diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 319cba4e0d6..d55db650fac 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,14 +1,11 @@
 *~
-/*.exe
-/*.ini
-/*.log
-/*.map
-/*.pdb
-/*.sym
-/.cproject
-/.project
+/*
+!/*/
+!/.gitattributes
+!/.gitignore
+!/makefile
+!/*.md
 /cfg
-/depend_*.mak
 /diff
 /ini
 /nvram
@@ -17,36 +14,3 @@
 src/regtests/chdman/temp
 src/regtests/jedutil/output
 /sta
-/*.bat
-/*.sln
-/*.suo
-/mame64
-/mess64
-/ume64
-/mame
-/mess
-/ume
-/mame64d
-/mess64d
-/ume64d
-/mamed
-/messd
-/umed
-/castool
-/chdman
-/floptool
-/imgtool
-/jedutil
-/ldresample
-/ldverify
-/nltool
-/pngcmp
-/regrep
-/romcmp
-/split
-/src2html
-/srcclean
-/testkeys
-/unidasm
-/*.psess
-/*.vsp