Devices

• ASPI software helped users add devices such as hard disks, scanners and CD-ROM drives to computers. The SCSI standard defines both the physical plugs and the cables for connecting devices and the software that controls them. Since Adaptec made SCSI controller cards for personal computers and servers, they developed standard software to control SCSI devices.
  
  

Operating Systems

• Microsoft included ASPI files in Windows 98 and ME operating systems, but used their own SCSI Pass Thru Interface software, or SPTI, for Windows NT and its derivatives, Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7. Adaptec's ASPI installer software will, however, work with all versions of Windows from 98 through XP.
  
  

Files

• Two files, winaspi.dll and wnaspi32.dll, contain ASPI-related functions. Application programs that burn CDs or run scanners pass information to these files, which handle the technical details of operating the device. Another file, aspchk.exe, is a utility program you can run to check that ASPI is installed and running correctly on a computer. ASPI uses other files that depend on the operating system. Windows 95, 98 and ME had two files, apix.vxd and either aspienum.vxd, which came from Adaptec, or aspi2hlp.sys, which came from Microsoft. Windows NT and related operating systems had two other files, aspi32.sys and wowpost.exe.
  
  

Locations

• The directories in which ASPI files are located depends on the operating system. For Windows 95, 98 and ME, the winaspi.dll and wnaspi32.dll files are kept in the system subdirectory. For Windows NT, 2000 and XP, wowpost.exe and winaspi.dll are found in the system subdirectory, and wnaspi32.dll and aspi32.sys are located in the system32 subdirectory.