Article ID: 151667
Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q151667
SUMMARY
This article describes some of the Windows files you may find in the root folder of your hard disk.
MORE INFORMATION
Autoexec.bat - Windows configuration file
This file contains commands that should be run by Windows before
the 32-bit portion of the operating system is started.
This file is necessary only if you need to load a real-mode driver.
Autoexec.dos - Previous MS-DOS Autoexec.bat file
This file contains the original Autoexec.bat file from the previous
operating system. It is used if you boot the previous operating
system.
Bootlog.prv - Previous Windows startup log file
This file records the progress of the previous Windows startup
process. When you request a logged boot (or if Windows performs one
automatically), the previous Bootlog.txt file is renamed to Bootlog.prv
before the new Bootlog.txt file is created.
This file is not necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
can be deleted.
Bootlog.txt - Windows startup log file
This file records the progress of the Windows startup (boot)
process. It is created if you request a logged boot, and is also
created automatically by Windows if Windows detected that the
previous boot was unsuccessful.
This file is not necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
can be deleted.
Command.com - Windows command line processor
This program is the Windows command line processor.
This file is necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
should not be deleted.
Command.dos - Previous MS-DOS Command.com file
This file contains the original Command.com file from the previous
operating system. It is used if you request to boot the previous
operating system.
Config.dos - Previous MS-DOS Config.sys file
This file contains the original Config.sys file from the previous
operating system. It is used if you boot the previous operating
system.
Config.sys - Windows configuration file
This file contains parameters that describe the real-mode (16-bit)
drivers that should be loaded into memory as part of the Windows
startup process.
This file is necessary only if you need to load a real-mode driver.
Cvt.log - Drive Converter (FAT32) Log File
This file is created by the Drive Converter (FAT32)
when you convert a drive to FAT32 and may be useful
for troubleshooting failed conversions.
To remove this file, delete it from Windows Explorer.
Detlog.old - Previous Windows detection log file
This file records the progress of the previous Windows hardware
detection process. When you request that new hardware be detected, the
previous Detlog.txt file is renamed to Detlog.old before the new
Detlog.txt file is created.
This file is not necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
can be deleted.
Detlog.txt - Windows detection log file
This file records the progress of the Windows hardware detection
process. It is created during hardware detection and is consulted by
the hardware detection recovery process if the previous attempt to
detect hardware caused problems.
This file is not necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
can be deleted.
Io.dos - Previous MS-DOS Io.sys file
This file contains the original Io.sys file from the previous operating
system. It is used if you boot the previous operating system.
Io.sys - Windows MS-DOS
This file contains Windows MS-DOS.
This file is necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
should not be deleted.
Logo.sys - Windows logo
This file contains the Windows logo that is displayed as part of the
startup process.
Note that Windows 98 does not use the Logo.sys file. If you are running
Windows 98, this file may not exist in the root folder.
Msdos.dos - Previous MS-DOS Msdos.sys file
This file contains the original Msdos.sys file from the previous
operating system. It is used if you boot the previous operating
system.
Msdos.sys - Windows configuration file
This file contains parameters necessary for the early phases of the
Windows startup process. For more information, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: 118579
TITLE : Contents of the Windows Msdos.sys File
This file is necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
should not be deleted.
Oemlog.txt - Windows Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) log file
This file records the progress of the Windows OEM preinstallation
process.
This file is not necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
can be deleted.
Scandisk.log - ScanDisk log file
This file is created by the ScanDisk program to record the result of
the most recent disk scan.
This file is not necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
can be deleted.
Setuplog.txt - Windows Setup log file
This file is created by Windows Setup to record the progress of the
installation procedure. It is consulted by Windows Setup as part of
installation recovery.
This file is not necessary for the proper operation of Windows and
can be deleted.
Suhdlog.dat - Windows Setup hard disk log file
This file contains a copy of all Master Boot Records and Partition Boot
Records on the system both before and after the upgrade to Windows.
This file is used by Windows Uninstall to restore the hard disk
master boot sector as part of the uninstall process.
To remove this file, click "Old Windows 3.x and MS-DOS system files" in
the Add/Remove Programs tool and then click Add/Remove.
System.1st - Windows first registry
This file contains a copy of the original registry created by Windows setup.
Although this file is not necessary for the proper operation of Windows
and can be deleted, it is recommended that the file be retained
because it can be used to restore the registry should it become
damaged.
Videorom.bin - a copy of your onboard video card's ROM.
This file is used by Windows 98 to support multiple
monitors. It is created during startup, when the system
has only one video adapter (if the file does not already
exist). If you delete this file, you lose support
for multiple monitors until you remove all but your
primary video adapter and restart Windows (so that
this file can be re-created).
W95undo.dat - Windows 95 uninstall data file
This file contains a compressed backup of Windows 3.x files that were
replaced as part of the Windows 95 installation process. It is created
by Windows 95 Setup and is used as part of the Windows 95 uninstall
process.
To remove this file, click "Old Windows 3.x and MS-DOS system files" in
the Add/Remove Programs tool and then click Add/Remove.
W95undo.ini - Windows 95 uninstall script file
This file contains a listing of files backed up in the W95undo.dat
file. It is created by Windows 95 Setup and is used as part of the
Windows 95 uninstall process.
To remove this file, click "Old Windows 3.x and MS-DOS system files" in
the Add/Remove Programs tool and then click Add/Remove.
Keywords: kbinfo kbsetup KB151667
