KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q124551: INFO: Configuring Parsing of the AUTOEXEC.BAT File

Article: Q124551
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WINDOWS:2000; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbOSWinNT350
Last Modified: 11-JUN-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

Windows parses the AUTOEXEC.BAT file during startup by default, which
results in the appending of the path statement in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to
the system path created by Windows.

You can configure parsing of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file in the Registry by doing
the following:

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Run REGEDT32.EXE.

2. Modify the following value within HKEY_CURRENT_USER:

  Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ParseAutoexec

  1 = autoexec.bat is parsed
  0 = autoexec.bat is not parsed

This has no effect on the parsing of AUTOEXEC.NT or CONFIG.NT by the MS-DOS
or 16-bit Windows environments (VDMs).

NOTE: Support for configuring the parsing of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is also
provided via the REGKEY.EXE file included with the Windows NT 3.5 Resource
Kit.

SUMMARY
=======



Additional query words: Winlogon boot ParseAutoexec

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbOSWinNT350 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000Serv kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbwin2000ServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000ProSearch kbwin2000Pro kbWinNTS351search kbWinAdvServSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:2000; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.