What is a system.ini file?

Answer: The system.ini and win.ini files are two files required by older versions of Microsoft Windows, such as Windows XP. They store configuration information for Windows system settings.

Other applications may also use their own .INI files to store settings and preferences. However, most INI files have been replaced by Windows registry entries in recent versions of Windows. Applications can write to the Windows registry to store custom user settings and preferences.

Important: If the system.ini file becomes corrupted or is missing, you may need to perform a system restore. If regular backups are enabled, you can choose a recent restore point with a valid system.ini file file, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the restore process.

Published: October 20, 2004   —   Updated: December 26, 2024 — by Per Christensson