Windows 3.x does occasionally trash its program group files, but fortunately many of them are easy to recover. While Windows 3.0 allowed you to re-create the default groups, Windows 3.1 goes a step further and lets you re-create default groups plus any program items you may have added to these groups.
To restore the default program groups (Main, Accessories, Games and Startup), delete the progman.ini file from the Windows directory, choose Run from the File menu, type setup /p, and click OK. (Don?t use the keyboard or mouse while the groups are being re-created -- you?ll confuse Windows!)
Although setup /p allows you to rebuild the basic program groups, it won?t help you recover any additional groups you may have created, which is bad news for users who have spent hours creating groups and program items. With a little forethought, however, it?s easy enough to avoid disaster. Each program group is stored in a .GRP file in the Windows directory, and they are loaded by progman.ini, also in the Windows directory. To back up these files, just copy progman.ini and all the .GRP files to another directory, possibly on a floppy disk. If disaster strikes, copy these files back to the Windows directory. All groups -- default and custom -- will be restored.
- Neville Clarkson