INF Ini2Reg directive
Caution
Starting in Windows 11 version 22H2, a driver package using this directive is no longer eligible for a signature from Hardware Developer Center.
Universal driver packages and Windows Drivers cannot use this directive.
An Ini2Reg directive references one or more named sections in which lines or sections from a supplied INI file are moved into the registry. This creates or replaces one or more value entries under a specified key.
[DDInstall] |
[DDInstall.CoInstallers] |
[ClassInstall32] |
[ClassInstall32.ntx86] |
[ClassInstall32.ntia64] | (Windows XP and later versions of Windows)
[ClassInstall32.ntamd64] | (Windows XP and later versions of Windows)
[ClassInstall32.ntarm] | (Windows 8 and later versions of Windows)
[ClassInstall32.ntarm64] (Windows 10 version 1709 and later versions of Windows)
Ini2Reg=ini-to-registry-section[,ini-to-registry-section]...
Each named section referenced by an Ini2Reg directive has the following form:
[ini-to-registry-section]
ini-file,ini-section,[ini-key],reg-root,subkey[,flags]
...
An ini-to-registry-section can have any INF-writer-determined number of entries, each on a separate line.
Entries
ini-file
Specifies the name of an INI file supplied on the source media. This value can be expressed as a filename or as a %strkey% token that is defined in a Strings section of the INF file.
ini-section
Specifies the name of the section within the given INI file that contains the registry information to be copied.
ini-key
Specifies the name of the key in the INI file to copy to the registry. If this value is omitted, the whole ini-section is to be transferred to the specified registry subkey.
reg-root
Identifies the root of the registry tree for other values supplied in this entry. For specifics, see the reference for the AddReg directive.
subkey
Identifies the subkey to receive the value, expressed either as a %strkey% token defined in a Strings section of the INF or as an explicit registry path (key1\key2\key3...) from the given reg-root.
flags
Specifies (in bit 0) how to handle the INI file after transferring the given information to the registry and/or (in bit 1) whether to overwrite existing registry information, as follows:
Bit zero = 0
Do not remove the given information from the INI file after copying it into the registry. This is the default.
Bit zero = 1
Delete the given information from the INI file after moving it into the registry.
Bit one = 0
If the specified subkey already exists in the registry, do not transfer the INI-supplied information into this subkey. Otherwise, create the specified subkey in the registry with this INI-supplied information as its value entry. This is the default.
Bit one = 1
If the specified subkey already exists in the registry, replace its value entry with the INI-supplied information.
Remarks
The Ini2Reg directive is valid in any of the sections shown in the formal syntax statement. This directive is also valid in INF-writer-defined sections referenced by an AddInterface directive or referenced in an InterfaceInstall32 section.
If an INF file is used to install devices on Windows XP and later versions of Windows, the INF file should not contain Ini2Reg directives. INF files that contain Ini2Reg directives will not pass "Designed For Windows" logo testing, will not receive a digital signature, and therefore will be untrusted by Windows (see How Windows Selects Drivers).
Each ini-to-registry-section name must be unique to the INF file. Each INF-writer-created section name must be unique within the INF file and must follow the general rules for defining section names. For more information about these rules, see General Syntax Rules for INF Files.
The INF provides the full path of the given ini-file on the distribution media in one of the following ways:
In IHV/OEM-supplied INF files, by using the SourceDisksNames and, possibly, SourceDisksFiles sections of this INF to explicitly specify the full path of each named source file that is not in the root directory (or directories) on the distribution media.
In system-supplied INF files, by supplying one or more additional INF files, identified in the LayoutFile entry in the Version section of the INF file.
See also
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