CONFIG.SYS

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CONFIG.SYS is a system configuration file in the MS-DOS operating system (and some MS-DOS-compatible systems).

Task this configuration file is the start of the operating system of the computer device drivers to load, to charge as a service working drivers, as well as various parameters indicate which do not have the BIOS are provided.

The processing CONFIG.SYStakes place before the processing of the AUTOEXEC.BAT, the next and the last start file of a normal MS-DOS environment. This CONFIG.SYSis still completely processed by the kernel IO.SYS (Windows 95 and higher) or MSDOS.SYS/ IBMDOS.COM(MS-DOS, PC DOS, DR-DOS). Among other things, an alternative to the interpreter can be COMMAND.COMspecified here, which is then loaded.

There is one in all MS-DOS-based versions of Microsoft Windows ( Windows 9x ) CONFIG.SYS. However, it became increasingly obsolete, until it was almost completely ignored in the last and least MS-DOS-compatible operating system in the series, Windows Me . For CONFIG.SYSreasons of compatibility, it also exists in today's Windows NT -based operating systems, but is ignored. DOS applications via the NTVDM read the config.ntfile in the \System32directory.

construction

The instructions of the CONFIG.SYSwere interpreted line by line. The following example shows an example of a CONFIG.SYSfile that was often used in the times of Windows 3.11 and MS-DOS 6.22 (the last MS-DOS operating system to be sold separately): 

 device=c:\dos\himem.sys
 device=c:\dos\emm386.exe noems
 dos=high,umb
 devicehigh=c:\windows\mouse.sys
 devicehigh=c:\dos\setver.exe
 country=049,437,c:\dos\country.sys
 shell=c:\command.com c:\dos /e:512 /p
 buffers=23,0
 files=20
 fcbs=4,0

First two drivers for managing the extended main memory are loaded here (device driver himem.sys, service emm386.exe). This is followed by the instruction to load the operating system parts and drivers into the “high memory area” and into the “upper memory blocks”, if possible ( dos=...). Then a device driver for the mouse ( mouse.sys) and the service for reporting version numbers to programs ( setver.exe) are loaded ( uploaded to the high memory area ). Settings for the country setting ( country=...) and for the command line interpreter ( shell=..., here command.com ) follow . Last follow values to file system buffer sizes ( buffers=..., files=..., fcbs=...).

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