[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Odd DOS files - what are they?

tkoppel@isis.UUCP (Ted Koppel) (09/11/89)

I was looking at my DOS subdirectory the other day (not something that
I do too often) and noticed the following files:

EGA      CPI    49065   3-18-87  12:00p
LCD      CPI    10752   3-17-87  12:00p
4201     CPI    17089   3-18-87  12:00p
5202     CPI      459   3-17-87  12:00p
BASIC    PIF      369   3-17-87  12:00p
BASICA   PIF      369   3-17-87  12:00p

(This is DOS 3.3 by the way).

What are they?  Do I need them?  

Thanks.

-- 
Ted Koppel       CARL - Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries =
BITNET: TKOPPEL@DUCAIR    UUCP: uunet!isis!tkoppel  or tkoppel@du.edu

kleonard@gvlv2.GVL.Unisys.COM (Ken Leonard) (09/13/89)

In article <2630@isis.UUCP> tkoppel@isis.UUCP (Ted Koppel) writes:
* I was looking at my DOS subdirectory the other day (not something that
* I do too often) and noticed the following files:
* 
* EGA      CPI    49065   3-18-87  12:00p
* LCD      CPI    10752   3-17-87  12:00p
* 4201     CPI    17089   3-18-87  12:00p
* 5202     CPI      459   3-17-87  12:00p
Umpty.CPIs is part of the "code pages"/"countrycode" business that goes
along with the dumpty.SYS keyboard and printer drivers.  Unless you
are running (or plan to run) non-US-English stuff, you can delete all ..CPIs
and the related drivers.  Refer to the incomprehensibobble to be found
(hopefully) in the back of your DOS reference manual.
-
* BASIC    PIF      369   3-17-87  12:00p
* BASICA   PIF      369   3-17-87  12:00p
Umpty.PIFs are "Program Information Files" used by Microsoft Windows and/or
(IBM? somebody?) Topview.  They tell the shell (Win or Tv) how to load/
allocate/hookup the ..COM, ..EXE or ..BAT file of the same first name.
If you are not running Win or Tv, you can dump the ..PIFs.
[[late thought--does GEM need them?  are you running GEM?]]
[[note that HPs NewWave system is much like Windows and probably uses PIFs]]
-
* (This is DOS 3.3 by the way).
..CPIs came in with DOS 3.0, I think.
..PIFs came in with Win and Tv, regardless of DOS revision.
-
note--Win and Tv PIFs are _NOT_ all the same inside, although I _think_
Win can use Tv PIFs, and maybe Tv could use Win PIFs.
---------------
regardz,
Ken