Saving Resources Using Multiple PROGMAN.INI Files (65670)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 3.0
  • Microsoft Windows 3.0a
This article was previously published under Q65670

SUMMARY

It's possible to avoid low-resource problems in Microsoft Windows version 3.0 by altering the number of Program Groups contained in Program Manager. A convenient way of doing this is by using multiple PROGMAN.INI files.

MORE INFORMATION

Program Manager uses the PROGMAN.INI file to determine the groups it can use when it is running. If you run Windows sessions in which you will not be using programs in some groups, you can create separate PROGMAN.INI files for those sessions in which the unused group will not appear and save on system resources.

For example, if you have several applications that were written for previous versions of Windows, you must run them in real mode. When running in 386 enhanced mode, these applications need not be present in Program Manager. To open Windows with only the necessary groups in Program Manager, do the following:

  1. In Program manager, create a group called Old Windows Application, which contains these applications.
  2. Open Notepad.
  3. From the File menu, choose Open.
  4. Type PROGMAN.INI.
  5. From the File menu, choose Save As.
  6. Type PROGMAN.REL, then choose OK (this will be the PROGMAN.INI file for real mode).
  7. While still in Notepad, delete the line that refers to the Old Windows Applications group ( GROUP#=C:\WINDOWS\OLDWINDO.GRP).
  8. From the File menu, choose Save As.
  9. Type PROGMAN.ENH then choose OK. (This will be the PROGMAN.INI file for 386 enhanced mode.)
  10. From the File menu, choose New (to create a batch file for the real-mode PROGMAN.INI).
  11. Enter the following lines (substitute the correct path): 
           COPY C:\WINDOWS\PROGMAN.REL C:\WINDOWS\PROGMAN.INI
       WIN /R
  12. From the File menu, choose Save As.
  13. Type RWIN.BAT and choose OK.
  14. From the File menu, choose New (to create a batch file for the enhanced mode PROGMAN.INI).
  15. Still in Notepad, alter the lines to read as follows: 
           COPY C:\WINDOWS\PROGMAN.ENH C:\WINDOWS\PROGMAN.INI
       WIN /3
  16. From the File menu, choose Save As.
  17. Type EWIN.BAT and choose OK.
  18. Exit Notepad and exit Windows.
To start Windows in real mode, type "RWIN", then press ENTER at the MS-DOS prompt. To start in enhanced mode, type "EWIN", then press ENTER at the MS-DOS prompt. This will start Windows in the appropriate mode with the correct Program Groups.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/7/2005
Keywords:KB65670
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