Microsoft Edge Try Microsoft Edge A fast and secure browser that's designed for Windows 10 Get started

Skip to main content
Microsoft
Microsoft Support
  • Office
  • Windows
  • Surface
  • Xbox
  • Deals
  • Support
      • Windows apps
      • OneDrive
      • Outlook
      • Skype
      • OneNote
      • PCs & tablets
      • Accessories
      • VR & mixed reality
      • Microsoft HoloLens
      • Xbox games
      • PC games
      • Windows digital games
      • Movies & TV
      • Books
      • Microsoft Azure
      • Microsoft Dynamics 365
      • Microsoft 365
      • Cloud platform
      • Enterprise
      • Data platform
      • .NET
      • Visual Studio
      • Windows Dev Center
      • Docs
      • Microsoft Store
      • Free downloads & security
      • Education
      • Store locations
      • Gift cards
    • View all
    0
    Sign in
    Microsoft Support

    The Windows 98 Config.txt File

    Content provided by Microsoft

    Content provided by Microsoft


    Summary


    This article contains a copy of the information in the Config.txt file included with Windows 98. This file is located in the Windows folder after you install Windows 98.

    More Information



    ------------------------------------------------------
    Microsoft Windows 98 README for
    MS-DOS Config.sys Commands
    April 1998
    ------------------------------------------------------

    (c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1998


    This document provides complementary or late-breaking
    information to supplement the Microsoft Windows 98
    documentation.

    ------------------------
    How to Use This Document
    ------------------------

    To view Config.txt on-screen in Notepad, maximize
    the Notepad window.

    To print Config.txt, open the file in Notepad or
    another word processor, then on the File menu, click Print.

    In syntax lines, lowercase text signifies replaceable
    parameters and uppercase text must be typed as it appears.

    NOTE: The Msdosdrv.txt file contains more Help for
    MS-DOS commands. Also you can type the name of the
    command at the command prompt, followed by a slash
    and question mark (/?). For example: CHKDSK /?

    If you have the Windows 98 CD, you can get additional
    help on MS-DOS commands, including syntax and examples.
    You can load the MS-DOS 6 help file by browsing the
    \tools\oldmsdos menu, and then clicking Help.com.

    --------
    CONTENTS
    --------

    ACCDATE

    BREAK

    BUFFERS/BUFFERSHIGH

    DEVICE

    DEVICEHIGH

    DOS

    DRIVPARM

    FCBS/FCBSHIGH

    FILES/FILESHIGH

    INSTALL/INSTALLHIGH

    LASTDRIVE/LASTDRIVEHIGH

    NUMLOCK

    REM

    SET

    SHELL

    STACKS/STACKSHIGH

    SWITCHES
    -------------------------------


    ACCDATE
    =======

    For each hard disk, this command specifies
    whether to record the date that files are
    last accessed. Last access dates are turned
    off for all drives when your computer is
    started in safe mode, and are not maintained
    on floppy disks by default.

    Syntax

    ACCDATE=drive1+|- [drive2+|-]...

    Parameters

    drive1, drive 2...
    Specifies the drive letter.

    +|-
    Specify a plus sign (+) to indicate that
    the last access date should be maintained
    for files on the drive. Specify a minus
    sign (-) to indicate that the last access
    date should not be maintained for files.


    BREAK
    =====

    This command sets or clears extended CTRL+C
    checking. You can use this command at the
    command prompt or in your CONFIG.SYS file.

    You can press CTRL+C to stop a program or an
    activity, such as file sorting. Typically, MS-DOS
    checks for CTRL+C only while it reads from the
    keyboard or writes to the screen or a printer. If
    you set BREAK to ON, you extend CTRL+C checking to
    other functions, such as disk read and write
    operations.

    Syntax

    BREAK [ON|OFF]

    To display the current BREAK setting at the command
    prompt, use the following syntax:

    BREAK

    In your CONFIG.SYS file, use the following syntax:

    BREAK=ON|OFF

    Parameter

    ON|OFF
    Turns extended CTRL+C checking on or off.


    BUFFERS/BUFFERSHIGH
    ===================

    This command allocates memory for a specified number
    of disk buffers when your system starts. Use the
    BUFFERSHIGH command to load the buffers in the upper
    memory area. You can use these commands only in your
    Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    BUFFERS=n[,m]
    BUFFERSHIGH=n[,m]

    Parameters

    n
    Specifies the number of disk buffers. The value of
    n must be in the range 1 through 99. The default
    is 30.

    m
    Specifies the number of buffers in the secondary
    buffer cache. The value of m must be in the range
    0 through 8. The default is 0 (no secondary cache
    buffers).

    If you specify an invalid value for n or m, BUFFERs uses
    the default settings.


    DEVICE
    ======

    This command loads into memory the device driver you
    specify. You can use this command only in your Config.sys
    file.

    Syntax

    DEVICE=[drive:][path]filename [dd-parameters]

    Parameters

    [drive:][path]filename
    Specifies the location and name of the device driver
    you want to load.

    [dd-parameters]
    Specifies any command-line information required by
    the device driver.


    DEVICEHIGH
    ==========

    This command loads the device driver you specify into
    the upper memory area. Loading a device driver into the
    upper memory area frees more bytes of conventional memory
    for other programs. If upper memory is not available,
    the DEVICEHIGH command functions just like the DEVICE
    command.

    You can use this command only in your Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    DEVICEHIGH [drive:][path]filename [dd-parameters]

    To specify the region(s) of memory into which to
    load the device driver, use the following syntax:

    DEVICEHIGH [[/L:region1[,minsize1][;region2[,minsize2] [/S]]=
    [drive:][path]filename [dd-parameters]

    Parameters

    [drive:][path]filename
    Specifies the location and name of the device
    driver you want to load into the upper memory area.

    dd-parameters
    Specifies any command-line information required by
    the device driver.

    Switches

    /L:region1[,minsize1][;region2[,minsize2]...
    Specifies one or more regions of memory into which
    the device driver is loaded. By default, MS-DOS loads
    the driver into the largest free upper memory block
    (UMB) and makes all other UMBs available for the driver's
    use. You can use the /L switch to load the device driver
    into a specific region of memory or to specify which
    region(s) the driver can use.

    To load the driver into the largest block in a
    specific region of upper memory, specify the region
    number after the /L switch. For example, to load the
    driver into the largest free block in region 4, you
    would type /L:4. To list the free areas of memory,
    type MEM /F at the command prompt.

    When loaded with the /L switch, a device driver
    can use only the specified memory region. Some
    device drivers use more than one area of memory;
    for those drivers, you can specify more than one
    region. To find out how a particular device driver
    uses memory, issue the MEM /M command and specify
    the device-driver name as an argument. To specify
    two or more regions, separate the block numbers
    with a semicolon (;). For example, to use blocks
    2 and 3, you would type /L:2;3.

    Typically, MS-DOS loads a driver into a UMB in
    the specified region only if that region contains
    a UMB larger than the driver's load size (usually
    equal to the size of the executable program file).
    If the driver requires more memory while running
    than it does when loaded, you can use the minsize
    parameter to ensure that the driver will not be
    loaded into a UMB that is too small for it. If you
    specify a value for minsize, MS-DOS loads the driver
    into that region only if it contains a UMB that is
    larger than both the driver's load size and the
    minsize value.

    /S
    Shrinks the UMB to its minimum size while the
    driver is loading. Using this switch makes the
    most efficient use of memory. This switch is
    generally used only by the MemMaker program,
    which can analyze a device driver's memory use
    to determine whether the /S switch can safely be
    used when loading that driver. This switch can
    be used only in conjunction with the /L switch
    and affects only UMBs for which a minimum size
    was specified.


    DOS
    ====

    This command specifies that MS-DOS should maintain a link
    to the upper memory area, load part of itself into the high
    memory area (HMA), or both. You can use this command only in
    your Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    DOS=HIGH|LOW[,UMB|,NOUMB][,AUTO|,NOAUTO]

    DOS=[HIGH,|LOW,]UMB|NOUMB[,AUTO|,NOAUTO]

    DOS=[HIGH,|LOW,][UMB,|NOUMB,]AUTO|NOAUTO

    Parameters

    UMB|NOUMB
    Specifies whether MS-DOS should manage upper
    memory blocks (UMBs) created by a UMB provider
    such as Emm386.exe. The UMB parameter specifies
    that MS-DOS should manage UMBs, if they exist.
    The NOUMB parameter specifies that MS-DOS should
    not manage UMBs. The default setting is NOUMB.

    HIGH|LOW
    Specifies whether MS-DOS should attempt to load
    a part of itself into the HMA (HIGH) or keep all
    of MS-DOS in conventional memory (LOW). The default
    setting is LOW.

    AUTO|NOAUTO
    Specifies whether MS-DOS should automatically load
    Himem.sys, Ifshlp.sys, Dblbuff.sys, and Setver.exe
    device drivers if they are not explicitly loaded in
    your Config.sys file. The default setting, AUTO,
    automatically loads these device drivers. The AUTO
    setting also automatically uses the BUFFERSHIGH,
    FILESHIGH, FCBSHIGH, LASTDRIVEHIGH, and STACKSHIGH
    commands, whether the -HIGH form of the command is
    used or not. If you specify the NOAUTO parameter, you
    must load these device drivers and use the -HIGH form of
    the above commands in order to take advantage of them.


    DRIVPARM
    ========

    This command defines parameters for devices such as disk and
    tape drives when you start MS-DOS. You can use this command
    only in your Config.sys file.

    The DRIVPARM command modifies the parameters of
    an existing physical drive. It does not create a new
    logical drive. The settings specified in the
    DRIVPARM command override the driver definitions
    for any previous block device.

    Syntax

    DRIVPARM=/D:number [/C] [/F:factor] [/H:heads] [/I] [/N]
    [/S:sectors] [/T:tracks]

    Switches

    /D:number
    Specifies the physical drive number. Values for number
    must be in the range 0 through 255. For example, drive
    number 0 = drive A, 1 = drive B, 2 = drive C, and so on.

    /C
    Specifies that the drive can detect whether the drive
    door is closed.

    /F:factor
    Specifies the drive type. The following table shows the
    valid values for factor and a brief description of each.
    The default value is 2.

    0 160K/180K or 320K/360K

    1 1.2 megabyte (MB)

    2 720K (3.5-inch disk)

    5 Hard disk

    6 Tape

    7 1.44 MB (3.5-inch disk)

    8 Read/write optical disk

    9 2.88 MB (3.5-inch disk)

    /H:heads
    Specifies the maximum number of heads. Values for
    heads must be in the range 1 through 99. The default
    value depends on the value you specify for /F:factor.

    /I
    Specifies an electronically compatible 3.5-inch
    floppy disk drive. Use the /I switch if your
    computer's ROM BIOS does not support 3.5-inch
    floppy disk drives.

    /N
    Specifies a nonremovable block device.

    /S:sectors
    Specifies the number of sectors per track that
    the block device supports. Values for sectors
    must be in the range 1 through 99. The default
    value depends on the value you specify for /F:factor.

    /T:tracks
    Specifies the number of tracks per side that the
    block device supports. The default value depends on
    the value you specify for /F:factor.


    FCBS/FCBSHIGH
    =============

    This command specifies the number of file control blocks (FCBs)
    that MS-DOS can have open at the same time. Use the FCBSHIGH
    command to load the FCBs in the upper memory area. You can use
    these commands only in your Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    FCBS=x
    FCBSHIGH=x

    Parameter

    x
    Specifies the number of file control blocks that
    MS-DOS can have open at one time. Valid values for
    x are in the range 1 through 255. The default
    value is 4.


    FILES/FILESHIGH
    ===============

    This command specifies the number of files that MS-DOS can
    access at one time. Use the FILESHIGH command to load the
    command in the upper memory area. You can use these commands
    only in your Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    FILES=x
    FILESHIGH=x

    Parameter

    x
    Specifies the number of files that MS-DOS can
    access at one time. Valid values for x are in
    the range 8 through 255. The default value is 8.


    INSTALL/INSTALLHIGH
    ===================

    This command loads a memory-resident program into memory
    when you start MS-DOS. Use the INSTALLHIGH command
    to load the memory-resident program into the upper
    memory area. You can use these commands only in
    your Config.sys file.

    Memory-resident programs stay in memory as long
    as your computer is on. They can be used even when
    other programs are active. You can use the INSTALL
    or INSTALLHIGH command to load MS-DOS memory-resident
    programs.

    Syntax

    INSTALL=[drive:][path]filename [command-parameters]
    INSTALLHIGH=[drive:][path]filename [command-parameters]

    Parameters

    [drive:][path]filename
    Specifies the location and name of the
    memory-resident program you want to run.

    command-parameters
    Specifies parameters for the program you
    specify for filename.


    LASTDRIVE/LASTDRIVEHIGH
    =======================

    This command specifies the maximum number of drives you can
    access. Use the LASTDRIVEHIGH command to load the LASTDRIVE
    data structures in the upper memory area. You can use these
    commands only in your Config.sys file.

    The value you specify represents the last
    valid drive that MS-DOS is to recognize.

    Syntax

    LASTDRIVE=x
    LASTDRIVEHIGH=x

    Parameter

    x
    Specifies a drive letter in the range A through Z.



    NUMLOCK
    ========

    This command specifies whether the NUM LOCK key is set to ON or
    OFF when your computer starts. You can use this command only in
    your Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    NUMLOCK=[ON|OFF]

    Parameters

    ON|OFF
    If set to ON, turns on the NUM LOCK key when MS-DOS
    displays the startup menu. If set to OFF, turns
    NUM LOCK off.


    REM
    ===

    This command enables you to include comments in a batch file or
    in your Config.sys file. The REM command is also useful for
    disabling commands. You can use a semicolon (;) instead of the
    REM command in your Config.sys file, but not in batch files.

    Syntax

    REM [string]

    Parameters

    string
    Specifies any string of characters, for example,
    the command you want to disable or the comment
    you want to include.


    SET
    ===

    This command displays, sets, or removes MS-DOS environment
    variables.

    You use environment variables to control the
    behavior of some batch files and programs and to
    control the way MS-DOS appears and works. The SET
    command is often used in the Autoexec.bat or
    Config.sys files to set environment variables each
    time you start MS-DOS.

    Syntax

    SET variable=[string]

    To display the current environment settings at
    the command prompt, use the following syntax:

    SET

    Parameters

    variable
    Specifies the variable you want to set or modify.

    string
    Specifies the string you want to associate
    with the specified variable.


    SHELL
    =====

    This command specifies the name and location of the command
    interpreter you want MS-DOS to use. You can use this command
    only in your Config.sys file.

    If you want to use your own command interpreter instead of
    Command.com, you can specify its name by adding a SHELL
    command to your Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    SHELL=[[drive:]path]filename [parameters]

    Parameters

    [[drive:]path]filename
    Specifies the location and name of the command
    interpreter you want MS-DOS to use.

    parameters
    Specifies any command-line parameters or switches
    that can be used with the specified command interpreter.


    STACKS/STACKSHIGH
    =================

    This command supports the dynamic use of data stacks to handle
    hardware interrupts. Use the STACKSHIGH command to load the
    stacks in the upper memory area. You can use these commands
    only in your Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    STACKS=n,s
    STACKSHIGH=n,s

    Parameters

    n
    Specifies the number of stacks. Valid values for
    n are 0 and numbers in the range 8 through 64.

    s
    Specifies the size (in bytes) of each stack.
    Valid values for s are 0 and numbers in the range
    32 through 512.


    SWITCHES
    =========

    This command specifies special options in MS-DOS. Use this
    command only in your Config.sys file.

    Syntax

    SWITCHES= /F /K /N /E[:n]

    Switches

    /K
    Forces an enhanced keyboard to behave like a
    conventional keyboard.

    /N
    Prevents you from using the F5 or F8 key to bypass
    startup commands. (SWITCHES /N does not prevent you
    from pressing CTRL+F5 or CTRL+F8 to bypass Drvspace.bin
    or Dblspace.bin; to prevent this, use the D**SPACE /SWITCHES
    command to add the SWITCHES /N setting to your
    D**space.ini file.)

    /E[:n]
    Used without the :n parameter, indicates that
    Io.sys should suppress the automatic relocation
    of EBIOS. (Automatic relocation of EBIOS
    increases the conventional memory available to
    MS-DOS-based programs.) Supressing automatic
    relocation results in less conventional memory
    available to MS-DOS-based programs. Use the /E
    switch with the n parameter to relocate N bytes
    of EBIOS to low memory, where n is the number of
    bytes to be relocated. The minimum value for n
    is 48 and the maximum value is 1024. The number
    specified is always rounded up to the next multiple
    of 16.

    Last Updated: Jun 19, 2014
    • Email
    • Print
    Thanks! Your feedback will help us improve the support experience.

    Support

    Support

    • Find downloads
    • Account support
    • Supported products list
    • Microsoft Lifecycle Policy

    Security

    Security

    • Safety & Security Center
    • Download Security Essentials
    • Malicious Software Removal Tool

    Contact us

    Contact us

    • Report a support scam
    • Contact Microsoft Support
    • Locate Microsoft addresses worldwide
    This site in other countries/regions
    Algérie - Français
    Argentina - Español
    Australia - English
    Belgique - Français
    België - Nederlands
    Bolivia - Español
    Bosna i Hercegovina - Hrvatski
    Brasil - Português
    Canada - English
    Canada - Français
    Chile - Español
    Colombia - Español
    Costa Rica - Español
    Crna Gora - Srpski
    Danmark - Dansk
    Deutschland - Deutsch
    Dominican Republic - Español
    Ecuador - Español
    Eesti - Eesti
    El Salvador - Español
    España - Español
    Estados Unidos - Español
    France - Français
    Guatemala - Español
    Hong Kong SAR - English
    Hrvatska - Hrvatski
    India - English
    Indonesia (Bahasa) - Bahasa
    Ireland - English
    Italia - Italiano
    Latvija - Latviešu
    Lietuva - Lietuvių
    Luxembourg - Français
    Magyarország - Magyar
    Malaysia - English
    Maroc - Français
    México - Español
    Nederland - Nederlands
    New Zealand - English
    Norge - Bokmål
    Panamá - Español
    Paraguay - Español
    Perú - Español
    Philippines - English
    Polska - Polski
    Portugal - Português
    Puerto Rico - Español
    România - Română
    Schweiz - Deutsch
    Singapore - English
    Slovenija - Slovenščina
    Slovensko - Slovenčina
    South Africa - English
    Srbija - Srpski
    Suisse - Français
    Suomi - Suomi
    Sverige - Svenska
    Tunisie - Français
    Türkiye - Türkçe
    United Kingdom - English
    United States - English
    Uruguay - Español
    Venezuela - Español
    Việt Nam - Tiếng việt
    Ísland - Íslenska
    Österreich - Deutsch
    Česká Republika - Čeština
    Ελλάδα - Ελληνικά
    България - Български
    Казахстан - Русский
    Россия - Русский
    Україна - Українська
    ישראל - עברית
    الإمارات العربية المتحدة - العربية
    المملكة العربية السعودية - العربية
    مصر - العربية
    भारत - हिंदी
    ไทย - ไทย
    中国 - 简体中文
    台灣 - 繁體中文
    日本 - 日本語
    香港特別行政區 - 繁體中文
    대한민국 - 한국어
    English (United States)
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy & cookies
    • Trademarks
    • © Microsoft 2018