Don, I think these things are put in by default during windows installation.
They are things like programs found during alpha/beta testing of win95 that
required compatibility options. They should only take effect when you try to
run orograms of those names - nothing significant during start-up afaik.
You check someone else's machine, look at win.ini saved on an old system
backup, or reinstall windows, whichever is easiest, to test this out.
The other ones I don't know about. I do not recommend deleting them or
deleting win.ini - I don't think you will be able to start windows without
it. You could certainly trying ;commenting them out but be ready to edit the
file in dos mode if windows then doesn't start :-)
Joe
> -----Original Message-----
> Windows95B.
>
> In my Win.ini file, under "ModuleCompatability", there are about 60
> listings, most of which I don't understand.
>
> Some of these, for example,are names like Archangle, George, Kiddesk,
> Kidstype, Lionking, Msartist, Roulette, USA, Voice, (I have no voice
> software), and many others with meaningless names.
>
> I have never had any games or software with these names or
> anything like.
> Are any of these "Modulecompatability" listings in Win.ini necessary?
>
> Nearly all are followed by "=0x0002". What do these numbers signify?
>
> Could I delete this whole section of Win.ini?
>
> There is also a "Compatability" sections with about the same number of
> listings, though different names, mostly meaningless. eg.
> 3dpc, aldsetup,
> approach, and so on. These are all followed by diffetent numbers.
>
> Also, there are 3 lines in "Extensions", namely .txt, .bmp,
> and .pcx. None
> of these point to the software with which these extensions
> are actually
> associated. I suspect that this section also could be deleted?
>
> There are 2 programs listed under the "programs" heading.
> These are Metapad
> and Stuffit Expander. What is the effect (if any) of this section?
>
> There is also a section which refers to "hjkhj". Does anyone
> have any idea
> what this refers to?
>
> As far as I can see, there are no bad effects, but I don't like any
> extraneous things being loaded if they do not contribute to my general
> welfare. I wonder if boot time would be noticeably improved.
> It's pretty
> fast, though there's about 4 seconds of extra HD activity
> after all desktop
> icons appear and everything appears to be loaded. I have no
> real complaints
> there.
>
> If I deleted the whole of Win.ini, would that prevent Win95
> from loading?
> Would a new Win.ini be created clear of all this (presumably)
> junk? The
> "Run" and "Load" lines are empty, as expected.
>
> One program stores its password there, but that could easily
> be restored.
>
> I'm half inclined to make a backup, then simply delete these sections
> entirely, and see what happens (my usual approach to curious
> things). Then,
> if anything doesn't work, restore those lines. The trouble
> is, so many of
> these lines are meaningless, I could be floundering for a long time.
>
> To summarize:
> How much, if any, of Win.ini is essential to Win 95/98? (I
> have an idea
> it's a throwback to the past, and that most, if not all, of
> its functions
> have been taken over by the registry).
> Are any "ModuleCompatability" or "Compatability" listings essential?
> Am I in trouble if I wipe these sections?
> What do the numbers after these listings mean?
> What is "hjkhj"?
> Does the "Programs" heading have any useful effect?
>
> Not worried, just curious. I don't like my computer thinking it's more
> intelligent than me.
>
> Don Penlington
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