Creating a New SYSTEM.INI Without Third-Party Drivers

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

You can use your original Windows disks to create a new SYSTEM.INI file for your specific hardware. This can be useful for troubleshooting purposes or for replacing a damaged or deleted SYSTEM.INI file.

NOTE: As a precaution, you may want to start the Setup program with the original SYSTEM.INI file, and then press PRINT SCREEN so that you have a printed copy of the your settings. You can then use this as a reference when you reset them.

MORE INFORMATION

To create a new SYSTEM.INI file that is configured for your specific hardware but does not contain any references to third-party device drivers, do the following:

1. Rename the SYSTEM.INI file to SYSTEM.BAK.

2. Expand the file SYSTEM.SR_ from the original Windows disks to the Windows directory with the following command:

         c:\windows\expand a:\system.sr_ c:\windows\system.ini
   

   NOTE: This file can be found on Disk 1 of the Windows 3.1 1.44-megabyte (MB) 3.5-inch disk set or on Disk 2 of the 1.2-MB 5.25-inch disk set.

3. Change to the Windows drive, and then change to the Windows directory. For example:

         c:
         cd \windows
   

4. Type "setup" (without the quotation marks) to start the MS-DOS-based portion of Windows Setup.

5. Select the correct hardware options for your system. (They are blank by default.)

   NOTE: For a list of valid choices, move your cursor to the blank field and then press ENTER.

6. Accept the changes. (At this point, you can have Setup copy new drivers if you want.)

7. Open the new SYSTEM.INI file in a text editor (for example, MS-DOS 5.0 Editor). Make the following changes to the SYSTEM.INI file:

   a. Add PROGMAN.EXE to the SHELL= line in the [Boot] section.

   b. Remove or remark out the Taskman.exe= line in the [Boot]

         section.
   

   c. To enable 32-bit disk access, add the following lines to the

         [386Enh] section:
   

            32BitDiskAccess=<Boolean>
            device=*int13
            device=*wdctrl
   
         Replace <Boolean> with On if you want 32-bit disk access
         enabled; replace it with Off if you do not want 32-bit disk
         access enabled.
   
       For more information about 32-bit disk access, see Appendix D in
       the Windows Resource Kit manual, or query on the following words
       in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   
          windows and 3.1 and 32-bit and disk and access
   
   

8. Start Windows. If you do not receive any errors, you have successfully re-created your SYSTEM.INI file.

   If you receive error S020 or S021, the SYSTEM.INI file you created may be corrupted. To correct this problem, do the following:

   a. Check for a duplicate SYSTEM.INI file by typing "dir c:\

         system.ini  /s" (without the quotation marks) at the MS-DOS
         command prompt.
   

   b. Run CHKDSK to check for lost allocation units by typing "chkdsk

         /f" (without the quotation marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt.
   

   c. Make sure your hard disk has sufficient free space.

   d. Delete the corrupted SYSTEM.INI file and then follow the steps

         outlined above again, starting with number 2.
   

   e. If all else fails, reinstall Windows.