How to make an Autorun.inf File

In a previous Instructable, I went over this quickly and did not explain it very well. I was asked to make a full Instructable on Autorun.inf files, and here it is.

An Autorun.inf file is a file that, when placed on a drive (internal or external), will allow the drive to start programs, have a different icon than the standard boring one (LOTS OF FUN TO MESS WITH), and have a different name. The syntax is "option=value". Examples will be given later on.

Continue if you want to learn more.

ANOTHER UPDATE ON PAGE 4

Step 1 A Basic Autorun File

In this step, we will make a basic, do-nothing Autorun file. All that will change is the name of the USB drive, and the icon that goes with it.

Open Notepad (or Notepad++ or what ever you use) and type the following:

autorun
icon=NAME.ico
label=NAME

BEFORE YOU SAVE IT!
Where it says autorun, insert brackets around the word. I cannot type this in the Instructable, as it the Instructable creating software would turn the word into a link. Refer to the picture for the correct format.

Here is what you typed:
autorun: This states that this is an Autorun file, and what follows describes what the drive will look like and how it will act.

icon: This will change the icon of the drive (in the "My Computer" screen) to a custom one that you choose. The picture you choose must be an icon file (it must have the extension ".ico"). You can get pictures of that format from http://www.iconarchive.com/ and many other websites.

label: This will change the name of the drive to whatever you choose, as long as what you choose does not contain too many characters.

OK. Save the file to the main directory on your drive ("My Computer, Removable Drive X"). Eject the drive, then plug it back in. If you saved it to an internal hard drive, you will have to restart the computer.

If you are adding an icon to the drive, you will need to have an icon file to go use. An icon file is NOT a picture you got off the internet. It must have the extension ".ico". If it does not, then it will not work. Place the icon in the same directory as the Autorun file. Once you have done this, go back into the Autorun file and change the line that says icon=NAME.ico to have the name of the icon (keep the part that has the ".ico".

Comments

[CrushBot 2000]

my auto run:

[autorun]
open=beaboss.exe
action=Be a boss!
icon=HD Box2.ico
label=MurphDrive

Wy won't it run?

[Berkin]

I made a program in Visual C# that makes these files for me.. :D

[sescott]

can you send me instrunctions or an installer for that program or something, i dont get any of the autorun stuff, so it would help so much, email me at: [e-mail]

[pfouquet]

Here is my auto run,
[Autorun]
Icon=usb.ico
Open=Portable Apps\StartPortableApps.exe
Action=Start PortableApps
Label=PierreFouquet

although i cannot open the program with it,
my usb is on my F: drive, and the dir of the files is correct, i have made sure, whats wrong?

[pfouquet]

the problem is windows 7, they took the (they being MS) fuctionality out, for security reasons, i am running it currently, so if you have Win7 you can use autorun, Vista n XP still can

[jwish13796]

my autorun wont let me open files

[pfouquet]

the problem is possibly windows 7, they took the (they being MS) fuctionality out, for security reasons

[jmarri]

Mine won't either. :/ ???

[pfouquet]

the problem is possibly windows 7, they took the (they being MS) fuctionality out, for security reasons

[______]

The problem is once you have made the autorun.inf file, pull your drive (like a flash drive) out of the computer and stick it back in.

[pfouquet]

the problem is possibly windows 7, they took the (they being MS) fuctionality out, for security reasons

[______]

Not on mine they didnt, so maybe it is your computer, they took it out on.

[bbonnema]

I can't seem to get this function to work. Does anyone know where these files are supposed to be placed?.

[einstein6]

Hi bro, I started to play wif autorun.inf file few years back to give my pendrive some cool icons.. Btw I wanna correct something.. You CAN put multiple words for your icon, eg:- Cool Icon.ico, BUT WITH CONDITION, it is enclosed in double quotes as shown ==> "Cool Icon.ico".. The double quotes read the whole sentence as one..

[jbouffard]

actually, you can put a space and it will work without quotes.

[jbouffard]

how do i put more than one open=open.exe in the autorun file?

[willman10000]

i signed up just to add a comment
you saved me from having to search hours on end :)
no probably just 10 - 20 min of search, but still you saved me time
thanks.

[L00t]

I sign up for sites all the time just to comment. ;) I thought I was the only one.

[bliu1]

lol i just use the facebook reply thingy..much easier

[pokeroz]

was wodering if u knew how to make auto run open a .exe on the usb and by the way great interstruable

[furrysalamander]

fix your grammar, "wodering, interstruable" really? I'm thirteen and I have better grammar than you, sad.

[Randomguy65]

No need to be a ___ about it. He is probably from another country.

[furrysalamander]

I guess you are right, well at least I hope that. I shouldn't have been so harsh.

[mattleonow]

spelling. fix your spelling. *facepalm..... silly thirteen year old

[furrysalamander]

Ba, too true. As unfortunate as that is. I wonder how he even gets on here with spelling like that.

[tparker-2]

I HAVE A QUESTION!!!

when i plug in my drive it opens the drive contents automatically
it does not show the window like in the first picture PLEASE HELP

[jvpernis]

can you remove a "shell" with notepad to remove e.g. format? (this is, so you can't erase the data of the USB if you have a program on it and no back-up or something) nice instructable anyway

[J-Manoo7]

where is the icon file for the default windows folder icon? great ible

[Crazy Leprecaun]

I use Ubuntu now, so I can't check for you. However, if you want to find out, enable the viewing of system hidden files and folders, then open any folder with the standard icon an open the desktop.ini file. The icon label will have it. I think that it's something like "shell-32, somerandomnumber". Tell me if it works.

[J-Manoo7]

yea its in the shell32 directory, when you change icon on the desktop i found thats where it looks, put the number 5 in and it acutally change so i just need the number now, problem is itf you search google for "icon=%blablabla%bla\bla\bla\SHELL32, 5" (the icon path) avast! finds a virus on one of the pages before i even navigate to it. (still on the search page) so either i will just have to kep guessing or find a way to let avast! let me use the search.. or ill search something else. either way you're right. ill get back at you and tell you if it works. if it does good i might just post an 'ible

[emuman4evr]

I made this on a vista machine and it will not autorun on a xp machine. Have any idea?

[Crazy Leprecaun]

Hmm... Not really. People have mentioned this before, I think. I use XP on my laptop, so I really can't tell you a lot about this error. Try making the file on an XP machine.

[DNR]

wat does the autorun file of our drives contain....i want the whole code_{,mine file is modified...wen i open drives a "open with" dialogue box opens.........can u solve it}

[PCfreak]

great Ible ive did this on both XP and Vista and didnt have a prob at all, all tho i started seeing viruses on my flash drive so i quit using autorun files but i liked using them tho

[erikals]

Excellent 'ible. Thanks again.

[Rellsun]

I can't seem to get this to work in vista. Only the name change works. But it does work fine in xp, name, icon, open command all work. Pic of my autorun file included Any suggestions?

[Crazy Leprecaun]

You did not include a pic. I am using XP, so I do not know a lot about Vista. Try Googling it to see what you can find. My idea is that Vista is made to accept Autorun files differently. Look for an Autorun file maker.

[Rellsun]

ill try that i guess the pic didnt upload. thanks anyway though. I think your right on the way vista accepts autorun because it worked on xp.

[Crazy Leprecaun]

I think I see your problem with the action part. I'm not sure, but I think that the keyfinder file needs to be in the same directory as the autorun file, not in a sub-folder. Try this and tell me if it worked.

[Rellsun]

Nope still nothing ill try and do a little research. Im gunna use this so i can get the serial keys for windows by itself obviously just weird that it works in xp and in an xp virtual machine.