MS-DOS EXE
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| − | ''' | + | '''MS-DOS EXE''', also known as '''MZ''' format, is an executable file format used mainly by [[MS-DOS]]. It is the successor of [[DOS executable (.com)|COM]]. A number of other executable formats are extensions of it; see [[EXE]] for those formats. |
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== Identification == | == Identification == | ||
| − | An | + | An MS-DOS EXE file begins with an ASCII signature of "{{magic|MZ}}" (or, rarely, "{{magic|ZM}}"), followed by a series of 16-bit fields. The field at offset 24 (the ''relocation table offset'') is ''usually'' (but apparently not always) less than 64, and at least 28. A value of 64 or more, or 0, suggests the format may not be MS-DOS EXE. |
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| + | It's not clear whether there is any completely reliable way to identify an MS-DOS EXE, except in the negative (i.e. it begins with "MZ", and is not a valid [[NE]], [[PE]], etc., file). | ||
== Links == | == Links == | ||
Revision as of 21:23, 29 October 2016
MS-DOS EXE, also known as MZ format, is an executable file format used mainly by MS-DOS. It is the successor of COM. A number of other executable formats are extensions of it; see EXE for those formats.
Identification
An MS-DOS EXE file begins with an ASCII signature of "MZ" (or, rarely, "ZM"), followed by a series of 16-bit fields. The field at offset 24 (the relocation table offset) is usually (but apparently not always) less than 64, and at least 28. A value of 64 or more, or 0, suggests the format may not be MS-DOS EXE.
It's not clear whether there is any completely reliable way to identify an MS-DOS EXE, except in the negative (i.e. it begins with "MZ", and is not a valid NE, PE, etc., file).
Links
- Wikipedia article
- MZ, from the OSDev Wiki
- http://www.delorie.com/djgpp/doc/exe/
- DOS EXE format
- EXE Explorer utility
- Ralf Brown's Interrupt Reference has an extensive list of (mostly older) MZ-based executable formats
