Autorun.inf is the primary instruction file associaded with the Autorun function. Autorun.inf itself is a simple text based configuration file that tells the operating system which executable to start, which icon to use, and which additional munu commands to make available. In other words, utorun.inf tells window how to deal open the presentation and treat to contents of the CD. The entire sequence is initiated when to "disk change notification" polling discovers a new disk in the CD or DVD Rom drive. Then if the " Auto insert notification" feature is enabled (it is by default), Windows chechs in the new disk's root directory for the existence of an "autoinf" file. If found, Windows then reads and follows the specific instructions this file defines. If no autorun.inf file is found, then Windows refers to the new disk by ist serial number and exxcutes the default actions associated with the (data ro audio) content on the disk. The Autorun.inf file defines the following: The process or application that will automatically run when a disk is inserted. Optionally, one can define the process or application that will run for specific Operating enviroments. The icon that will represent your applications's CD or DVD when the drive is viewed whit My Computer or Explorer. Menu commands displayed when the user right-clicks the CD-Rom icon form My Computer or Explorer. A simple Autorun.inf example: [autorun] open=autorun.exe icon=autorun.ico A Complex Autorun.inf example: This example is used in the following section for complete definition and descriptions. [autorun] open=filename.exe/argument1 icon=\foldername\filename.dll,5 [autorun.mlps] open=filename2.exe icon=filename.icon [autorun.alpha] open=filename3.exe icon=filename.ico [autorun.ppc] open=filename4.exe icon=filename.ico shell\install\=&install shell\uninstall=&uninstall shell\uninstall\command=uninstall.exe shell\readme=&Read me shell\readme\command=notepad redme.tex shell\help=&Help shell\help\command=helpfilename.hlp This section describes the configuration of the Autorun.inf file and each of the potential items. Eaample Autorun File: Description: [autorun] [autorun]is the primary, required section name. Open=filename.exe/argument1 Open is the keyword to determine what action to take upon insert notification filename.exe is the valve defining the application that will be automaticall started. /argument1 is the argument, parameter or switch passed to the application being run. Logically, any command line parameters used must be supported by the application. icon=\foldername\filename.dll,5 Icon is the keyword to determine the icon used for the disk. filename.dll is the value defining the file containint the icon. ,5 is the argument to the icon resource defining which icon to display. Note: By default, the system looks for the file in the root directory of the inserted disk. If you want to access a file located in a specific folder or subdirectory, specify a path relative to the root. Example: open = foldername\filename.exe This will not change the current directory. Although AutopPlay is the default menu item, you can define a different command to be the default by including the follwoing line. shell = berb When the user double-clicks on the icon, the command associated with this entry will be carried out. Note: The icon defined representing your application's CD or DVD is the drive icon as viewed with My Computer or Explorer. Vaild file types containing icons include. .ICO .BMP .EXE .DLL If the file includes more than one icon, by default, the second icon in the files icon resource will be displayed. Example Autorun File: Description: [autorun.mips] Defining the autorun items for a mips machine open=filenam2.exe The platform specific application to run icon=filename2.ico The platform specific autorun icon [autorun.alpha] Defining the autorun items for a DEC Alphamachine open=filenam3.exe The platform specific application to run icon=filename3.ico The platform specific autorun icon [autorun.ppc] Defining the autorun items for a Power PC open=filenam4.exe The platform specific application to run icon=filename4.ico The platform specific autorun icon shell\install = &install The keyword defining a menu item and the Hot key for that item shell\install\command = setup.exe The keyword defining the operation to perform when the user selects this item shell\uninstall=&Uninstall Additional menu item example shell\uninstall\command=Uninstall.exe Additional menu item example shell\readme=&Read Me Additional menu item example shell\readme\command=notepad readme.tex Additional menu item example shell\help=&Help Additional menu item example shel\help\command=helpfilename.hlp Additional menu item example Eelow are some of the commands\entries in the Autorun.inf file described beriefly. A more detailed descrip- tion can be found at the following Microsoft page: Autorun.inf Entries OPEN= The OPEN command specifies the path and file name of the application that AutoRun launches when a user inserts a disc in the drive. You can also specify parameters/arguments to the application. ICON= The ICON command specifies an icon which represents the AutoRun-enabled drive in the Windows user interface. The icon is normally an .ico file, but can also be a .bmp, .exe or .dll file containg icon information. The icon file must be in the same directory as the file specified by the OPEN command. LABEL= The LABEL command specifies a text label which represents the AutoRun-enabled drive in the Windows user interface. This text label is for example in Windows Exploreer showed to the right or below the drive icon. SHELLEXECUTE= The SHELLEXECUTE command starts an application or opens a doucment. Works only in newer Windows systems. SHELL= The SHELL command specifies a default command for the drive's shortcut menu. The shortcut menu of the drive is the menu that is opened when the user right click on the drive icon. SHELL\VERB= The SHELL\VERB command adds a custom command to the drive's shortcut menu. This custom command can for example be used to launch an application on the CD\DVD ACTION= ACTION is a relative new command that was introdeced in Windows XP SP2. It is not supported in earlier Windows. This command specifies a text that should be shown as the first option in the Windows Autoplay dialog, together with the icon specified by the ICON. This option is always selected by default and if the user accepts the option, the application specified by the OPEN or SHELLEXECUTE entry in the media's Autorun.inf file is launched. Run Commands: ciadv.msc - Indexing Service certmgr.mcs - Certificate Manager compmgmt.msc - Computer Management devmgmt.msc - Device Manager diskmgmt.mcsc - Disk Management dfrg.mcs - Disk defrag eventvwr.msc - Event Viewer fsmgmt.msc - Shared Folders gpedit.msc - Group Policies lusrmgr.msc - Local Users and Groups ntmsmgr.msc - Removable Storage ntmsoprq.msc - Removable Storage ntmspprq.msc - Removable Storage Operator Requests perfmon.msc - Performance Monitor rsop.msc - Resultant Set of Policies secpol.msc - Local Security Settings Services.mcs - Various Services wmimgmt.msc - Windows Management Infrastructure accwiz - Accessibility Wizard control admintools - Administrative Tools calc - Calculator command - Opens Command Prompt charmap - Character Map clipbrd - Clipboard Viewer control - Control Panel control desktop - Display Properties control color - Display Properties (w/ Apperance Tab Perselected) control printers - Printers and Faxes control schedtasks - Scheduled Tasks comcnfg - SQL Client Configuration chkdsk - Check Disk Utility dialer - Phone Dialer diskpart - Disk Partition Manager ddeshare - DDE Shares dxdiag - Direct X Troubleshooter drwtsn32 - Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility eudcedit - Private Character Editor fonts - Fonsts Folder Control folders - Folders Properties fsquirt - Bluetooth Transfer Wizard helpctr - Help and Support hypertrm - Hyper Terminal iexpress - Iexpress Wizard icwconn1 - Internet Connection Wizard iexplore - Internet Explorer inetwiz - Internet Setup Wizard mrt - Malicious Software Removal Tool mstsc - Remote Desktop msconfig - System Configuration Utility magnify - Windows Magnifier msmsgs - Windows Messenger msinfo32 - System Information migwiz - Files and Settings Transfer Tool moviemk - Microsoft Movie Maker mspaint - Microsoft Paint mobsync - Microsoft Syncronization Tool mailto: - Opens default email client msimn - Outlook Express notepad - Notepad osk - On Screen Keyboard pbrush - Paint printers - Printers Folder control packager - Object Packager regedit - Registry Editor rasphone - Remote Access Phonebook sysedit - System Edit syskey - Windows System Security Tool sigverif - File Signature Verification Tool taskmgr - Task Manager tcptest - TCP Tester tourstart - Windows XP Tour Wizard telnet - Telnet Client utilman - Utility Manager verifier - Driver Verifier Utility wab - Windows Address Book Import Utility win.ini - Shows current version of windows winchat - Microsoft Chat wmplayer - Windows Media Player wupdmgr - Windows Update Launches winver - Windows Version (to show which version of win dows) write - Wordpad Run Commands To Access The Control Panel: access.cpl - Accessibility Controls appwiz.cpl - Add/Remove Programs Control desk.cpl - Display Properties Control findfast.cpl - Find Fast Control firewall.cpl - Windows Firewall hdwwiz.cpl - Add Hardware Wizard inetcpl.cpl - Internet Proerties Control intl.cpl - Regional Settings joy.cpl - Game Controllers mmsys.cpl sounds - Sound Properties Control main.cpl keyboard - Keyboard