CONFIG.SYS

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

Task of this configuration file is to be loaded at startup of the operating system of your computer device drivers to load working as driver services, and to specify various parameters, which are not provided by the BIOS.

The processing of CONFIG.SYS is performed before executing the AUTOEXEC.BAT, the next and last launch file an ordinary MS -DOS system. The CONFIG.SYS is processed more completely by the kernel IO.SYS (Windows 95 and later) or MSDOS.SYS / IBMDOS.COM (MS- DOS, PC DOS, DR -DOS). Among other things, can be defined as to an alternative to the interpreter COMMAND.COM, which is loaded afterwards.

In all MS- DOS -based versions of Microsoft Windows (Windows 9x) there is a CONFIG.SYS. However, it lost more and more need until it was even almost completely ignored in the last and least MS- DOS - compatible operating system of this series, Windows Me,. The CONFIG.SYS exists for compatibility reasons in today's Windows NT -based operating systems, but is ignored. DOS applications using the NTVDM read the config.nt - file in the \ System32 directory.

Construction

The instructions in the CONFIG.SYS were interpreted line by line. The following example shows an example of a CONFIG.SYS file, as in the days of Windows 3.11 and MS- DOS 6.22 (the last single sold MS -DOS operating system ) often was used:

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 Here are the first two drivers loaded for the administration of the extended memory ( device driver HIMEM.SYS, service emm386.exe ). It follows the instruction, operating system components and drivers in the " high memory area" and load it into the "upper memory blocks" where possible ( dos = ...). After a device driver for the mouse ( mouse.sys ) and the service version number message programs ( setver.exe ) is loaded ( uploaded in the high memory area ). Now follow settings for the locale ( country = ... ) as well as the command line interpreter ( shell = ..., here command.com ). Last follow values ​​to the file system buffer sizes ( buffers = ..., files = ..., fcbs = ...).