Description of the Sysbckup Folder (145809)

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Background Information

Windows 3.1 includes several new features, such as common dialog boxes, that are not available in Windows 3.0. These new features are provided by dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) that are either new for Windows 3.1 or are upgrades of existing libraries included with Windows 3.0.

A program written to take advantage of these new Windows 3.1 features does not run under Windows 3.0 because the required features are not available. To solve this problem, permission was granted to software vendors to install or upgrade the affected libraries as part of their program installation procedures.

The Effect Under Windows 95 and Windows 98

Many programs designed for Windows 3.1 install the Windows 3.1 versions of certain system files in order to ensure that the Windows 3.1 features are available. The standard Windows file installation library compares the existing library with the library the program intends to install and chooses the more recent version.

However, some programs do not use the standard Windows file installation library. Instead of comparing the files, some programs simply overwrite the existing library with the version included with the program, replacing the Windows 95 or Windows 98 version of the library with the Windows 3.1 version.

How Windows 95 and Windows 98 Solve the Library Conflict Problem

Windows 95 and Windows 98 keep a small database of libraries most commonly Overwritten by installation programs. When an installation program exits, Windows checks that the files in this database were not improperly overwritten. If Windows detects that a file was improperly replaced, it restores the file from the hidden Windows\Sysbckup folder. This is done automatically, with no user intervention required.

There is also a database of less commonly replaced files. If Windows detects that one of the files in the secondary database has been replaced, it displays a dialog box listing the name of the overwritten file and recommend that you run Windows Setup again. Windows Setup restores the original files.