care when making changes to your WIN.INI file using a text editor. Incorrect changes to WIN.INI can lead to unexpected results when you run Windows. The listings in this document indicate which settings can be changed using Control Panel. Use this method whenever possible.

UPDATING WIN.INI FROM PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF WINDOWS --

If you update your system to Windows Version 3.00 from Windows Versions 2.x, Setup will automatically update your WIN.INI file by making the following changes:

In the [windows] section, Setup will add one setting

Documents=

and will unset another setting:

Device=

In the [extensions] section, Setup will add two settings:

pcx=pbrush.exe ^.pcx rec=recorder.exe ^.rec

In the [devices] section, Setup will remove all entries. The previous drivers, fonts and other resources will remain in your system. But, Setup will ask you whether you want to upgrade to the new driver or stay with the previous one.

All other sections are left unchanged.

If you are updating to Windows Version 3.00 from Windows Versions 1.x, your WIN.INI file will not be automatically updated.

WHAT IS IN WIN.INI? ---

The settings in the WIN.INI file allow you to personalize your Windows environment. WIN.INI contains several sections, each of which consists of a group of related settings. Your WIN.INI file may not have all of these sections, or it might have additional sections. This depends on your system's hardware and software requirements. The following sections can appear in WIN.INI:

This Section              Does This -

[windows]                 Affects an assortment of elements in your Windows environment.

[desktop]                 Controls the appearance of the screen background (desktop) and the positioning of                          windows and icons.

[extensions]              Associates specified types of files with corresponding applications.

[ports]                   Lists all available communications ports.

[fonts]                   Describes the font files that are loaded by                           Windows.

[colors]                  Defines colors for parts of the Windows display.

[intl]                    Describes how to display items for countries other than the United States.

[PrinterPorts]            Lists active and inactive output devices that can be accessed by Windows.

[devices]                 Lists active output devices that can be                           accessed by Windows. Additional query words: 3.00 3.0 3.0a 3.00a win30

Keywords :

Issue type :

Technology : kbWin3xSearch kbWin300 kbWin300a