DOCUMENT:Q105992  03-NOV-1993  [W_NT]
TITLE   :Windows NT Subsystems and Associated Files
PRODUCT :Windows NT
PROD/VER:3.10
OPER/SYS:WINDOWS
KEYWORDS:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
 - Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
The following information describes the files associated with each
subsystem in Windows NT and the files associated with the virtual
MS-DOS machine (VDM) and the Windows on Windows (WOW) environment.
 
WIN32 Subsystem
---------------
 
CSRSS.EXE    - Main component of Win32 subsystem.
KERNEL32.DLL - *
GDI32.DLL    - *
USER32.DLL   - *
 
 * These files are 32-bit equivalents of the similarly-named Windows
   files.
 
POSIX Subsystem
---------------
 
PSXSS.EXE    - Main component of POSIX subsystem.
PSXDLL.DLL   - Handles communication between applications and
               PSXSS.EXE.
POSIX.EXE    - Handles communications between POSIX and the Windows NT
               executive.
 
OS/2 Subsystem
--------------
 
OS2SS.EXE    - Main component of OS/2 subsystem.
OS2DLL.DLL   - Handles communication between OS/2 application and
               subsystem.
OS2.EXE      - Passes name and command line parameters to OS2SVR.EXE.
OS2SRV.EXE   - Component that starts the application for the subsystem.
 
MS-DOS Virtual DOS Machine (VDM)
--------------------------------
 
NTIO.SYS     - The equivalent of IO.SYS on MS-DOS machines.
NTDOS.SYS    - The equivalent of MSDOS.SYS.
NTVDM.EXE    - Win32 Application.
NTVDM.DLL    - Win32 Application.
REDIR.EXE    - Virtual Device Driver (VDD) redirector for the VDM.
 
Window on Windows (WOW)
-----------------------
 
WOWEXEC.EXE  - Handles the loading of 16-bit Windows-based applications.
WOW32.DLL    - Dynamic Link Library of the WOW application environment.
NTVDM.EXE    - VDM Component.
NTVDM.DLL    - VDM Component.
NTIO.SYS     - VDM Component.
REDIR.EXE    - VDM Component.
VDMREDIR.DLL - Redirector for WOW environment.
KRNL386.EXE  - Used by WOW on x86 based systems.
KRNL286.EXE  - Used by WOW on non x86 based systems.
GDI.EXE      - Modified version of Windows 3.10 GDI.EXE.
USER.EXE     - Modified version of Windows 3.10 USER.EXE.
 
Additional reference words: 3.10
KBCategory:
KBSubcategory: winnt

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS
PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.  MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO
EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF
MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION
OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.