Windows 98 Sample Program Information (.pif) Files

ID: Q188157

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

Windows 98 includes the following sample program information (.pif) files:


This article describes these sample files. You can use these sample files as a baseline for creating your own custom configurations for MS-DOS-based programs.


MORE INFORMATION

Windows configures conventional memory in the same manner as MS-DOS for backwards compatibility. The majority of programs written for MS-DOS run on Windows. If a program does not run in Windows, you can start the computer in MS-DOS mode to run the program.

A .pif file is used to start a program written for MS-DOS within Windows, and can also be used to configure a unique environment for individual MS-DOS-based programs that run in MS-DOS mode.

To create a unique environment for an MS-DOS-based program:

  1. Right-click the program's executable (.exe) file or its .pif file, and then click Properties.


  2. Click the Program tab, and then click Advanced.


  3. Click to select the MS-DOS Mode check box, and then click Specify A New MS-DOS Configuration.


  4. Modify the entries in the Config.sys For MS-DOS Mode and Autoexec.bat For MS-DOS Mode boxes to optimize the program's environment. For information about optimizing memory usage, see the "References" section of the article.


"MS-DOS Mode for Games.pif" File

The "MS-DOS Mode for Games.pif" file restarts Windows in MS-DOS mode with an environment optimized for games. This .pif file maximizes available conventional memory by loading device drivers in high memory and provides extended memory (XMS) support.

The "MS-DOS Mode for Games.pif" file uses the following configuration:

Config.sys: 

   REM ******************************************************
   REM ** Sample Windows 98 Program Information File
   REM ** Optimize Conventional Memory (TPA)
   REM ** Extended Memory (XMS) Support
   REM ******************************************************

   REM ** This example assumes C:\WINDOWS is the Windows directory
   REM ** Modify the path to match your configuration

   REM ** Increasing available TPA improves performance in MS-DOS mode
   REM ** Load items high to increase available TPA
   REM ** The order in which items are loaded may affect utilization of the UMA

   REM ** Following are required to load items in upper memory
   DOS=HIGH,UMB
   DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
   DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS

   REM ** DEVICEHIGH= is required to load a device in upper memory
   REM ** OAKCDROM.SYS is a IDE/ATAPI CD ROM driver
   REM ** Copy OAKCDROM.SYS from Startup disk to C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND
   REM DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\OAKCDROM.SYS /D:mscd001

   REM ** If compressed with DriveSpace, load it high to increase the TPA

   REM DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE

   REM ** Install MS-DOS support for hardware in this environment

Autoexec.bat: 

   REM ******************************************************
   REM ** Sample Windows 98 Program Information File
   REM ******************************************************

   REM ** Set environment variables
   SET TMP=c:\windows\TEMP
   SET TEMP=C:\windows\TEMP
   SET PROMPT=MS-DOS Mode $p$g
   SET winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
   SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND

   REM ** LH is required to load items in upper memory
   REM ** MSCDEX is required to access the CD ROM in MS-DOS mode
   REM ** Specify a CD ROM drive letter with /L:[drive letter]
   REM LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:mscd001

   CLS
   ECHO ******************************************************
   ECHO **     Windows 98 MS-DOS Mode                       **
   ECHO **     Extended Memory (XMS) Support                **
   ECHO **                                                  **
   ECHO **     Type EXIT to return to Windows 98            **
   ECHO ******************************************************

   REM ** Install MS-DOS support for hardware in this environment

"MS-DOS Mode for Games with EMS and XMS Support.pif" File

The "MS-DOS Mode for Games with EMS and XMS Support.pif" file is used to restart Windows in MS-DOS mode with an environment optimized for games that require enhanced memory (EMS) support. This .pif file maximizes available conventional memory by loading devices high and provides both XMS and EMS support.

The "MS-DOS Mode for Games with EMS and XMS Support.pif" file uses the following configuration:

Config.sys: 

   REM ******************************************************
   REM ** Sample Windows 98 Program Information File
   REM ** Optimize Conventional Memory (TPA)
   REM ** Expanded (EMS) and Extended Memory (XMS) Support
   REM ******************************************************

   REM ** This example assumes C:\WINDOWS is the Windows directory
   REM ** Modify the path to match your configuration

   REM ** Increasing available TPA improves performance in MS-DOS mode
   REM ** Load items high to increase available TPA
   REM ** The order in which items are loaded may affect utilization of the UMA

   REM ** Following are required to load items in upper memory
   DOS=HIGH,UMB
   DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
   REM ** EMM386 can emulate EMS within XMS
   REM ** The RAM switch sets aside 64K of the UMA as a page frame for use with EMS

   REM ** Using multiple of 1024, this example reserves an additional
          4mb of XMS for EMS emulation

   DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE 4096 RAM

   REM ** DEVICEHIGH= is required to load a device in upper memory
   REM ** OAKCDROM.SYS is a IDE/ATAPI CD ROM driver
   REM ** Copy OAKCDROM.SYS from Startup disk to C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND
   REM DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\OAKCDROM.SYS /D:mscd001

   REM ** If compressed with DriveSpace
   REM DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE

   REM ** Install MS-DOS support for hardware in this environment

Autoexec.bat: 

   REM ******************************************************
   REM ** Sample Windows 98 Program Information File
   REM ******************************************************

   REM ** Set environment variables
   SET TMP=c:\windows\TEMP
   SET TEMP=C:\windows\TEMP
   SET PROMPT=MS-DOS Mode $p$g
   SET winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
   SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND

   REM ** LH is required to load items in upper memory
   REM ** MSCDEX is required to access the CD ROM in MS-DOS mode
   REM ** Specify a CD ROM drive letter with /L:[drive letter]
   REM ** Load MSCDEX file into EMS with /E
   REM LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:mscd001

   CLS
   ECHO ******************************************************
   ECHO **     Windows 98 MS-DOS Mode                       **
   ECHO **     Expanded Memory (EMS) Support                **
   ECHO **                                                  **
   ECHO **     Type EXIT to return to Windows 98            **
   ECHO ******************************************************


REFERENCES

For information about configuring the amount of conventional memory that is available for MS-DOS-based programs in Windows, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q37242
TITLE : A General Tutorial on the Various Forms of Memory

ARTICLE-ID: Q77083
TITLE : Optimizing Your Use of Upper Memory Blocks

ARTICLE-ID: Q87165
TITLE : Command-Line Switches for MSCDEX.EXE

ARTICLE-ID: Q134399
TITLE : How to Increase Conventional Memory for MS-DOS-Based Programs

For information about the process that occurs when you restart your computer in MS-DOS mode, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q138996
TITLE : Description of Restarting Computer in MS-DOS Mode

For information concerning the use of Emm386.exe to emulate EMS, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q74210
TITLE : Emulating Expanded Memory Using EMM386.EXE 


Keywords          : kbenv win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: February 9, 1999