Disabling Setup from Prompting CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT Save (85185)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows 3.11
This article was previously published under Q85185

SUMMARY

The Microsoft Windows version 3.1 SETUP.SHH file's [endinstall] section can use a CONFIGFILES=DONTSAVE switch to disable Setup from prompting you to save and rename the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files to CONFIG.WIN and AUTOEXEC.WIN.

This is useful when installing Windows to a diskless workstation that is using boot ROMs that contain images of the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files. Without this setting, Windows displays error messages during Setup that require you to make choices. This defeats the purpose of using SETUP.SHH to automate the setup process.

You can have the switches CONFIGFILES=DONTSAVE and CONFIGFILES=MODIFY in the same SETUP.SHH file at the same time. In the case of a boot ROM, you would only want the CONFIGFILES=DONTSAVE switch active, or you will get an error message. After setup, you should make sure that the boot ROM's CONFIG.SYS file is loading Windows 3.1's HIMEM.SYS.

MORE INFORMATION

The Windows Automated Setup option (also called Batch Mode Setup) allows you to write a script file for Setup (an example called SETUP.SHH comes with Windows 3.1), which automates the setup and requires little user input. You can configure Setup to automatically install certain printers, applications, hardware options, and other options. The following is a sample command line: 
SETUP /N:X:\NETWIN\SETUP.SHH /N
NOTE: SETUP.SHH is an example; you can use any acceptable filename with an extension of .SHH.

For more information on this feature, refer to pages 75-82 of the "Microsoft Windows Resource Kit" manual for operating system version 3.1.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/10/2003
Keywords:KB85185
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.