How to Use ANSI.SYS in Windows NT

Last reviewed: May 6, 1997
Article ID: Q100394

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

You can make use of ANSI.SYS under Windows NT, but you must run COMMAND.COM from Microsoft MS-DOS version 5.0 to do so; the Windows NT command interpreter, CMD.EXE, does not support ANSI.SYS. To use ANSI.SYS, do the following:

NOTE: You can add ANSI.SYS to a specific program by modifying its program information file (PIF). To install ANSI.SYS in your default command prompt configuration, do the following:

Add the following line to the CONFIG.NT file located in the SYSTEM32 subdirectory:
```
      DEVICE=%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\ANSI.SYS
```
Exit any command prompts you have open.
Start a command prompt.
Run COMMAND.COM from MS-DOS 5.0. Use the following command to make sure you are running MS-DOS 5.0 COMMAND.COM and not the Windows NT version:
```
      c:\dos\command.com
```

You should now be able to use ANSI.SYS. To test it, try entering the following escape sequence with the PROMPT command:

   prompt $e[31;42m

Additional query words: prodnt
Keywords : kbtool ntutil
Version : 3.1
Platform : WINDOWS

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: May 6, 1997
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.