Configuring Parsing of the AUTOEXEC.BAT File

 Last reviewed: September 11, 1997
Article ID: Q124551
3.50 WINDOWS kbusage

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5

Windows NT parses the AUTOEXEC.BAT file during startup by default, which results in the appending of the path statement in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to the system path created by Windows NT.

You can configure parsing of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file in the Registry by doing the following:

  1. Run REGEDT32.EXE.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide 
   problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them.
   Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of
   Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

  • Modify the following value within HKEY_CURRENT_USER: 

          Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ParseAutoexec


          1 = autoexec.bat is parsed
      0 = autoexec.bat is not parsed

    This has no effect on the parsing of AUTOEXEC.NT or CONFIG.NT by the MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows environments (VDMs).

    NOTE: Support for configuring the parsing of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is also provided via the REGKEY.EXE file included with the Windows NT 3.5 Resource Kit.

    • Additional reference words: prodnt 3.50 Winlogon boot
    KBCategory: kbusage
    KBSubcategory: nthowto ntboot ntregistry

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    Last reviewed: September 11, 1997
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