Difference Between load= and run= Statements in WIN.INI (69844)
The information in this article applies to:
This article was previously published under Q69844 SUMMARY
The "load=" and "run=" statements in the WIN.INI both load applications
when Windows boots up.
The "load=" statement loads applications as icons. None of these
applications are the active application.
The "run=" statement loads the applications in a window. The last
application loaded by the "run=" statement is the active application.
MORE INFORMATIONload=
When loading an application from the "load=" statement in the WIN.INI file,
Windows uses the function SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE. This function leaves the
application minimized (that is, an icon) as a background application.
In 386 enhanced mode, if an MS-DOS application is on the "load=" line and
the program information file (PIF) does not have the background option
selected, then the application does not actually load until you double-
click the icon, making the application active. With the background option
selected in the PIF, the application is then allowed to run in the
background and load into memory.
In standard and real modes, MS-DOS applications on the "load=" line have an
opportunity to load into memory before Windows continues on its next step.
This happens because Windows swaps itself out of memory to run MS-DOS
applications. The MS-DOS application becomes the active application during
this process and loads into memory. Then the system switches back to
Windows so Windows can continue with its next step.
run=
When loading an application from the "run=" statement in the WIN.INI file,
Windows uses the function SW_SHOWNORMAL. This function leaves the
application maximized (that is, in a full-screen window) as the active
application. If there is more than one application on the "run=" line, then
the last application is the active application when Windows is through
loading them.
REFERENCES
"Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit Reference Volume 1", page
4-432.
"Programming MS Windows", Chapter 2 "Creating and Displaying Windows"
pages 37, 48.
| Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 7/7/2005 |
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| Keywords: | KB69844 |
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