The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11
SUMMARY
Color schemes removed from the Color section of Control Panel are
deleted from the CONTROL.INI file. To restore a color scheme, the
color scheme must be added back to the CONTROL.INI file.
For example, if you remove the Designer color scheme, the information
for the Designer color scheme is deleted from the CONTROL.INI file. To
regain the lost color scheme, it must be added back to the CONTROL.INI
file.
MORE INFORMATION
In Windows 3.0, the preferred way to regain a color scheme is to
expand the CONTROL.INI file from the Windows Setup Disk to the WINDOWS
directory on the hard disk. This replaces the CONTROL.INI with the
defaults shipped with Windows. Any custom color schemes will be lost.
In Windows 3.1, CONTROL.SR_ is the file that contains the color scheme
that should be expanded and renamed to CONTROL.INI.
The alternative involves modifying the CONTROL.INI file manually.
How to Expand the CONTROL.INI File for Windows 3.0
- Switch to the WINDOWS directory on the hard disk.
- Insert the Windows Setup Disk #2 (1.2 MB 5.25-inch, 720K
3.5-inch, or 360K 5.25-inch formats) in drive A.
- Copy EXPAND.EXE by typing:
copy a:\expand.exe
- Copy and expand the CONTROL.INI file by typing:
expand a:\control.ini control.ini
NOTE: If you have the 360K 5.25-inch format disks, CONTROL.INI
is on Disk #5.
This copies the Windows default CONTROL.INI over the CONTROL.INI
file on the hard disk.
WARNING: All custom color schemes will be lost.
How to Expand the CONTROL.INI File for Windows 3.1
- Switch to the WINDOWS directory on the hard disk.
- If the EXPAND.EXE file is not on your hard drive, insert the
Windows Setup Disk #3 (1.44 MB 3.5-inch and 1.2 MB 5.25-inch
formats) or Disk #5 (720K 3.5-inch format) into drive A.
- Copy EXPAND.EXE to the WINDOWS subdirectory by typing the
following:
copy a:\expand.exe c:\windows
- Copy and expand the CONTROL.SR_ file from Windows Setup Disk #5
(1.44 MB 3.5-inch format), Disk #6 (1.2 MB 5.25-inch format),
or Disk #9 (720K 3.5-inch format) into drive A, and type the
following:
expand a:\control.sr_ c:\windows\control.ini
This expands the CONTROL.SR_ file and replaces the Windows
default CONTROL.INI file with the CONTROL.INI file on the hard
disk.
WARNING: All custom color schemes will be lost.
How to Save Custom Color Schemes
- Follow the steps listed above, except step 4. At step 4, type the
following:
expand a:\control.ini control.old
- Run Notepad.
- Open CONTROL.OLD.
- Find the [color schemes] section and select the color scheme that
is desired. Copy it to the Clipboard.
- Open CONTROL.INI.
- Find the [color schemes] section and paste the missing color
scheme.