ini file, containing information and commands as 'key=value' pairs, grouped into sections. The structure is that of a classic Windows. The simplest autorun.inf files have just two settings: one specifying an icon to represent the CD in Windows Explorer (or 'My Computer') and one specifying which application to run.Įxtra settings have been added in successive versions of Windows to support AutoPlay and other new features.Īutorun.inf is an ASCII text file located in the root folder of a CD-ROM or other volume device medium (See AutoPlay device types). By placing settings in an autorun.inf file, manufacturers could decide what actions were taken when their CD-ROM was inserted. AutoRun enabled application CD-ROMs to automatically launch a program which could then guide the user through the installation process. The AutoRun component was introduced in Windows 95 as a way of reducing support costs. As Windows has a case-insensitive view of filenames, the autorun.inf file can be stored as AutoRun.inf or Autorun.INF or any other case combination. For the file to be discovered and used by these component, it must be located in the root directory of a volume. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Īn autorun.inf file is a text file that can be used by the AutoRun and AutoPlay components of Microsoft Windows operating systems. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.
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