Registry DataBase : DOS and Windows 3.1
CD-ROM in MS-DOS mode for 95/98 - No DOS in 95/98 - Folder DOS Menu
Environment variables - DOS Prompt - 16 bit applications

See also the policies section about the Program Manager.

 
Top CD-ROM in MS-DOS mode for 95/98
Key : HKLM \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \MS-DOSOptions \CD-ROM
Entry : Flags (DOS CD-ROM)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 00 00 00 00
Suggested value : 02 00 00 00
02 00 00 00 : Adds the CD-ROM option which can be ticked in the MS-DOS mode program option setting wizard. When you create a shortcut for an MS-DOS program, in the Program tab of its properties you can find a Configuration button if MS-DOS mode is ticked. If you click that button, the Select the MS-DOS configuration options dialog box is displayed. There, you can tick the chosen items in the list, but by default, there is no CD-ROM option. Then, add the entries Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. You can thus add your own subkeys for your soundcard, etc.
 
Key : HKLM \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \MS-DOSOptions \CD-ROM
Entry : Config.sys (DOS CD-ROM)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested value : Device=Path\CDDriver.sys /D:DriveName
Config.sys line used for loading a low-level CD driver.
 
Key : HKLM \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \MS-DOSOptions \CD-ROM
Entry : Autoexec.bat (DOS CD-ROM)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested value : Mscdex /D:DriveName
Autoexec.bat line used for enabling a CD drive.
 
Top No DOS in 95/98
Key : HKCU \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \Policies \WinOldApp
Entry : Disabled
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98
Type : REG_DWORD
Range : 0 or 1
Default value : 0
1 : Disable the MS-DOS prompt in Windows 95/98.
 
Key : HKCU \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \Policies \WinOldApp
Entry : NoRealMode
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98
Type : REG_DWORD
Range : 0 or 1
Default value : 0
1 : Removes the option Restart in MS-DOS mode in Windows closing dialog box.
 
Top Folder DOS Menu
Key : HKCR \Folder \shell \DosPrompt (or whatever you like)
Entry : Default (Menu DOS)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Possible value : Name you want to see in the folders' context menu
DOS Prompt, for example, to be able to open a DOS prompt from any folder's context menu. If you want to know more about customizing context menus, see the File Type section.
 
Key : HKCR \Folder \shell \DosPrompt \Command
Entry : Default (shell DOS)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Shell to be executed.
95, 95+IE4.x, 98 : command.com /k cd %1
NT, 2K : cmd.com /k cd %1
 
Top Environment variables
Key : HKCU \Environment
Entry : TEMP
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : %System%\Temp
Path for temporary files.
 
Key : HKCU \Environment
Entry : TMP
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : %System%\Temp
Path for temporary files.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Session Manager \Environment
Entry : ComSpec
System : 95, 95+IE4x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_EXPAND_SZ
95/98/ME Default : %Windir%\Command.com
NT/2K Default : %Systemroot%\System32\Cmd.exe
Path and file name for command interpreter.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Session Manager \Environment
Entry : Path
System : 95, 95+IE4x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_EXPAND_SZ
95/98/ME Default : %Windir%;C:\Windows\Command
NT/2K Default : %Systemroot%\System32;%Systemroot%
95/98/ME : Path for programs to be executed in Windows.
NT/2K
: Path for Windows NT logon programs and Explorer.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Session Manager \Environment
Entry : Windir
System : 95, 95+IE4x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_EXPAND_SZ
95/98/ME Default : C:\Windows
NT/2K Default : %Systemroot%\System32\Cmd.exe
95/98/ME : Path where Windows is installed.
NT/2K
:Path and file name for
WOW command interpreter.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Session Manager \Environment
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Processor and system information.
For example, a Pentium II 233 :
Entry : NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS   Entry : PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER
Value : 1   Value : x86 Family 6 Model 3 Stepping 4, GenuineIntel
Entry : OS   Entry : PROCESSOR_LEVEL
Value : Windows_NT   Value : 6
Entry : PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE   Entry : PROCESSOR_REVISION
Value : x86   Value : 0304
 
Top DOS Prompt
Key : HKCU \Software \Microsoft \Command Processor
Entry : CompletionChar
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
0x09 : Enables using Tab at the DOS prompt as in Unix.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : CursorSize
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0x19
Cursor size in percentage of character area.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : FullScreen
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0
0 : Window command line.
1 : Full screen command line.
Works only on x86 machines.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : FaceName
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : Null
Font.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : FontFamily
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : Null
Font family.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : FontSize
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0
Weak Bit : width.
Strong Bit : height.
Font size.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : FontWeight
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0
Font weight.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : HistoryBufferSize
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0x32
Number of commands to be stored in history.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : NumberOfHistoryBuffers
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0x4
Number of history buffers.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : HistoryNoDup
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Range : 0 or 1
Default : 0
1 : Deletes doublet commands in history.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : ScreenBufferSize
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0x00190050
Weak Bit : width.
Strong Bit : height.
Number of lines for the size of the screen buffer, to be able to go up in the window with the lift bar.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : PopupColors
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0xf5
Weak Bit : popup window text color.
Strong Bit : popup window background color.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : ScreenColors
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0x00190050
Weak Bit : text color.
Strong Bit : background color.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : WindowSize
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : 0x00190050
Weak Bit : window width.
Strong Bit : window height.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : WindowPosition
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Default : Not set
Weak Bit : horizontal window position.
Strong Bit : vertical window position.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : InsertMode
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Range : 0 or 1
Default : 0
0 : Enables insertion mode, as when you hit Insert.
1 : Enables overwrite mode.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : QuickEdit
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Range : 0 or 1
Default : 0
1 : Enables mouse for cut and paste at DOS prompt.
 
Key : HKCU \Console
Entry : CurrentPage
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD
Range : 0, 1, 2 or 3
Indicates the last page consulted in the properties of the Control Panel Console icon.
0 : General parameters
1 : Font
2 : Layout
3 : Colors
 
Top 16 bit applications
The key HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \WOW contains the pamameters for sessions aimed at executing DOS and Windows 3.1 applications, i.e. 16 bit applications.
VDM (Virtual Dos Machine) : DOS applications.
WOW (Windows 3.1 on Windows 95/NT) : Windows 3.1 applications.
16 bit applications are executed inside Ntvdm.exe whose options are :
-a   Command to be sent to the VDM
-f   Path of Ntvdm.exe
-m   Minimize VDM window at start
-w   Tells the VDM to start a WOW session
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \WOW
Entry : Cmdline
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_EXPAND_SZ
Default : %SystemRoot%\System32\Ntvdm.exe
Shell for DOS applications.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \WOW
Entry : DefaultSeparateVDM
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Range : yes or no
Default : no
yes : 16 bit applications are executed in separated memory areas.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \WOW
Entry : KnownDLLs
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : shell.dll commdlg.dll mmsystem.dll olecli.dll olesvr.dll ddeml.dll win87em.dll toolhelp.dll lanman.drv netapi.dll pmspl.dll wowdeb.exe
List of known DLLs to be used in WOW VDM for compatibility with 16 bit applications. When the system needs to load a DLL, it will compare the required DLL with the DLLs in the list and load the corresponding DLL from %SystemRoot% \System32. If you want to replace a DLL, you must delete it from that list for the system to look for it elsewhere. User.dll, Gdi.dll, and System.drv are not in that list because they are required for Windows NT to work. Their location can not be modified.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \WOW
Entry : LPT_timeout
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : 15
Delay in seconds after using an LPT port after which Windows NT will take the control of that port, close it and empty it.
This value is only needed by applications using the BIOS and which do not close the port. It is only used by DOS applications.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \WOW
Entry : Size
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : 0
Amount of memory in Mb to be allocated for each VDM DOS session.
0 : Windows NT will allocate as much memory as necessary as it will judge necessary, depending on the available amount of memory.
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \WOW
Entry : Wowcmdline
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_EXPAND_SZ
Default : %SystemRoot%\System32\Ntvdm -m -w -f %SystemRoot%\System32 -a %Systemroot%\System32\Krnl386
Shell for Windows 3.1 applications. The options of Ntvdm.exe enable executing DOS or Windows 3.1 applications :
-a   Command to be sent to the VDM
-f   Path of Ntvdm.exe
-m   Minimize VDM window at start
-w   Tells the VDM to start a WOW session
 
Key : HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \WOW
Entry : Wowsize
System : NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : Depends on system memory of RISC machine
Only for RISC machines.
Amount of memory in Mb to allocate to the VDM when opening a WOW sesion. This value is not used on Intel machines on which NT allocates memory when required. On RISC machines, for each Mb indicated, the system will use 1.25Mb, so a value of 4Mb will allocate 5Mb to the VDM, although applications will not be able to use more than 4Mb. Under 3Mb, most applications will crash. Default values are :
RAM   Wowsize
< 12Mo (small)   3Mb
12–16 Mo (medium)   6Mb
>16 Mo (large)   8Mb

 

© Franck Kiechel 2000-2001