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An EXE file contains an executable program for Windows. EXE is short for 'executable,' and it is the standard file extension used by Windows programs. For many Windows users, EXE files are synonymous with Windows programs, making '.exe' one of the most recognizable file extensions.[1]
Windows Commands topic for. Command-Line Syntax Key.; 2 minutes to read; In this article. The following table describes the notation used to indicate command-line syntax.
- 1File formats
File formats[edit]
There are several file formats which may be used by a file with a .exe extension:
DOS[edit]
- 16-bit DOS MZ executable
- The original DOS executable file format. These can be identified by the letters 'MZ' at the beginning of the file in ASCII.
- 16-bit New Executable
- Introduced with the multitasking MS-DOS 4.0 and also used by 16-bit OS/2 and Windows, NE can be identified by the 'NE' in ASCII.
OS/2[edit]
- 32-bit Linear Executable
- Introduced with OS/2 2.0, these can be identified by the 'LX' in ASCII. These can only be run by OS/2 2.0 and higher.[2] They are also used by some DOS extenders.
- Mixed 16/32-bit Linear Executable
- Introduced with OS/2 2.0, these can be identified by the 'LE' in ASCII. This format is used for VxD drivers under Windows 3.x, OS/2, and Windows 9x; it is also used by some DOS extenders.
Windows[edit]
When a 16-bit or 32-bit Windows executable is run by Windows, execution starts at either the NE or the PE, and ignores the MZ code known as DOS stub.[3][4] Started in DOS the stub typically displays a message 'This program cannot be run in DOS mode' (or similar) before exiting cleanly, this thereby constituting a minimal form of fat binary. A few dual-mode programs (MZ-NE or MZ-PE) such as regedit[5] and older WinZIP self extractors include a more functional DOS section.[6]
- 32-bit Portable Executable
- Introduced with Windows NT, these can be identified by the 'PE' in ASCII (although not at the beginning; these files also begin with 'MZ').[7]
- 64-bit Portable Executable (PE32+)
- Introduced by 64-bit versions of Windows, this is a PE file with wider fields. In most cases, code can be written to simply work as either a 32 or 64-bit PE file.[8]
Other[edit]
Besides these, there are also many custom EXE formats, including but not limited to W3 (a collection of LE files, only used in WIN386.EXE), W4 (a compressed collection of LE files, only used in VMM32.VXD), DL, MP, P2, P3 (last three used byPhar Lap extenders).[9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
![Extended Seledit.exe Extended Seledit.exe](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125844753/714090859.png)
- ^'.EXE File Extension'. FileInfo - The File Extensions Database. Sharpened Productions. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
- ^'OS/2 Operating System'. operating system documentation project. 2004-04-03. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
- ^'/STUB (MS-DOS Stub File Name) Linux/Mac cannot run an exe file'. MSDN. Microsoft. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
- ^Sedory, Daniel B. (2004-10-12). 'DOS Stub Program'. The Starman's Realm. Self-published. Retrieved 2014-01-10.[self-published source]
- ^'Using Registry Editor in Real Mode'. Support. Microsoft. 2006-11-15. Archived from the original on 2014-01-15. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
- ^Ellermann, Frank (2014-01-22). 'dostub.exe'. Purl.net. Retrieved 2014-01-24.
- ^'PE Format'. Windows Dev Center. Microsoft. 2019-08-25.
- ^Pietrek, Matt (February 2002). 'An In-Depth Look into the Win32 Portable Executable File Format'. MSDN Magazine. Microsoft.
- ^Brown, Ralf (2000-07-16). 'Int 21/AH=4Bh'. Ralf Brown's Interrupt List. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
Further reading[edit]
- Paul, Matthias R. (2002-10-07) [2000]. 'Re: Run a COM file'. Newsgroup: alt.msdos.programmer. Archived from the original on 2017-09-03. Retrieved 2017-09-03.[1]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=.exe&oldid=924689516'
Learning has never been so easy!
Just copying the Local Group policy from one location to another is not adequate. The Security, and Audit permissions are not carried over.
Read Conclusion for Just short list of commands.
7 Steps total
Step 1: Copy the Group Policy Objects from the Source System
Copy Everything under the %windir%System32GroupPolicy folder to a shared location.
This folder is hidden so either just use the path provided or show all hidden folders.
NOTE: If you have added any special Admin files those must be copied as well this will generally not apply unless they were added specifically before. The admin files are located in %windir%PolicyDefinitions
Step 2: Copy the Security Configuration from the Source System
Open an Administrative command prompt and run the below command
secedit /export /cfg C:Security.csv
This will create a csv with all of your security information in it (password requirements and age restrictions) Copy this to the same shared location that the Group Policy objects are in.
Step 3: Copy the Audit Policy from the Source System
In the Same Admin prompt from above run the below command
Auditpol /backup /file:C:Audit.ini
This will create an ini with your Audit policy information in it. (Registry file access success and failures) Copy this to the same shared location that the other files are in.
Step 4: Start on the Target System
Copy the files from the shared Directory to the Target system for the import of that information or make sure that the Target system can access the files from the share.
Step 5: Import the Group Policy on the Target System
Copy Everything from the shared group policy folder into the %windir%System32GroupPolicy folder.
NOTE: If you copied any admin files out go ahead and place those back in the same place on the Target system
![Seledit.exe Seledit.exe](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIWFYP6Dl4g/UOAPZG8pIwI/AAAAAAAAB64/nBMv-tRwvrU/s1600/Huawei+Mobile+Partner+23.009.09.01.983+for+Windows+8+with+ussd,+voice+call.png)
Step 6: Import the Security Configuration onto the Target System
The Below Command will import the security configuration. onto your Target System
secedit /configure /cfg Security.csv /db defltbase.sdb /verbose
Security.csv is the path to your Security File
Defltbase.sdb is required for this operation and the merger it MUST be write-able.
Defltbase.sdb is required for this operation and the merger it MUST be write-able.
This will return a successful message.
Note: On User Rights if someone has been deleted to make the field blank then the option will fail. On your Source System add a custom made user account to those fields and you can carry it over as blank.
IE: If Removing Administrators from allow Debug programs will look like
SEDebugPrivilege =
Step 7: Import the Audit Policy onto the Target System
The Below Command will import the audit configuration onto your Target System.
Auditpol /restore /file:C:audit.ini
Audit.ini is the path to your Audit file
This Took some time to put together so I figured I would put it all in once source.
1. Copy Group Policy out
2. Secedit /export /cfg C:Security.csv
3. Auditpol /backup /file:C:Audit.ini
4. Copy Group Policy in
5. Secedit /configure /cfg Security.csv /db defltbase.sdb /verbose
6. Auditpol /restore /file:C:audit.ini
2. Secedit /export /cfg C:Security.csv
3. Auditpol /backup /file:C:Audit.ini
4. Copy Group Policy in
5. Secedit /configure /cfg Security.csv /db defltbase.sdb /verbose
6. Auditpol /restore /file:C:audit.ini
Edit: Updated Security.inf to security.csv. I was doing some manual editing of this file and by renaming it to csv the columns are better defined and it has no effect on the import.
Published: Feb 19, 2015 ยท Last Updated: Mar 02, 2015
5 Comments
- MaceBiscuitKing Feb 19, 2015 at 07:34pmIs this for copying files between non-DC server and PCs in a workgroup and/or domain? Or from one domain to another? or both?
- JalapenoT-RAV89 Feb 19, 2015 at 08:59pmThanks for posting, I will save this. I also like stevelee2's question.
- PoblanoMicahJ Feb 21, 2015 at 09:58pmThis was used to copy the GP from a Workgroup system to a Workgroup system. Though in essence it should work for Domain joined systems as well (with some exceptions) due to the local policy still applying. As to working on a Domain Controller I do not know if it would work properly or what complications would arise.
- ChipotlegeoffDobro Jan 20, 2017 at 05:36pmThis is simply awesome and exactly what I was looking for. We have some policies that need enabling that are only available on Local Group Policy, and this procedure will simplify things for multiple clients (in our case, around 100). I'd spice this five times if I could :D
- Pimientospicehead-mdm9g Dec 19, 2018 at 06:36pmI've just tried the above method to transfer policy settings from one Windows 10 Pro machine to another and although all the commands to restore and backup seem to work correctly the results are very problematic, only some of the settings are applied. I'm trying to set up a non-admin-user account on a group of machines which is fairly robustly locked down. I have my 'test' machine exactly as I want it but nothing I've tried can migrate the setting to other machines. LGPO doesn't work and the method above doesn't transfer all the settings. Where am I going wrong?