Windows NT is a 32-bit environment, and Windows 3.x for MS-DOS is a 16-bit environment. For a 16-bit Windows-based application, Windows NT runs the application using a VDM and VDDs. This process is called WOW, for Win16 on Win32. Using a Win16 VDM, Windows NT translates Windows 3.1-based application calls in standard mode for RISC-based computers and in 386 enhanced mode for x86 based-computers.
Control parameters for WOW startup and for the WOW application environment are found under the following Registry path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\WOW
The settings in this key are maintained automatically by the system and should not require manual changes.
The environment settings equivalent to the SYSTEM.INI file for Windows 3.x are found in this Registry path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WOW
The WOW subkeys have the same names as headings in the SYSTEM.INI file, and the values are the same items as contained in the old SYSTEM.INI file. For details about these entries, see the REGENTRY.HLP file on the Resource Guide disk.