diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index b6dac8e..9c8e94f 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -445,8 +445,9 @@ Implemented entirely in JS — **no tsvm_core changes**.
 
 ### Architecture
 
-- **Dispatcher**: `assets/disk0/tvdos/sbin/vtmgr.js`. Launched as the boot shell
-  from `AUTOEXEC.BAT` (replaces the old `fsh` / `command -fancy` tail). Owns the
+- **Dispatcher**: `assets/disk0/tvdos/sbin/vtmgr.js`. Launched directly by the
+  `TVDOS.SYS` boot block (only when `!_TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE`); when it exits (Alt-0)
+  the boot block runs `AUTOEXEC.BAT` as the bare fallback shell. Owns the
   physical keyboard and screen. Each VT runs in its own GraalVM context/thread
   via the existing `parallel.spawnNewContext` / `attachProgram` / `launch` API
   (see `VMJSR223Delegate.kt` `class Parallel`). VT 1 spawns at boot; VT 2-6 are
@@ -462,15 +463,22 @@ Implemented entirely in JS — **no tsvm_core changes**.
 - **Compositor** (30 Hz): blits the active VT's text plane to the physical GPU
   text area via `sys.memcpy`, and pushes that VT's cursor-visibility into the GPU
   blink bit (MMIO attribute byte 6, addressed at `-1 - (131072*gpuSlot + 6)`).
-- **Per-pane bootstrap**: each pane re-evals `TVDOS.SYS` (with
-  `_TVDOS_SKIP_AUTOEXEC` + `_TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE` set, and a `_BIOS` stub captured
-  live from the main context) then launches `command -fancy`, all in ONE direct
-  `eval` so the shell launcher shares scope with `_TVDOS`/`files`/`execApp`.
-  The environment (`_TVDOS.variables`: PATH/INCLPATH/HELPPATH/KEYBOARD, fully
-  `$PATH`-expanded) is snapshotted from the main context at vtmgr start and
-  replayed into every pane (env-copy, NOT per-pane AUTOEXEC — AUTOEXEC launches
-  the GUI shell `fsh` which must not run inside a pane). The snapshot is a
-  boot-time baseline; later `set` in one pane does not propagate to others.
+- **Boot config split (`commandrc` + `AUTOEXEC.BAT`)**: environment setup and
+  app-launch are split into two files so panes can replay one without the other.
+  `\commandrc` holds the `set` commands (PATH/INCLPATH/HELPPATH/KEYBOARD) and is
+  run by the `TVDOS.SYS` boot block in **every** context (boot and pane) — it has
+  no `.BAT` extension, so the boot block runs it line-by-line (`set` mutates the
+  shared `_TVDOS.variables`, so the effect persists). `\AUTOEXEC.BAT` is the
+  **per-console launch** script (Korean IME `tvdos/i18n/korean`, then
+  `command -fancy`); it is run once per console — by each pane's bootstrap, and
+  by the boot block as the post-vtmgr fallback. No env snapshot/replay anymore;
+  each pane gets PATH/KEYBOARD/etc. natively from `commandrc`, and Korean IME
+  (a per-context `unicode.uniprint` handler) now registers in every pane.
+- **Per-pane bootstrap**: each pane re-evals `TVDOS.SYS` (with `_TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE`
+  set — which makes the boot block run `commandrc` but skip the vtmgr/AUTOEXEC
+  launch — and a `_BIOS` stub captured live from the main context) then runs
+  `command -c \AUTOEXEC.BAT`, all in ONE direct `eval` so the launcher shares
+  scope with `_TVDOS`/`files`/`execApp`.
 
 ### Output/input shimming (in the pane bootstrap)
 
@@ -520,10 +528,11 @@ arithmetic (no regression outside vtmgr). Applied so far in
 - New: `assets/disk0/tvdos/sbin/vtmgr.js` (dispatcher + per-pane bootstrap)
 - `assets/disk0/tvdos/bin/command.js`: `chvt` builtin, `[N]` prompt prefix for
   VT 2-6, `shell.stdio.out` → `__VT_OUT` delegation
-- `assets/disk0/tvdos/TVDOS.SYS`: boot block skips AUTOEXEC when
-  `_TVDOS_SKIP_AUTOEXEC` is set (so pane re-init doesn't recurse)
-- `assets/disk0/AUTOEXEC.BAT`: boots into `tvdos/sbin/vtmgr`, with
-  `command -fancy` as a fallback once vtmgr exits
+- `assets/disk0/tvdos/TVDOS.SYS`: boot block runs `\commandrc` (env) in every
+  context, then — only when `!_TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE` — launches `tvdos/sbin/vtmgr`
+  and, on its exit, `\AUTOEXEC.BAT` as the fallback shell
+- `assets/disk0/commandrc`: env-only `set` commands (PATH/INCLPATH/HELPPATH/KEYBOARD)
+- `assets/disk0/AUTOEXEC.BAT`: per-console launch (Korean IME + `command -fancy`)
 - `assets/disk0/tvdos/bin/taut.js`, `assets/disk0/hopper/include/aa.mjs`:
   `vaddr` VT-aware direct-VRAM addressing
 
diff --git a/assets/disk0/AUTOEXEC.BAT b/assets/disk0/AUTOEXEC.BAT
index f084b57..c75dc71 100644
--- a/assets/disk0/AUTOEXEC.BAT
+++ b/assets/disk0/AUTOEXEC.BAT
@@ -1,20 +1,11 @@
-echo "Starting TVDOS..."
-
-rem put set-xxx commands here:
-set PATH=\tvdos\installer;\tvdos\tuidev;\tbas;\hopper\bin;$PATH
-set INCLPATH=\hopper\include;$INCLPATH
-set HELPPATH=\hopper\help;$HELPPATH
-set KEYBOARD=us_colemak
-
-rem load Korean font / IME (font upload is global hardware)
+rem AUTOEXEC.BAT -- per-console launch script. Run once for every console:
+rem each virtual-console pane runs it (via vtmgr's bootstrap), and the boot
+rem shell runs it as the fallback once vtmgr exits (Alt-0). Environment setup
+rem (`set` commands) lives in \commandrc, which TVDOS.SYS runs before this.
+rem
+rem Korean IME registers a per-CONTEXT handler (unicode.uniprint), so it must
+rem run per-console here rather than once at boot.
 tvdos/i18n/korean
 
-rem Boot into virtual consoles. vtmgr owns the keyboard and screen, and spawns
-rem a `command -fancy` shell per VT (Alt-1..6 / chvt to switch, Alt-0 to exit).
-rem It snapshots the environment set above and replays it into every pane.
-rem NOTE: `fsh` is a graphical shell and must not run inside a VT pane; launch
-rem it directly (not via vtmgr) if you want it. (Old boot line: fsh)
-tvdos/sbin/vtmgr
-
-rem Fallback shell once vtmgr exits (Alt-0), so the console is never left bare.
+rem The interactive shell for this console.
 command -fancy
diff --git a/assets/disk0/commandrc b/assets/disk0/commandrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..17903c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/disk0/commandrc
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+rem commandrc -- environment setup, run by TVDOS.SYS in EVERY context
+rem (the boot shell AND every virtual-console pane). Put `set` commands and
+rem other env-only configuration here. Do NOT launch apps from this file:
+rem app launches belong in AUTOEXEC.BAT (run per-console by vtmgr).
+
+set PATH=\tvdos\installer;\tvdos\tuidev;\tbas;\hopper\bin;$PATH
+set INCLPATH=\hopper\include;$INCLPATH
+set HELPPATH=\hopper\help;$HELPPATH
+set KEYBOARD=us_colemak
diff --git a/assets/disk0/tvdos/TVDOS.SYS b/assets/disk0/tvdos/TVDOS.SYS
index 024ee36..aa17fcb 100644
--- a/assets/disk0/tvdos/TVDOS.SYS
+++ b/assets/disk0/tvdos/TVDOS.SYS
@@ -1471,17 +1471,40 @@ try {
     serial.println("Warning: Could not load HSDPA driver: " + e.message)
 }
 
-// Boot script. When vtmgr re-evaluates TVDOS.SYS inside a per-VT pane
-// context, the pane already has a SKIP flag set so we don't recursively
-// kick off AUTOEXEC.BAT (which would itself invoke command -fancy and
-// nest a shell underneath vtmgr).
-if (typeof _TVDOS_SKIP_AUTOEXEC === "undefined" || !_TVDOS_SKIP_AUTOEXEC) {
-    serial.println(`TVDOS.SYS initialised on VM ${sys.getVmId()}, running boot script...`);
+// Boot script. The work is split across two files:
+//   \commandrc    -- environment (`set` commands); run in EVERY context.
+//   \AUTOEXEC.BAT -- per-console launch (IME + interactive shell).
+// vtmgr re-evaluates TVDOS.SYS inside each per-VT pane; a pane sets
+// _TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE so it only replays the environment here and leaves the
+// AUTOEXEC launch to vtmgr's pane bootstrap (which avoids recursively
+// spawning vtmgr inside a pane).
+{
+    let cmdsrc = files.open("A:/tvdos/bin/command.js").sread()
+    let runBatch = (path) => eval(`var _BAT=function(exec_args){${cmdsrc}\n};_BAT`)(["", "-c", path])
 
-    let cmdfile = files.open("A:/tvdos/bin/command.js")
-    eval(`var _AUTOEXEC=function(exec_args){${cmdfile.sread()}\n};` +
-          `_AUTOEXEC`)(["", "-c", "\\AUTOEXEC.BAT"])
-}
-else {
-    serial.println(`TVDOS.SYS re-initialised in VT pane on VM ${sys.getVmId()}`);
+    // Environment first, boot and pane alike. Gives every pane the same
+    // PATH / KEYBOARD / etc. natively, with no env-snapshot replay needed.
+    // \commandrc has no .BAT extension (so command.js's batch-file path,
+    // which keys off the extension, won't pick it up); run it line-by-line.
+    // `set` mutates the shared _TVDOS.variables, so the effect persists across
+    // the per-line shell invocations. Skip blanks and `rem` comments.
+    let rcFile = files.open("A:/commandrc")
+    if (rcFile.exists) {
+        rcFile.sread().split('\n').forEach((line) => {
+            let t = line.trim()
+            if (t.length > 0 && !/^rem(\s|$)/i.test(t)) runBatch(line)
+        })
+    }
+
+    if (typeof _TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE === "undefined" || !_TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE) {
+        serial.println(`TVDOS.SYS initialised on VM ${sys.getVmId()}, running boot script...`);
+        // Boot console: hand the screen to the virtual-console multiplexer.
+        // When it exits (Alt-0), fall through to AUTOEXEC so the console is
+        // never left bare.
+        runBatch("tvdos/sbin/vtmgr")
+        runBatch("\\AUTOEXEC.BAT")
+    }
+    else {
+        serial.println(`TVDOS.SYS re-initialised in VT pane on VM ${sys.getVmId()}`);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/assets/disk0/tvdos/sbin/vtmgr.js b/assets/disk0/tvdos/sbin/vtmgr.js
index 07c7f7d..6d1440c 100644
--- a/assets/disk0/tvdos/sbin/vtmgr.js
+++ b/assets/disk0/tvdos/sbin/vtmgr.js
@@ -72,25 +72,23 @@ const TVDOS_SYS_SRC = files.open("A:/tvdos/TVDOS.SYS").sread()
 // _BIOS is visible) and re-declare it in every pane bootstrap.
 const BIOS_FIRST_BOOTABLE_PORT = JSON.stringify(_BIOS.FIRST_BOOTABLE_PORT)
 
-// Snapshot the live environment from the main context. vtmgr runs after
-// AUTOEXEC.BAT, so _TVDOS.variables already holds the fully expanded PATH,
-// INCLPATH, HELPPATH, KEYBOARD, etc. Each pane is a fresh context whose
-// TVDOS.SYS only sets the bare defaults, so we replay this snapshot over the
-// pane's defaults — giving panes the same path/variable resolution as the
-// boot shell without re-running AUTOEXEC (which would relaunch the GUI shell).
-const ENV_JSON = JSON.stringify(_TVDOS.variables)
+// Environment no longer needs snapshotting/replaying: each pane re-evaluates
+// TVDOS.SYS, whose boot block runs \commandrc in every context, so the pane
+// gets the same PATH / KEYBOARD / etc. natively. The pane then runs
+// \AUTOEXEC.BAT (the per-console launch script: IME + interactive shell).
 
 function makePaneBootstrap(vtNum) {
     const TP_BASE = vtTextPlaneAddr(vtNum)
     const VT_BLK = vtBlockAddr(vtNum)
 
-    // Shell-launcher code runs after TVDOS.SYS in the SAME eval scope, so
-    // `files`, `eval`, `_TVDOS` etc. resolve via lexical closure. Apply the
-    // captured environment before launching the shell.
+    // Launcher code runs after TVDOS.SYS in the SAME eval scope, so `files`,
+    // `eval`, `_TVDOS` etc. resolve via lexical closure. TVDOS.SYS's boot
+    // block already ran \commandrc (env) and skipped its own AUTOEXEC because
+    // the pane sets _TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE; here we run \AUTOEXEC.BAT to launch the
+    // per-console shell.
     const SHELL_START = ";\n"
-        + "Object.assign(_TVDOS.variables, " + ENV_JSON + ");\n"
         + "var _cmdfileSrc = files.open('A:/tvdos/bin/command.js').sread();\n"
-        + "eval('var _VTSHELL=function(exec_args){' + _cmdfileSrc + '\\n};_VTSHELL')(['', '-fancy']);\n"
+        + "eval('var _VTSHELL=function(exec_args){' + _cmdfileSrc + '\\n};_VTSHELL')(['', '-c', '\\\\AUTOEXEC.BAT']);\n"
 
     const combined = TVDOS_SYS_SRC + SHELL_START
 
@@ -407,10 +405,9 @@ con.poll_keys = function() { return [0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0] }
 
 // ── TVDOS.SYS init flags + BIOS stub ───────────────────────────────────────
 globalThis._TVDOS_IS_VT_PANE = true
-globalThis._TVDOS_SKIP_AUTOEXEC = true
 globalThis._BIOS = { FIRST_BOOTABLE_PORT: ${BIOS_FIRST_BOOTABLE_PORT} }
 
-// ── load TVDOS.SYS and start command -fancy in one direct-eval call ─────
+// ── load TVDOS.SYS and run AUTOEXEC.BAT (the per-console shell) in one direct-eval ─────
 // Strict-mode direct eval is scope-isolated, so TVDOS.SYS's \`const _TVDOS\`
 // only survives within the eval scope. The shell launcher must run inside
 // the same eval to access it (via lexical closure into nested evals).